Fermenter

[Chippy_Tea]

That's quite a dextrous cat to be able to open that valve.

I may be over thinking this but she is a real PITA and the valve only needs slight pressure to open it i only have one place i can put the FV in the kitchen because its tall so blocking access may also be difficult i think i will try to see if i can find something i can screw on blank it.

 

[Agentgonzo]

There is a bit of "wobble" in the tap, and a screw on the top of it. I'm about 95% certain (I'm not near mine too check) that if you just remove this screw, you can take the tap handle off and it'll be impossible to open.

 

[Larse]

Yeah, unscrewing that and taking the handle off. You can put the screw back on to avoid losing it. Also, I'd say that's a standard plumbing thread and size, so your local plumbing supplies should have an end cap you can screw on. Or a plastic push on type. A lot of plumbing fittings come with these to protect the threads. If you could take it off and bring to said plumbing suppliers, I'm sure they'd find something to fit.

 

[Larse]

It does unscrew, but obviously not the day before chippy wants to fill it with must!

Fairly sure this will do the job.

 

[MashBag]

Cable tie? Or a bit of twisty wire.

I love this stuff...

Available in hardware shops & garden centres everywhere and of course...

Green PVC Coated Steel Wire Soft Twist Plant Tie Roll, 5.5 meters - Easy to Use, Ideal for Securing Plants & Shrubs in Gardens https://amzn.eu/d/7SgItq8

 

[Buffers brewery]

I will be using the SS FV for the first time this weekend but one thing does concern me a little we have a very inquisitive cat and i am concerned this little **** may open the dump valve tap as its very easy to open and the handle is quite long, i wondered if members could recommend something like a blanking plug i could hand tighten onto the thread i am only using this as a dump valve so as far as i know it doesn't have to be SS (you may be able to advise on that as well) thanks in advance for any help.

View attachment 105292

Any idea of the thread size?

Edit: @Larse seems to have got there before me

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Fairly sure this will do the job.

View attachment 105299

Thanks i have one ordered.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Cable tie? Or a bit of twisty wire.

I love this stuff...

Available in hardware shops & garden centres everywhere and of course...

Green PVC Coated Steel Wire Soft Twist Plant Tie Roll, 5.5 meters - Easy to Use, Ideal for Securing Plants & Shrubs in Gardens https://amzn.eu/d/7SgItq8

Thanks MB.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Any idea of the thread size?

Not sure, its 3/4 so i assumed it would be the same as a washing machine hose as most searches came up with that.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I watched Brians video a few days ago and decided i would use his bar keepers friend method i watched it again today as i am getting the FV ready for making my kit tomorrow and i noticed the comment below, do you agree with John Palmesrs comments that all you need to do is make sure you clean the inside thoroughly to get rid of any manufacturing oils/grease etc and the SS will be good to go?




Hi Brian, I was pleased to see this passivation video using BKF, but you have a misconception that might be making this harder than it needs to be. First, stainless steel is an alloy so the chromium is always there at the surface, along with the iron and nickel. Assuming that the metal surface is clean, bare, free of dirt, oil, or protein residue that can prevent oxygen from contacting the surface, that clean surface WILL passivate. Instantly. The dispersion of chromium across the surface will oxidize and prevent oxidation (rust) of any nearby iron-rich phases. So, the primary purpose of a good cleanser like Bar Keepers Friend is that it abrasively removes dirt and oil, and chemically reduces any rust which may have been present, leaving a clean surface that instantly passivates. In regards to your video, mixing the paste is fine, but the action is the scrubbing with it, not putting it on and leaving it for 15 minutes. The time doesn't hurt as long as the scrubbing takes place, but the time isn't needed. Yes, rinse thoroughly after scrubbing (with a rinsed sponge). Drying quickly is not really necessary. Ordinary tap water is not a hinderance to passivation, although if you have a high mineral tap water that leaves scale everywhere, and/or contains a lot of chlorine, that could be an issue, so drying with a towel makes sense as good general practice. Bottom line, yes I agree with your video, clean the Foundry or any stainless equipment when you receive it with PBW and BKF and then consider it passivated. There is nothing? you are going to do to it that will remove passivation in the course of normal brewing and clean-up. (Unless you filled it with bleach water. That would be bad.) Ok, sorry to take lots of space. Cheers!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The wine in my SS FV is sat at 28c my kitchen is 20c I thought the digital thermometer may be reading wrong so put my meat thermometer in the thermowell and it read the same, is this normal?

 

[Agentgonzo]

The wine in my SS FV is sat at 28c my kitchen is 20c I thought the digital thermometer may be reading wrong so put my meat thermometer in the thermowell and it read the same, is this normal?

When yeast ferments (especially in the early active stages) it generates a lot of heat. I don't know what to expect with wine making, but in beer making I would expect the temperature to raise from ~20ºC to ~24ºC in the first 48 hours of fermentation. Wine must has more sugars than beer wort so that my result in a more active fermentation, and thus a higher temperature rise. Hopefully a wine brewer will let you know.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks AG i have kept an eye on it today and -

@13:00 = 26.7c

@16:30 = 25.7c

The kitchen is currently 22c

 

[Agentgonzo]

Thanks AG i have kept an eye on it today and -

@13:00 = 26.7c

@16:30 = 25.7c

The kitchen is currently 22c

It's not sat next to a radiator is it?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It's not sat next to a radiator is it?

No its nowhere near heat of any sort, i think i may have found the answer and can now stop panicking

How much does fermentation raise temperature?
Since yeast growth and fermentations are exothermic and therefore generate heat the temperature within the fermenter can be as much as 4 ºC higher than outside of the fermenter during the early days of fermentation.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks AG i have kept an eye on it today and -

@13:00 = 26.7c

@16:30 = 25.7c

The kitchen is currently 22c

The FV temp has slowly carried on dropping but i think it has finally stopped, the kitchen is still 22c. (started fermenting Sunday)

Today 6/11 -

15:00 - 23.1

17:00 - 23.0

19:00 - 22.9

20:30 - 22.9

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Here is my fermenter and the bottle wash/sanitising set up i am going to use i was going to get a tree but this bottle drainer is a lot smaller and easier to store,

I am now not dreading bottling day which has always been the worst part of home brewing for me.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Could i ask if you need to take it all to pieces every time to clean and sanitise or will running sanitiser through the valves be enough?

Interesting that he says that the handles are strong enough to lift the fermenter when full. They are only spot welded on and so I would be too afraid to use them when it's full. When I have moved it, I've always lifted it from its bottom.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Interesting that he says that the handles are strong enough to lift the fermenter when full. They are only spot welded on and so I would be too afraid to use them when it's full. When I have moved it, I've always lifted it from its bottom.

I wouldn't trust them and as I don't think my back would hold up if i tried to lift 23Kg from the floor to the counter top i wont be testing mine.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

As i have already discussed Chemsan here I will ask this in the thread -

When you have mixed your 10ml in 5 litre of water do you use gloves or is it safe for you to put your hands in the Chemsan to lift your stuff out?