Fermzilla 30L allrounder

[Zorro]

I have been looking at getting one of these for Christmas (ordered by me, gifted by the wife!)

I have one problem, wondering if any owners could advise. To fit in my current fermentation fridge, I do not think I will be able to fit a spunding valve to the gas post on the keg. Would it be possible to ferment under pressure without a spunding valve and maybe just use a pressure relife valve rated at 15 psi to make sure the pressure does not go above this? Any other solutions I haven't thought of?

Cheers!

EDIT - Just found this - Why you should never use a PRV as a replacement

So, back to the drawing board!

What clearance/width do you have? You can tip it in the holder too. Kegland released a new disconnect with a push fit built in, that might help too

 

[nhenson22]

What clearance/width do you have? You can tip it in the holder too. Kegland released a new disconnect with a push fit built in, that might help too

It is very tight, I have got 513mm between my shelf and the top of the fridge.
With the stand upside down, the measurement to the top of the posts is apparently 507mm.

I did not think of tilting though, and those disconnects look really useful! I think I will take the plunge and see if it works. Hey, if not, guess I've got a reason to get a bigger fermentation fridge!!

 

[Spratt]

Sorry for jumping on this post as well, I am also looking into upgrading from a standard plastic bucket, but can't decide between a Fermzilla and an all rounder.

What are the main differences?

Would one work better than the other for me. I do have a tall fridge with ink bird and heater already.

Currently I only bottle my beer after batch priming, but may look to keg In the future.

The main advantage of the Fermzilla over the Allrounder is the valve at the bottom and collection bowl. As others have said, this allows you to dump the trub if you want to keep your beer in the FV and serve from it, collect yeast if you want to save it, dry hop without introducing oxygen. But you can save yeast by top cropping and as I have now learnt from that handy link from @fgoulding, you can get round the dry hopping problem too. Bottling will be the same from either FV and can be done with a bottling wand attached to the beer out post on the lid and using gentle pressure (around 5 psi or less).

I would struggle to recommend the Fermzilla over the Allrounder as I've said above, because of the cleaning. Sometimes you can get away without having to dismantle it but I have had brews where crud gets caught between the gasket and the clear plastic of the "dome" and the only way to clean it properly is to dismantle it. That's hard work and not something you want to do too often - hence my preference for the Allrounder.

Whichever you go for, do try and get the pressure kit for it - it makes things so much easier, even if you only ferment at a few psi to keep oxygen out

 

[fgoulding]

How do you find the vavle? I have one however I have just been removing the lid and drying hoppping near the end of fermentation.

I'm planning a verdant clone and it asks for a dry hop after fermentation. I have the red tee peice, so Im thinking a purge of CO2 a few times before dumping.

I love my Fermzilla, if you plan on kegging and want to reduce O2 exposure, it's great/easy to use.

I really only use the valve for NEIPA’s and it works well as long as you use a 1.5ltr bottle. I have to give the bottle a shake so that the hops don’t get stuck. I have also used the valve for gelatine when it’s not a good idea to open the lid right at the end of fermentation.

Apart from that I mostly do what you do for dry hopping and just pop the lid near the end of fermentation. The main lesson I learned was to use some lube on the lid seal and not to over tighten it. But if it does get stuck, I loosen the collar a tad and slowly use CO2 to pop the lid.

It works a treat!

 

[Zorro]

I really only use the valve for NEIPA’s and it works well as long as you use a 1.5ltr bottle. I have to give the bottle a shake so that the hops don’t get stuck. I have also used the valve for gelatine when it’s not a good idea to open the lid right at the end of fermentation.

Apart from that I mostly do what you do for dry hopping and just pop the lid near the end of fermentation. The main lesson I learned was to use some lube on the lid seal and not to over tighten it. But if it does get stuck, I loosen the collar a tad and slowly use CO2 to pop the lid.

It works a treat!

Cheers for the reply, yeah I lube the carb caps and lid too. The pop trick works really well. I bought a strap wrench for the lid to make things a little easier.

I'm loking forward to my next brew and using the valve for the first time.
I've better get a move on for Xmas though.

 

[Theoriginalrich]

Does it come with a handle as standard? Some sites say it does but BKT makes no mention of it. I was looking to get it from there.

 

[fgoulding]

Does it come with a handle as standard? Some sites say it does but BKT makes no mention of it. I was looking to get it from there.

They all come with a handle but it’s quite small and not easy to use. Plus you have to make sure that you don’t over tighten it as you can break the top.

I don’t use it any more after it fell off when I lifted one of my all rounders and I almost lost a brew.

I now use the dedicated strap which connects the stand to the all rounder itself. This makes it more stable and easier for me to move around.

I saw it being used by the YouTuber Dr Haans and he called it a sex swing because it’s so big to fit both the 30L and the 60L :)

https://www.angelhomebrew.co.uk/fermzilla/506-fermzilla-all-rounder-30l60l-strap.html

 

[gavp1979]

It is very tight, I have got 513mm between my shelf and the top of the fridge.
With the stand upside down, the measurement to the top of the posts is apparently 507mm.

I did not think of tilting though, and those disconnects look really useful! I think I will take the plunge and see if it works. Hey, if not, guess I've got a reason to get a bigger fermentation fridge!!

I am in a similar situation, I can't quite fit the all-rounder in my fridge with the stand so I bought a pet feeding bowl and sit it in that instead, it allows me to sit the bottom of it slightly lower than the compressor hump and gives a bit more clearence so that I can fit a disconnect and sounding valve

 

[gavp1979]

Not the best picture but you can just about see the fv is sat in the pet bowl

 

[Theoriginalrich]

That’s it ordered with a strap. All SWMO has to do is wrap it up ready to be used over Christmas.

 

[Davegase]

You should be able to fit the spunding valve using one of these new kegland ball lock disconnects.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003193911427.html

 

[gavp1979]

You should be able to fit the spunding valve using one of these new kegland ball lock disconnects.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003193911427.html

Those new disconnects do look really handy, think I will order some to try