The Catalyst Fermentation System: A Hands-On Review Update

A follow up to my review of the Catalyst Fermentation System by Craft-A-Brew where I address the three largest problems mentioned in the original video; transporting it safely and easily, minimizing trub jar swapping, and eliminating the need for a blow-off hose.
The beer fermented in this video is my Largaarden; a Belgian witbier similar to Hoegaarden. The recipe is below.
Lar-Gaarden Belgian Witbier 2017 recipe video: • 'Lar'-gaarden 2017: Be...
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[@nickpike1000]

I watched all the videos on the different fermenters and I think this is the one I'd buy if I upgrade my glass carboys. Thanks for the videos.

[@StMyles]

Thanks!

[@BigDawgTheGreat]

I just emailed Craft-A-Brew to see if they had any plans to sell a domed lid that would give more headspace. Blowoff is my biggest problem as I lose about 1/2 gallon of beer and a TON of good yeast. Out of 5 uses, I only had one that didn't blow off. It was a kettle sour and as a result had a slow and steady fermentation due to the lower pH. I would really love to see a dome lid option, I don't imagine that it would take much R&D to get something like that into production. I also have not used the catalyst as a secondary fermentor yet and I may never either... I usually rack to a glass carboy after 2-3 weeks of primary for cold crash and secondary. That seems to work pretty well for me... I finally put a collar on my chest freezer to accomodate the Catalyst, so I currently have a "Golden Road Wold Among Weeds" on it's second day of fermentation (6 gallons to fermentor. Yikes!) so this will be the first time I ferment and cold crash in the unit... but again, seriously. DOMED LID!

[@Craftabrew]

When talking to homebrewers before producing The Catalyst one of the biggest downfalls of conicals was that they would not fit into fermentation chambers/keezers so we decided to sacrifice a bit of headroom for the ability to fit into a standard chest freezer (we know it may not fit into every freezer but it does fit into most). We don't have too many complaints about the capacity or lid since the shape of the Catalyst allows for less krausen height compared to a 6.5 gallon carboy and even less krausen height then a fast ferment due to to the wider area.

[@Vannormus]

Good video. This makes me want to purchase the unit to try and see how it works for me.

[@DrHansBrewery]

Thanks for the update Larry!

[@dippster357]

Hey, Larry, I would try to elevate the blow-off hose about 3 ft. above the Catalyst then check to see how far the foam is coming up if it's within the 3ft. get one of those glass straws if you can find them in that length then attach the airlock or if you couldn't find a glass straw then you could use the plastic hose try making a stand for to support the plastic hose and the airlock, But hey i agree with you, the dome is the best idea! as long as your just using it for fermentation i don;t see why the co. wouldn't like it , just like the carrier its just more money for them in the long run, unless its too expensive for them to make so they wouldn't wanna do it because price wise its not in their favor.

[@drunkdadhomealone797]

Thanks man. I’m going to use that mason jar method next time around. I just did a Belgian Dubbel and I have lost some good beer during the jar changes.

[@BEERNBBQBYLARRY]

NP. I have since quit using trub jars and dump valves on all of my conical fermenters. It really doesn't affect your beer to just leave it sit there until you rack off it a couple weeks later.

[@drunkdadhomealone797]

@@BEERNBBQBYLARRY Even better idea! Thanks!

[@martyonthebeach]

Hi Larry, i would like to have your opinion about the oxygen you put in the beer when collecting trub...

[@kyleknickerbocker6602]

Great update, Larry!

[@joehaaland1]

Best beer man on the net.

[@kevingrissom8154]

this thing is great for harvesting yeast and makes bottling super easy. no need for transferring to a secondary. don't worry about the oxygen from trub removal, less than transferring to another fermentation vessel. good product if you can not afford a real connical. the yeast collection will pay for it over time.

[@kraigcorbin5631]

If bottling do you add or priming sugar directly to the beer or try and spread it out in the bottles

[@joshuapinter]

@@kraigcorbin5631 I bulk prime in the Catalyst itself. I'm still getting my numbers right since the first batch was over carbonated and the second batch is under-carbonated. But once that's nailed down it should be super convenient.

[@aguysweekend]

Do you have any concerns of introducing oxygen into the beer when you change out the trub? I have concerns with this, to me it seems like a lot between pulling the air lock and the air in the jar when re add it. how have you found this?

[@aguysweekend]

@@BEERNBBQBYLARRY I use this one too and I have yet to remove the jar for fear of contaminating my beer.

[@countryboycharlie9793]

Great advice, I’m new at this. Great video 👍

[@LawdJay]

Great video. I have an idea for trub removal, how about delay adding yeast for 1 day? This would allow trub to fall into jar, u can change out jar, removing trub, replace jar, then add yeast.

