Fermenting under pressure

[gavp1979]

I’ve just taken delivery of a Fermzilla All-Rounder and spunding vale. I’m interested primarily in carbonating from the fermentation under pressure and closed transfers. It should be fun to re-brewing recipes I know and like and judging if there’s a measurable or perceptible difference to the quality by using a new technique... plus I just used a brew bucket for carrying water and cleaning when building a shed last week and it’s in no fit shape to be used for brewing again

The beauty is that if fermenting under pressure has no noticable impact on taste/flavour I can resort to my ‘old methods’ with the ability to capture some CO2 towards the end of the fermentation, perform a closed transfer and still enjoy the fruits of my labour.

At the end of the day I’ll have had the opportunity to try this ‘new to me’ process, I get to experiment with a hobby I enjoy and make up my own mind based on trial and error. If I can make it work the I’ll be happy and if It not a raging success there‘s bound to be some take aways I can incorporate..

Same here I had an all rounder delivered yesterday, still waiting on a couple of connectors from kegland (AliExpress) which I was hoping would arrive for a brewday this weekend. Got all the ingredients for the Greg Hughes neipa as it's maiden brew so wanted it for an oxygen free transfer

 

[Braufather]

Just to add that my take away from all of this is that higher pressure at higher temperature can be equivalent to lower temperature at no additional pressure, quite what temperature and pressure isn't clear. For me, this means for a lager, ferment at 15-26 psi at a higher temp than I would normally, 16-18 deg. For all others, ferment at v low, less than 5psi effectively using the spunding valve as an airlock, then after most of fermentation is done, set to the pressure for carbonation reasons rather than flavour. Oddly enough, other than for lager, that's pretty much what Teri Fahrendorf suggested in the first place !

Anna

Gonna be using my fermenter king junior today for first time today and this is what I’m going to do!

 

[Braufather]

Think I set the presure to about 3 psi when putting star San through and left it there but will keep an eye on it

Gonna put it in fridge at 18c ambient

 

[krispn]

Well I cold crashed mine two days ago and transferred it last night. Had some niggles with some new liquid quick connectiors but nothing a little brute force didn’t fix. The beer looks bright and fresh, tasted clean and has good flavour/aroma. 7day turnaround but more importantly a nice tasting beer! Next up will be a lager! Pictures of the finished beer to follow as I’m gonna let it sit under pressure for a couple of days.

 

[krispn]

Hard to capture the colour as my tiny kitchen is quite dark. But I’m happy with how this first ‘experiment’ has turned out. It’s a first brew recipe so my next few are going to be a couple of tried and tested batches remade under pressure. A lager as I said, an imperial stout and maybe my Altbier.

 

[DocAnna]

Bit of a tip that might help someone after my last closed transfer related to brewing under pressure. I had a problem previously with the krausen and hop debris blocking the dip tube when starting the transfer. This last time I pressured the keg to a bit higher pressure than the fermenter so when connecting the beer to beer it blew some CO2 out of the dip tube and cleared it first.

Anna

 

[Brewnaldo]

Bit of a tip that might help someone after my last closed transfer related to brewing under pressure. I had a problem previously with the krausen and hop debris blocking the dip tube when starting the transfer. This last time I pressured the keg to a bit higher pressure than the fermenter so when connecting the beer to beer it blew some CO2 out of the dip tube and cleared it first.

Anna

With my current heavily dry hopped IPA I had been occasionally having to blast CO2 down through the beer line of the FV and even in the keg. Think I am past that now and all the hops have settled but it was a tough pour last week

 

[muppix]

I had a problem previously with the krausen and hop debris blocking the dip tube when starting the transfer. This last time I pressured the keg to a bit higher pressure than the fermenter so when connecting the beer to beer it blew some CO2 out of the dip tube and cleared it first.

Good call, I like it. If your dip tube's adjustable you might want to start fermentation with it in the downward position, thereby reducing the chances of carp falling in. Unless you're using a floating dip tube (since you mention Krausen) in which case forget what I just said.

