KegLand FermZilla vs KegKing Fermenter King G3: Observations and Comparisons
I purchased two, 27L FermZillas from More Beer in August 2019. Problems came up right away. There were multiple difficulties with trying to get the fermenters to hold pressure. First problem was the seal from the top cap to the fermenter body.
KegLand came up with a solution that involved buying another, thicker O ring. The O ring costs $1.00 AU$ or $0.70US. MoreBeer charges $3.00US. Williams Brewing charges $0.75US. The thicker O ring makes it very hard to remove the top cap now. KegLand suggests loosening the outer ring and using a screw driver under a carb cap to pry up the top cap.
The next problem was using the stainless steel pressure kits for gas in and liquid out. They are repurposed carbonation caps. The Fermzilla does not have a large enough lip for the gasket on the SS carb cap to seal effectively. The gasket tends to fold down into the fermenter. The solution was to not use the SS caps but to buy plastic caps that do not have a gasket, using the plastic body of the cap to seal. These had to be tightened very, very tight, or they would leak. Getting them that tight would usually deform the body of the carb cap.
The caps sell at 10 for $1.95 AU$ or $1.40US each at KegLand. More Beer charges $6.00US each.
With those changes, my Fermzillas were finally able to hold pressure.
I wanted to use the Fermzillas with a glycol chiller for temperature control. I needed to buy the KegLand thermoprobe and TempTwister cooling coil. At the time, one had to drill out the lid for the FermZilla. There are spaces marked on the interior of the lid to show where to drill. KegLand has a video showing how to do this using a handheld drill. I tried this and could not get the drill to stay centered. I ended up having to use my drill press and clamps with a second lid I had to purchase.
I now see the Williams Brewing is offering a predrilled lid for the FermZilla for $6.99. MoreBeer only offers the undrilled lid for $8.99.
Finally, in December, I was able to connect the FermZillas to my glycol system and brew into them. I brewed about 20 times with them until I noticed some stress cracks forming around the top neck area. I contacted MoreBeer and they quickly sent out the new design replacement bottles. They did not come with the graduation sticker to show the volume in the fermenter. These do not have the flat top of the original FermZilla, but are more rounded.
When I went to take apart the original FermZillas to replace the bottles, one of the valve assemblies, simply would not come apart. I tried all the hints suggested in the KegLand video on how to dissasemble the FermZilla and nothing would work. I gave up and ordered a new assembly.
The other FermZilla came apart with no problem and I was able to reassemble it using minimal amounts of torque. I tested it with just pressure for 48 hours and then with water, with no leaking. However, when I was going to take off the collection chamber, I foolishly left the butterfly valve open and the handle ended up breaking the collection chamber when the carb cap hit it. I managed to destroy the other collection chamber when I, again foolishly, tried to use the SS carb caps with a different gasket. I kept tightening the cap to prevent leaking, untill the threaded assembly just broke away from the chamber. Another order went in for three collection chambers, so I would have a spare, seeing how easily they break.
I was able to start using them again, about two weeks ago.
A couple of months ago, Will Fiala, KegKing CEO, was asking if there was anyone who cared to try out the KegKing Fermenter King G3 on HBT, I contacted him and after some conversations, he arranged to have a unit shipped to me with a cooling coil included.
It took some time to arrive and I had some personal issues come up, but I finally got to brew into it this week.
Here are some comparisons between the two fermenters:
The 27L FermZilla is roughly 32" tall to the top of the carb caps. It is 14" in diameter The main body PET is roughly 2.6mm thick.
The G3 is 37" tall to the top of the thremoprobe/valve. It is roughly 14.8" in diameter. The PET is roughly 5.8mm thick.
The FermZilla cone is 45 degrees. The G3 is 60 degrees.
The top opening of the FermZilla is roughly 4.75" wide. The G3 is 3.5" wide.
The FermZilla uses a complex bottom connection to a 3" butterfly valve. The G3 is a simpler connection using a plunge valve.
The Fermzilla has a collection chamber that holds 1 liter and has the ability to add carb caps so you can release any pressure in the container before removing it. You could also use the two caps to add CO2 and purge the chamber of air before you open the valve to add dry hops of anything else.
The G3 has a 1/2 liter collection bottle. There is no ability to purge the bottle. The G3 does come with an adapter to add 2 inch Tri-Clover accessories to the bottom of the fermenter.
The FermZilla cooling coil is 6 meters total length, it is about 4.3" in diameter and 26.7 " high. It is VERY tight getting it into the FermZilla with the dip tube. The tube and float valve does get caught between the coils at times. The dip tube does pull put trub that is on the cone of the fermenter. Kegland has introduced an extension screen in Oz but it has not arrives in the states yet. The top third of the coil is above the fermenting beer.
The G3 coil is smaller than the Fermzilla, but it is angled off to the side. The plunge valve/thermo probe assembly has a ring around it the the dip tube and float attatch to. This will prevent the tube from pulling up any trub from the side of the fermenter.
I have only just brewed into the G3 this week. I can say there was no problem with the coil dropping the wort down 10 degrees within 1 hour to fermenting temp. It has held fermenting temp within 1 degree F all week.
The FermZilla is an very good concept with rather poor execution. KegLand seems to have put out a Beta version and attempted to fix the problems after the release.
The G3 took longer to come out but it has none of the leaking or poor material problems of the FermZilla.
If I can do oxygen free transfers and keep that gorgeous hop aroma, he'll probably be happy anyways. But usually takes some convincing first! Will watch this thread with interest.
