How to properly use a conical fermenter? - Newbie question

[Fr_Marc]

Good evening forum!

I have my first brew in the fermener right now, which is a Brew Monk 30l (https://www.geterbrewed.com/images/detailed/5/products-20191023171302-01707030_zfrf-l0.jpg).
The recipe I followed is a best bitter, using WYEAST 1968 London ESB yeast. I plan to bottle once fermentation is complete. What would be the best procedure to follow?

1. Should I try to dump the trub/yeast using the bottom outlet of the fermenter before bottling or would it be better to let the trub/yeast consolidate in the conical part and bottle the beer using the upper outlet?

2. If the trub/yeast is to be dumped first, when should I do it? As soon as final gravity is reached/constant for three successive days? Or some days later to give the majority of yeast the opportunity to sink down?

2. If the trub/yeast is to be dumped first, should I bottle directly afterwards or wait for some days in order to let the beer clear in the fermenter?

I have a gut feeling that I would prefer bottling befor dumping the trub/yeast - out of fear to loose to much beer in the dumping process. But that might not exactly be the purpose of a conical fermenter...

Any help for a newbie brewer would be much appreciated. Thank you!

PS: My aim is to produce a proper English bitter with aroma from the yeast esters at all.

 

[Knuckles]

Hi, I'm no expert but from what I've learned so far (and lots of people do things slightly differently):
1. You could dump the tub before bottling and let it sit for another week to help it clear, or less time if you're impatient. This is like moving your beer to a secondary .....except you're moving the yeast instead. I'm not bothered about clear beer because I mostly brew IPA's and I prefer them hazy.
2. Dont rush it, give the yeast time to finish up, some people leave for 3 weeks. But yes once the gravity has been constant for at least 3 days then you know that fermentation is mostly complete.
3. After dumping the tub I would wait a day or two to allow it to settle out. I use a mesh filter on the end of my syphon tube....with a mesh bag over that to reduce the chance of sediment getting into my keg/bottles anyway.
Hope that helps.

 

[foxy]

Good evening forum!

I have my first brew in the fermener right now, which is a Brew Monk 30l (https://www.geterbrewed.com/images/detailed/5/products-20191023171302-01707030_zfrf-l0.jpg).
The recipe I followed is a best bitter, using WYEAST 1968 London ESB yeast. I plan to bottle once fermentation is complete. What would be the best procedure to follow?

1. Should I try to dump the trub/yeast using the bottom outlet of the fermenter before bottling or would it be better to let the trub/yeast consolidate in the conical part and bottle the beer using the upper outlet?

2. If the trub/yeast is to be dumped first, when should I do it? As soon as final gravity is reached/constant for three successive days? Or some days later to give the majority of yeast the opportunity to sink down?

2. If the trub/yeast is to be dumped first, should I bottle directly afterwards or wait for some days in order to let the beer clear in the fermenter?

I have a gut feeling that I would prefer bottling befor dumping the trub/yeast - out of fear to loose to much beer in the dumping process. But that might not exactly be the purpose of a conical fermenter...

Any help for a newbie brewer would be much appreciated. Thank you!

PS: My aim is to produce a proper English bitter with aroma from the yeast esters at all.

The cone is for the purpose of settling the yeast into the cone. If you have emptied the contents of your kettle into the fermenter then dump the trub before adding yeast. You can bottle without dumping the yeast.

 

[Knuckles]

Marc, arent you better off dumping the yeast before you bottle though, and using the fv as a secondary, with the beer off the yeast for a while?