Help me choose a pressure fermenter

[xozzx]

Im pretty keen on trying pressure fermenting and been looking at the fermentasaurus snubnose and the fermzilla allrounder - Im allowed to spend around £100 so unfortunately the SS brewtech unitank is out!

I have 2 undercounter fermentation fridges and 2 SS brewbuckets, it looks like the snubnose might not fit in either but the allrounder would. However I was thinking of using the pressure fermenter with kviek, pitch at 40C and not worry about temp control, if it fitted in a fridge I would cold crash otherwise just pressure transfer to a keg and put in my keezer to clear.

Any advice which (or any others) I should get? I like the snub nose design but it might be a better plan to get the allrounder which I could easily cold crash.

 

[user 18729]

Just throwing it out there... what about a sankey/corny keg with a spunding valve? (Used of course to keep the cost down a touch) the fermzilla setup looks really nice though

 

[xozzx]

I have actually tried with a corny keg, spunding valve and floating dip tube. The beer turned out well but I ended up with about 12-15L after leaving some headspace in the fermenting keg and then transferring to another keg and avoiding the trub in the first. Spending 5-6 hours (including clean-up) making a beer I want to maximise the amount I get out of it (I have given up trying to convince her I need a B80!).

 

[cheeseyfeet]

I've just bought an all rounder and will be using it this weekend, unfortunately it doesn't fit in my undercounter fridge.

I'll either see if the ambient garage temps and pressure work for a brew, or pitch some Voss slurry I have at 35 c and let it sort itself out.

Either way I'll have to transfer to keg to clear.

 

[Petrolhead]

I recently bought an All Rounder, prob very similar to the snubnose, and detailed my thoughts here:

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/my-fermzilla-all-rounder-has-arrived.89133/
As you can tell Im very impressed and can not wait to do my next brew.

@cheeseyfeet did you try inverting the stand? At first the Allrounder didn’t quite go in my fridge but when I did this it just fitted.

 

[uDicko]

I recently bought an All Rounder, prob very similar to the snubnose, and detailed my thoughts here:

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/my-fermzilla-all-rounder-has-arrived.89133/
As you can tell Im very impressed and can not wait to do my next brew.

@cheeseyfeet did you try inverting the stand? At first the Allrounder didn’t quite go in my fridge but when I did this it just fitted.

This!

 

[cheeseyfeet]

I did try it with the stand inverted but still no joy, I can get it in at an angle but then it would still be impossible to hook up the spunding valve etc.

 

[foxy]

Im pretty keen on trying pressure fermenting and been looking at the fermentasaurus snubnose and the fermzilla allrounder - Im allowed to spend around £100 so unfortunately the SS brewtech unitank is out!

I have 2 undercounter fermentation fridges and 2 SS brewbuckets, it looks like the snubnose might not fit in either but the allrounder would. However I was thinking of using the pressure fermenter with kviek, pitch at 40C and not worry about temp control, if it fitted in a fridge I would cold crash otherwise just pressure transfer to a keg and put in my keezer to clear.

Any advice which (or any others) I should get? I like the snub nose design but it might be a better plan to get the allrounder which I could easily cold crash.

The best feature of the snub nose is the tap placement, the PET fermenters have a life span of 2 years. After that they are just a fermenter, yes you can pressure test them to 40 PSI, but doing so means if it fails you have destroyed a useful fermenter. After the 2 year cycle you can fit a tap on the snub nose in the purpose built, designated spot, carry on using it as a fermenter for many more years. The other feature while using it as a pressure fermenter is the cone, all the lees and dry hop residue compacts into the cone, leaving the ability to extract more finished beer from the fermenter.

With the tap fitted you can take samples easily and transfer from the tap so, plenty of use after the 2 years are up.

 

[xozzx]

The best feature of the snub nose is the tap placement, the PET fermenters have a life span of 2 years.

I had a search but couldnt find any reference to 2 year life-span. That is pretty short, where did you get 2 years from?

I remeasured my fridges and suspect neither will fit in (hard to properly judge due to the compressor hump) so tempted to go for the snub nose as I also like the conical base.

 

[MickDundee]

I think B2B are going to be stocking the Fermenter King Chubby soon. It might fit in your fridge because it looks shorter than the Snub Nose. Depending on the price when it’s released I think that might be my medium term Fermentasaurus upgrade.

 

[emerson909]

I did try it with the stand inverted but still no joy, I can get it in at an angle but then it would still be impossible to hook up the spunding valve etc.

have you seen this? This is how I managed to fit it in an under counter fridge

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/brew-fridge-wanted.86479/post-909660

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I had a search but couldnt find any reference to 2 year life-span. That is pretty short, where did you get 2 years from?

I am sure someone posted a video recently where they said if you drop it or use it for more than 2 years they recommend you change the fermenter.

 

[emerson909]

It has a date stamped on the side that says do not use after this date unless you pressure test it, or something to that effect

 

[cheeseyfeet]

have you seen this? This is how I managed to fit it in an under counter fridge

Interesting! I will go out to the garage and have a fiddle

 

[foxy]

I had a search but couldnt find any reference to 2 year life-span. That is pretty short, where did you get 2 years from?

I remeasured my fridges and suspect neither will fit in (hard to properly judge due to the compressor hump) so tempted to go for the snub nose as I also like the conical base.

It's mentioned in the advertising, and as correctly stated, on the side of the vessel. It is no different to any other pressure vessel whether it be barbie gas cylinder or CO2 cylinder they have to get tested.

 

[Leon103]

It's mentioned in the advertising, and as correctly stated, on the side of the vessel. It is no different to any other pressure vessel whether it be barbie gas cylinder or CO2 cylinder they have to get tested.

But you can test it yourself?

 

[foxy]

But you can test it yourself?

Yes you can, water and a pump, 40 PSI as I mentioned if it fails you have lost a fermenter, with the snubby just add a tap and get years more use out of it.

 

[Justin Dean]

When pressure brewing 40 psi is not needed.

 

[MickDundee]

When pressure brewing 40 psi is not needed.

Yeah but if your spunding valve fails then you don’t want an exploding FV

 

[Doive]

I have a Fermentasaurus Snub Nose, it's been an excellent addition to my brewing setup. It's rarely empty these days! Very reliable, no problems with leaks or other faults.