Conical Fermenters: Are They Worth It for Homebrewers?

[@tomoverton2138]

Great to see you back, Peter! We've got four Spike CF-30s in our shop. (granted, a little bigger than home brew, but this channel is where I got my start) They've got the steel band on the lid, which does take a bit of getting used to. I've found the trick to help the lid seat is to tap (whack) the band all around the circumference of the lid with a rubber mallet as you tighten it. This all but guarantees a seal capable of sustaining 15PSI. I will also do a pressure test of the conicals after every cleaning, so I know I've got a vessel that is cleaned and sanitized, and ready for pressure fermentation. The one unexpected problem I have found with pressure fermentation is trying to calculate how much additional carbonation is required before the beer hits the taps or cans. This is still a bit of a head scratcher. Cheers!

[@preuc3367]

I’m glad this channel is back

[@GREEENZO]

Welcome back! As someone who has two Spike CF10s, they're absolutely worth it FOR ME but far from a necessity. They don't make better beer in any way, shape, or form, but I love them for what I use them for - space saving compared to chest freezers, oxygen free dry-hopping, yeast harvesting because I live in AZ and have no local homebrew shops to easily get more, carbonation and lagering when my keg taps are all full, CIP, and they don't have volume constraints like kegs do for the occasional big batch for a party or such. I'm just one homebrewer though, so everyone's mileage may and will vary. Merry Christmas!

[@BlichmannEngineering]

Welcome back! Interesting thoughts on the conical. Can't wait to see more content. Cheers.

[@robertschumann3840]

Great to see you again, Peter 👍

[@kashim73]

Welcome back.

[@GenusBrewing]

Cheers! Hoping to do a Live Stream next Sunday too.

[@EVE_Sairun]

WAIT WHAT! You went MIA for a YEAR and then come back and HEY Are conicals worth it?? Jeez!!! Godsend you back!!!

[@edbercaw5833]

I don’t know if conicals are worth it but I do know I’m glad you’re back on KZbin!

[@joe.skiles]

Hey dude, welcome back. Missed your vids!

[@briandowdell358]

YES! GENUS IS BACK ON KZbin! After a YEAR!

[@kbaremaximize]

Missed you, boo boo.

[@amon-rasungod7684]

Welcome back 🙏🏿

[@john-smith.]

Uni-Tank is the way to go....IMO

[@b1naryc0de01]

Literally was wondering about this. I have the home brewing experience but... I really don't want to part with the $$ for those pressure conicals. Looking forward to the channel picking back up

[@patchworxbrewing4164]

Check out an all rounder, affordable and works great

[@dneff306]

Finally! Made it back! Awesome!!! Where did the red bearded guy go?

[@GenusBrewing]

He lives in the forest with his 13 elven tree-friends…

[@dneff306]

@GenusBrewing lol! Thats what i figured!

[@omarpadilla4739]

I have a 14 gallon blichman Conical collecting dust. I got rid of the tall ferm chamber and now use a 7 gallon chest. Unless youre doing wheat beers in which case an open ferm in a sink fermenter is the way.. keg ferms FTW.

[@MikeS29]

If I got my brewery back together, I'd ferment in corny kegs under pressure with spunding valves and floating dip tubes. Ferment and serve from the same vessel. Under pressure negates the need for expensive fermentation chambers, plus gives head start on serving pressure for keezer. Floating dip tubes draw clear beer from the top. Want to save yeast? Swirl the near-empty keg and decant into a sanitized mason jar and let the trub settle into layers.

[@dahe8883]

So. Many. Problems. With that approach. Buy yourself a good book on how to brew good beer, or continue doing it wrong and make beer that tastes homemade.

[@MikeS29]

@@dahe8883 - guess again! I’ve brewed many quality beers. Perhaps you need to relearn what works and think outside the narrow footprint you’ve allowed yourself to occupy. Read/listen to Brulosophy every so often, too.

[@PatrickSandy78]

They are back! Due to Hurricane Helene, I need to replace all my brewing gear, so it's perfect timing. Have a great holiday.

[@GenusBrewing]

That Hurricane was a Mess - We're planning on going Live next Sunday so if you're around I'd love to hear more about what happened at ground 0

[@PatrickSandy78]

@@GenusBrewing let me know what time.