[@BEERNBBQBYLARRY]

That would help settling out some of the trub, BUT.... such a delay in kicking off fermentation can allow germs to grow and dominate the wort before the yeast even has a chance to compete causing off flavors at best and a spoiled batch at worst. It would really depend on your sanitation practices, and even with good sanitation, there will still be some germs in the wort. It would be up to you to decide whether that chance is worth it.

[@jacobwolfe2913]

@@BEERNBBQBYLARRY could you mitigate that by using a campden tablet in the wort 24 hours before adding the yeast?

[@BEERNBBQBYLARRY]

I wouldn’t bother. Sodium metabisulfite can temporality suppress bacteria and yeasts, but it needs to vent for some of the sulfur to escape which means exposing the fermenter to the air where more germs can get in after it wears off. Also, it binds with dissolved oxygen in the wort thus taking away oxygen that the yeast will need. It also is a salt which I’d rather not have in my beer if I can help it. I use it in my red wines but only during initial maceration in open buckets and when racking during bulk aging when the fish is to keep oxygen at bay.

[@KillRoy0351]

Maybe send them an email suggesting they design a conical lid that would mimic the shape of the top of a glass carboy that they can sell separately as an upgrade?

[@grwood15]

I am deciding between this and the ss brewtech chronical fermenter. This one is half the price of the ss, I'm just wondering if I'll be happier in the long run if I go with the stainless conical

[@grwood15]

BEER-N-BBQ by Larry that is true. The main thing for me is just skipping transferring to a secondary fermenter. I'm just wondering if the ss is worth double the money. I have also seen the mini brew conicals which are plastic but only 199. Decisions decisions. Lol

[@grwood15]

BEER-N-BBQ by Larry good to know. I have always racked into a secondary and usually dry hop at that time. Do you cold crash your beers?

[@Craftabrew]

The Catalyst comes in at $199 too and we use a polymer that is 93% more scratch resistant and 73% more impermeable to oxygen then the mini brew, cheers and thanks again Larry for putting the Catalyst through its paces!

[@baller7708]

I just started my first batch in my Catalyst Saturday night. I checked it 12 hours later and made the decision to add the blow off...Glad I did. It's now been 48 hours and the foam is coming down. It took a while but the Jar seems to be all trube and yeast now. Should I dump it now or wait for fermentation to settle down more?

[@baller7708]

Well, I couldn't wait and dumped the trub. I forgot to mention that I am dry hopping two ounces in secondary. I'm hoping that this next jar catches all the yeast and I can dry hop from there. Any advice going forward?

[@dcuccia]

Here's a yeast-harvester-slash-blowoff I put together, based on a suggestion I saw somewhere in the forums: i.imgur.com/lmkBP3O.jpg Can't find the original post, but will update when I do. Basically two jars connected with a length of silicone tubing with O-rings to seal the barb fittings to the lids. (Not shown in the pic is StarSan, which sits in the jar on the left above the PVC). Nice thing is that it can handle a significant amount of air being sucked in upon cold-crashing in my chest freezer, without worrying about StarSan ending up in my fermenter.

[@dcuccia]

Found it. Original by mbcluever on HBT, here: www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=480990

[@caroldean2596]

I wonder how it would work for brewing wine. Anyone tried it? I hate racking, I find a full 5 gallon glass carboy to be heavy and scary to move around. The jar at the bottom would definitely take care of that problem.

[@caroldean2596]

BEER-N-BBQ by Larry I may try it before then since I have some canned juice I need to use up. will let you know how it goes.

[@just_george_]

So, did you make a batch of wine with this fermenter? Did a quick look; couldn't find it...

[@emilkabban6085]

I use a blow out tube for any beer with an estimated ABV over 5.0 because of the limited headspace, after three days of active fermentation, I switch to a airlock. It works like a charm. You can also use a strainer to minimize trub going into the catalyst fermenter. When dry hopping I use a hop screen tube. I have found being able to take off the lid and put the tube screen into the fermenter is a big pro of the catalyst system. The biggest pros are elimination to rack the beer and capturing yeast in mason jar at the end.

[@MrEvanfriend]

Get a 1" blowoff tube instead of that 3/8" or whatever it is you were using. Much less hassle. Still a pain to clean though, I use a dowel and some wet paper towels to punch it like you would a rifle bore, but it's still a nuisance.

[@MrEvanfriend]

I don't have any 6.5 gallon carboys (though I recently ran out of fermenter space and bought a few 6.5 gallon plastic buckets), so I always use a blowoff tube. To tell the truth, I actually kind of enjoy watching the kräusen go through the tube and bubble off into the sanitizer solution. I usually replace it after fermentation calms down, but sometimes I don't even bother, and just keep the tube on until I'm ready to rack into a secondary or bottle.

[@2TEN90]

Just found your page doing some research on the Catalyst. Great video! Just subscribed so we will certainly check out more of your vids! We just started the whole KZbin thing so check us out if you get a chance. Cheers!