Ooops, So sorry Bones, forgot I said I would post a follow up!
I've been away for a while, but I'm back
!
So since last post I've had a Timothy Taylor (brewed using the real yeast don't you know!) in the conical - the results of which are almost drained from my Cornies. A nice fruity tasting ale.
After that me and my brew buddie decided to make a riggwelter. Unfortunately we brew to the same capacity (66litres) and forgot the extra strength would increase the malt bill to the point where it filled my 50l thermos pot to capacity (and the real unfortunate thing was that was without the strike liqour
)
Anyhoo, the end result was a seriously stiff mash (ooo-errr missus) and a rediculously low conversion of about half the OG that was expected. Riggwelter was re-named to weak-welter.
Lesson learnt. The solution...buy a bigger thermos pot
next up making my 80litre thermos pot into a mash tun. (This means I will have a complete stainless brewery spare soon to sell - get the word out if you know someone interested!)
Ey - how did I get side tracked? back to the point. The conical was used for the weak welter and has performed perfectly so far. Dropping of the trub is child play and I laugh at the hours spent cleaning and sanitising a secondary FV for transfer. Taking samples is just as much a doddle. I've also found that the CO2 gas line jams in the air lock bubbler grommet perfectly so when taking samples and pulling yeast I replace the lost volume inside with CO2 so no chance of bacteria being drawn in or air oxidising my beer.
In fact I've left the weak welter in there to condition whilst I torture myself emptying some cornies :)
Oh, I nearly forgot, I didn't mention how I cleaned the concial. I decided to buy a steam wall paper stripper which I used to weaken the krausen ring which made a quick rub down with a sponge very easy. Next I used the hoze to blast steam at the inside of the valves which cleaned out trapped yeast. Finally I wondered how hot it would get inside with the steam so I left the hoze inside and put the lid on loose. I then came back 20 mins later and used my digital thermometer pressed against the outside at various points and registered 80'C. So inside must have been hotter. This must be hot enough to sanitise effectively.
Now I am in the middle of striping a fridge to its bare components and reassembling it into a larger fridge or "temperatute controlled fermenting cupboard" controlled by an ATC800+ which will accomodate the Conical fermenter. By the way, if your stressed, ripping a fridges guts out (I wanted to say bastardising but I didn't want to swear
) is great fun. Geese, that insulating foam inside bonds to everything!
Here's a sneak peek...
kingspan insulation is due to be picked up tomorrow (good 'ol fleabay) and I'll get some PAR wood to knock a frame together.
Anyone got any recommendations for a suitable glue? epoxy is probably too expensive, I've got some contact adhesive but numb-nuts here bought the usless 24-years-to-dry water based stuff instead of destroy the environment whilst getting mildly high VOC aka "the good stuff" evo-stick impact adhesive.
Still to decide upon the heater...tube, CHE, blow ...hmmm.
I know I want a fan in there to blow the warm/cold air around to maintain an even temperature.
For prices bones, have a look at Home Brew Shop in Stockport.
