My Fermzilla has landed

[cossie.j]

I would keep the options open, look at the Fermenter King, Aussie made not Chinese. And no butterfly valve to strip and clean.

Foxy. I have actually been considering waiting for the release of this one too. It appeals more to me, purely for the more simplistic aspects. I’ve only just recently changed all my fermenters and I’m currently trying to convert one of them, to be able to pressure transfer into my kegs? I’m not convinced it’ll work though to be fair? But we’ll see about that once my beer has fermented.

 

[foxy]

Foxy. I have actually been considering waiting for the release of this one too. It appeals more to me, purely for the more simplistic aspects. I’ve only just recently changed all my fermenters and I’m currently trying to convert one of them, to be able to pressure transfer into my kegs? I’m not convinced it’ll work though to be fair? But we’ll see about that once my beer has fermented.

Then the Snub nose is the one to go for, if you can keep the trub out of the fermenter a good cheap option. I have 5 now and it is great to watch the ferment in its exothermic action, I have fitted taps to all mine but I do often do a pressure transfer to kegs.

 

[cossie.j]

Then the Snub nose is the one to go for, if you can keep the trub out of the fermenter a good cheap option. I have 5 now and it is great to watch the ferment in its exothermic action, I have fitted taps to all mine but I do often do a pressure transfer to kegs.

well there doesn’t seem to be anyone stocking the snub nose in the uk unfortunately as yet? Also adding taps is a good option too for bottling what’s left after transferring to a keg. I’ll certainly keep my options open though for sure, though I’m thinking my priorities at the moment are to get a fridge for fermentation?as my 3rd AG brew is fermenting way too high

 

[woody1959]

Brew underway.

Youngs Harvest Pilsner lager kit
20L Tesco mineral water
10g Youngs lager yeast ( the kit comes with ale yeast, but I wanted a true bottom fermenter)
Fermenter pressurised with CO2
Spunding valve set at 15psi.
Room is a constant 16c all year round.

Early Tues morning I am flying off to the Canary Islands for a week so in theory when I get back this should be a fully carbonated ready to drink lager.

I stuck this in the shower to ferment as a "just in case" because it's a lot easier to clean up in there.

 

[cossie.j]

I’ll be following this woody and have a great holiday

 

[woody1959]

Well 24 hrs in and this is what it looks like.

 

[woody1959]

Just to mention that one frustration I had was finding information about what pressure to brew at.

The instructions don't tell you and there is very little information out there about it.

I chose 15psi for several reasons

1: It's the pressure Kegland advise you to test the fermenter at

2: It's the pressure I would "force" carbonate a beer at

3: The few videos I have seen all seem to brew at that pressure

It might well be the incorrect pressure, I don't know, ask me again in about a week lol

 

[HarryFlatters]

This might be a foolish question, but if you ferment a beer under pressure, is it carbonated by the time you come to package?

 

[foxy]

This might be a foolish question, but if you ferment a beer under pressure, is it carbonated by the time you come to package?

The idea of pressure fermenting is to ferment with spunding valve open to vent the unwanted bi products during a robust ferment then apply pressure for the last couple of points. This will carbonate the beer. Applying pressure to early will compromise the yeast.

 

[HarryFlatters]

That's @foxy

 

[woody1959]

Well I got home form my hols a couple of hours ago, because of the French atc strikes the 4 hour flight actually took 8 so i didn't look at my beer straight away, now I am a bit more refreshed I stuck my head to look at it.

They reckon pressure fermented beer is ready to drink after 3 days, well this has been going for 7 now and it doesn't look that drinkable to me, needs to clear. I'll check the SG tomorrow and if it's 1.010 or below then I will pressure transfer into a keg, throw some finings in and leave it for a week and see what it's like then.

One thing to note, I know I set the spunding valve at 15psi before I left and tested it 3 times yet when I got back it was on 22psi, obviously I released some pressure before I took this pic.

 

[dan125]

I've been tinkering with fermenting under pressure for a while now and can't say I've noticed it speeding things up significantly. And if you have to let pressure off it will often stir things up as the CO2 comes out of solution (this is my prefered way to rouse dry hops).
I've also read/heard that pressure early on during the yeast growth phase will prevent the yeast multiplying properly - better to build the pressure up after it gets going.

 

[cossie.j]

Well i just couldn’t resist any longer,so i bought myself the whole fermzilla kit jacket n all. I’ve got a planned brew this weekend and although i won’t be pressure fermenting this one, i have a pilsner all grain recipe that’ll be going into it after this one. I tried converting my speidel fermenters into pressure transfer jobbies but failed miserably on that! So I’m looking forward to having that ability with the fermzilla

 

[woody1959]

I've also read/heard that pressure early on during the yeast growth phase will prevent the yeast multiplying properly - better to build the pressure up after it gets going.

Mine was initially pressured to 15psi and had reached 22psi after 7 days, that tells me the yeast is working just fine.

 

[woody1959]

Well i just couldn’t resist any longer,so i bought myself the whole fermzilla kit jacket n all. I’ve got a planned brew this weekend and although i won’t be pressure fermenting this one, i have a pilsner all grain recipe that’ll be going into it after this one. I tried converting my speidel fermenters into pressure transfer jobbies but failed miserably on that! So I’m looking forward to having that ability with the fermzilla

In my head I was planning the pressure transfer today but I got up this morning and realised I was suffering from "Post Canary islands freezing my nuts off" syndrome so I might leave it until I have properly acclimatised.

 

[dan125]

Mine was initially pressured to 15psi and had reached 22psi after 7 days, that tells me the yeast is working just fine.

Did it get down to your target FG ok?

 

[foxy]

Mine was initially pressured to 15psi and had reached 22psi after 7 days, that tells me the yeast is working just fine.

I would be questioning the viability of the spunding valve set at 15 PSI and it creeps up to 22 PSI a 50% increase! Proves the point which I made and David Heaths promotion of the Blowtie on this very forum, cheap diaphragm valves will never give any accuracy, you aren't the first to have the same problem.
Advice from a pro brewer on pressure fermenting.
https://spikebrewing.com/blogs/ask-a-pro/pressurized-fermentation

 

[woody1959]

Did it get down to your target FG ok?

Dunno, haven't checked yet.

 

[woody1959]

Advice from a pro brewer on pressure fermenting.
https://spikebrewing.com/blogs/ask-a-pro/pressurized-fermentation

Interesting reading, however it contradicts what other "professionals" state, the vast majority of commercial beers are pressure fermented.

 

[foxy]

Interesting reading, however it contradicts what other "professionals" state, the vast majority of commercial beers are pressure fermented.

I would be interested in reading about this have you a link?