 

[RGeats]

Bit of a tip that might help someone after my last closed transfer related to brewing under pressure. I had a problem previously with the krausen and hop debris blocking the dip tube when starting the transfer. This last time I pressured the keg to a bit higher pressure than the fermenter so when connecting the beer to beer it blew some CO2 out of the dip tube and cleared it first.

Anna

Just thinking, could you put a magnet on the line and attach it to the outside of the fermenter above the krausen line, then release when you want to transfer. Save a load of rubbish getting up there?

 

[dan125]

With my current heavily dry hopped IPA I had been occasionally having to blast CO2 down through the beer line of the FV and even in the keg. Think I am past that now and all the hops have settled but it was a tough pour last week

I do this as a matter of course now. Especially if I've roused the DH. A day or so before kegging gives a chance for the gack that comes out to settle.
I know that @Hoddy just attaches the dip tube after DHing (I think) with no issues

 

[DocAnna]

Just thinking, could you put a magnet on the line and attach it to the outside of the fermenter above the krausen line, then release when you want to transfer. Save a load of rubbish getting up there?

Ooo that's an interesting idea I've no idea if it's magnetic or not. Something to investigate next brewday.

Anna

 

[RGeats]

Ooo that's an interesting idea I've no idea if it's magnetic or not. Something to investigate next brewday.

Anna

You can probably get donut shaped magnets? Put one around the line? Or attached to the float?

 

[Hoddy]

I do this as a matter of course now. Especially if I've roused the DH. A day or so before kegging gives a chance for the gack that comes out to settle.
I know that @Hoddy just attaches the dip tube after DHing (I think) with no issues

I always keep the floating dip tube out until I’ve finished cold crashing post DH. I soak it in sterilant (tube and ball) and then fit it before doing a closed transfer. I re-flush the fs after attaching the pickup tube to ensure zero o2 pickup. Plus I don’t carb in the fs. I do that in the keg as I’ve already chilled the beer to 1oC for the cold crash. When I’ve done this it’s got rid of all transfer blockage issues.
Still always give it the full strip down post each transfer too.

 

[dan125]

I always keep the floating dip tube out until I’ve finished cold crashing post DH. I soak it in sterilant (tube and ball) and then fit it before doing a closed transfer. I re-flush the fs after attaching the pickup tube to ensure zero o2 pickup. Plus I don’t carb in the fs. I do that in the keg as I’ve already chilled the beer to 1oC for the cold crash. When I’ve done this it’s got rid of all transfer blockage issues.
Still always give it the full strip down post each transfer too.

Are you chilling to 1C in the FS with the DH in?

 

[chillipickle]

These filters work very well, i use alot of verdant ipa yeast for my neipa's and it really does produce a messy krausen.
https://brewkegtap.co.uk/search?type=product,article,page&q=dip+tube+filter

 

[Hoddy]

Are you chilling to 1C in the FS with the DH in?

Yes sir.

 

[oldpathwhiteclouds]

Me too. Why not?

 

[dan125]

Me too. Why not?

I went through a stage of getting a horrible vegetal taste in all my beers .... eventually figured out it was from DHing cold, and never had it again since only dropping to 10c in the FV.
I know its not a problem Hoddy suffers from so was just interested to know his process.
Must have been something else I was doing

 

[Leon103]

I always keep the floating dip tube out until I’ve finished cold crashing post DH. I soak it in sterilant (tube and ball) and then fit it before doing a closed transfer. I re-flush the fs after attaching the pickup tube to ensure zero o2 pickup. Plus I don’t carb in the fs. I do that in the keg as I’ve already chilled the beer to 1oC for the cold crash. When I’ve done this it’s got rid of all transfer blockage issues.
Still always give it the full strip down post each transfer too.

I always struggle to get the tube onto the lid so always do it when filling with wort to avoid any delay when doing it post fermentation.

 

[Thatscold]

First lager attempt under pressure at 20C. Brewed yesterday - currently sat at 17 PSI. 40L with 4 packs of CML Hells.