[@scottgoebel4671]

After 7 years of brewing I have finally purchased a nifty spike cf10 and all the associated hardware. I figure I want to make the best beer not necessary the most beer

[@XkannsenX]

I use the conicus pro. Always pressure test it the day before the brewing, you will have absolutly no issue.

[@JamesRea2]

I never had any issue with the X2 lid, but I have heard the same from others.

[@billcooey9647]

I had *constant* sealing problems with my X2 lid when they first shipped. More Beer/Brew Built replaced the v-band clamp for free and it's been much more reliable over this past year. That said, the X3 solves several of the X2's other problems besides the sealing issues (better tri-clamp locations, wider legs so it isn't easy to tip over, no bar on the lower front legs to block accessories, additional port on the top, etc).

[@Scootenfruity]

i got a cheap conical (160€ back then), mostly to get away from plastic and move to stainless. that thing has a nice little corner for dirt in the bottom valve, but otherwise it works fine. would like to get a „real one“ tho

[@gyvelvej10]

I have the problem with the Brewbuild lid. Any other there has some feedback to keep the pressure ?

[@tomoverton2138]

See my comment above. The trick with the banded lids is to tap the band with a rubber mallet as you tighten the clamp. 150-plus brews, and I've only lost pressure on my very first attempt before I learned this.

[@montelwill7705]

Well well well.

[@ProdigalPunker]

If you already have kegs, there are very few reasons to spend the money on conicals. Just buy a $35 spunding valve and a $25 floating dip tube and you've literally got a fermenter that can hold 150psi of pressure, generates free clean CO2, is harder to scratch than plastic, won't break if you drop it, and is easy to move around and store. Sure, you don't have the bottom drain, but you're 85% of the way to the same features as a $1500 piece of kit.

[@MikeS29]

You beat me to it. Just made this comment!

[@john-smith.]

Yeah, all that for only 3.5 gallons of fermented beer in a keg...no thanks.

[@ProdigalPunker]

@ all what? All upsides?

[@evilgentleman2254]

And way easier to clean with fewer components to take apart. I can't justify the cost of a conical.

[@d.homebrewery]

With fermenting in a corny keg you’re probably getting less than 5G drinkable beer.

[@joshuapinter]

Been using a Catalyst for the last 4 years and love it. Had to mod it a bit to allow for closed loop transfers, co2 reservoir, etc. But you mentioned cleaning being an issue and while I agree I love that I can toss it in the dish washer and it comes out clean. Never had an infection in there. Other issues in my batches but not an infection. That being said, Craft a Brew hasn’t done any updates so I would look at a Fermzilla if I were to start now.

[@doertedev]

Dropping my name for your bingo cards - Stefan Staudenmeyer

[@GenusBrewing]

We're gonna try to pull off a Live Stream this next Sunday!

[@vijayramachandran3559]

I've read that the conical geometry is better for some styles 🤔

[@cheechooj]

Are there benefits to conicals? Yes, but unless I’m making a hazy and doing massive dry hops and need to get the beer off the hops I find it’s just not worth it, easier and make just as good of beer in my buckets.

[@HOMEBREW4LIFE]

Do my eyes deceive me?

[@dahe8883]

Conicals. Built for a reason. Not controversial.

[@patchworxbrewing4164]

I have 2 SS brew tech conical fermenters, are they worth it????? I am honestly not sure. I think they have their place and they can be a great tool. But I don't think they are necessary to brewing great beer. I honestly have been using the plastic all rounders why???? They are light weight and easy to clean. I am lazy and these big ass stainless steel fermenters are harder vs the plastic all rounders. My biggest concern with the all rounder is light infiltration but I build a reflective jacket and I ferment everything in a fermentation chamber without any worry of light. So IMHO is a SS conical worth it??? not really I think you can put money in other areas of the brewery vs a fermenter.

[@Leadership_matters]

I have a conical and its not been used in years. Too much damn work.

[@johnbailey215]

Which conical? And are you willing to sell it?

[@dden7670]

Just ferment in a keg, done. With a spunding valve if under pressure.