CO2 setup for carbing beers in a Fermzilla

[jceg316]

I have a Fermzilla but never tried pressure fermenting with it yet and I'd like to start. The idea being to pressurise at the end of fermentation so I can carb the beer for bottling. Where possible I can use fermentation CO2 but for a lot of the yeasts I use I want the ester production so don't want to pressurise, plus it's really handy to have CO2 to hand to check for leaks, purge bottles, and eventually will look to kegging some beers too.

I have a Fermzilla with a pressure kit, I need a CO2 canister, regulator and gas line. I've never used CO2 before so it's all a bit alien to me. Is there anything else I need?

I had a google for CO2 regulators and some cost £22 whilst others are >£100, what is a good one to have?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Moe]

I’ve got this one:

https://brewkegtap.co.uk/collection...beverage-co2-regulator?variant=21578154213457
not used any others so have nothing to compare it to, but it’s decent and does the job.

 

[Newerbrewer]

Got the same one. Does the job

 

[jceg316]

Thanks for your recommendations.

I've been looking online for CO2 cylinders as well. I've seen some 2kg cylinders for £30 and others for £120. Is there a reason for this discrepancy or is one company charging through the roof?

 

[Neil Whittaker]

Just to double check, but you will require a spunding value, which is sold separately to the pressure kit.

 

[Newerbrewer]

Depending where you live, I recommend t&j. They sell a 6kg cylinder for £23 incl delivery. No rental charge.

 

[jceg316]

Just to double check, but you will require a spunding value, which is sold separately to the pressure kit.

I have a spunding valve and blowtie, thanks.

Depending where you live, I recommend t&j. They sell a 6kg cylinder for £23 incl delivery. No rental charge.

Is that T&J Installations? I will look them up.

 

[Newerbrewer]

Yup T&J installations. Was surprised they delivered so far.

 

[jceg316]

Yup T&J installations. Was surprised they delivered so far.

How do you actually order they have a website which looks like it's from 20 years ago, otherwise I can't find anything about them. Beer dispense equipment, technical services, cellar cooling, bar fitters, wine dispense, wine preservation, spirit dispense

 

[Newerbrewer]

There's a contact form on the site or use [email protected]

 

[jceg316]

There's a contact form on the site or use [email protected]

Thanks for the help on this, but unfortunately they distribute through another company who don't deliver to residential addresses and charge £69.99 +vat for delivery, even if I could use a business address.

 

[Newerbrewer]

That's strange. I had a delivery on Friday from them to my home address

 

[jceg316]

Do you live relatively locally to them? I'm in SE London which is quite far.

 

[Newerbrewer]

I'm further away than you in Hertfordshire. No idea why they've let me order!!

 

[Matt_W]

I’ve bottled from the fermzilla and the beer wasn’t massively carbonated but did hold some.

I found the key is to get the beer cold. Then you can slowly reduce the pressure in the fermzilla to 1-2 psi to bottle without the beer using too much fizz.

If you try to bottle it at 10psi it’ll just end up on the floor.

I used on of the red plastic carbonation caps with a bit of tube to the bottom of the bottle. Screw onto the bottle, add co2 and slowly unscrew to purge some of the oxygen. Then tighten and connect the beer slowly unscrew again until it starts to fill. Then once it’s to the top removed the carb cap, squeeze the air out the bottle and cap.

obviously I used PET bottles for the above.
Also works from a corny.

 

[jceg316]

I’ve bottled from the fermzilla and the beer wasn’t massively carbonated but did hold some.

I found the key is to get the beer cold. Then you can slowly reduce the pressure in the fermzilla to 1-2 psi to bottle without the beer using too much fizz.

If you try to bottle it at 10psi it’ll just end up on the floor.

I used on of the red plastic carbonation caps with a bit of tube to the bottom of the bottle. Screw onto the bottle, add co2 and slowly unscrew to purge some of the oxygen. Then tighten and connect the beer slowly unscrew again until it starts to fill. Then once it’s to the top removed the carb cap, squeeze the air out the bottle and cap.

obviously I used PET bottles for the above.
Also works from a corny.

I've been in a YouTube hole watching videos of how people bottle from Fermzillas and corny kegs! I saw someone with a similar process, they use carbonation drops in each bottle and pressure the beer just for transfer.

In terms of researching a good setup I'm now at the bottling stage. A beer gun looks the simplest but the Blichmann is >£100 and it seems like it's not entirely foolproof. Counter pressure fillers might be one way to go, cheaper but might take a bit longer.

 

[Matt_W]

I've been in a YouTube hole watching videos of how people bottle from Fermzillas and corny kegs! I saw someone with a similar process, they use carbonation drops in each bottle and pressure the beer just for transfer.

In terms of researching a good setup I'm now at the bottling stage. A beer gun looks the simplest but the Blichmann is >£100 and it seems like it's not entirely foolproof. Counter pressure fillers might be one way to go, cheaper but might take a bit longer.

Yeah I’d like a beer gun but can’t warrant the spend. So a £2 carbonation cap will have to do. Or just prime the bottle if you don’t mind a little sediment.

 

[itry]

why not get the 30 pound carbonation gun? my home brew shop sells it.

 

[jceg316]

why not get the 30 pound carbonation gun? my home brew shop sells it.

I've thought about it, I just wonder whether it's a cheap imitation which won't work so well. For £30 I can get a counter pressure filler which will do a decent job.