Anvil's Sledge PET-fermentors/Kegs

[solsbrew]

I got an email about these ferementors/kegs a few days ago. What does everyone else think? Personally, I think they are a little pricey...especially because PET needs to be replaced every few years. However, the convenience of fermenting and kegging from a single vessel would be nice.

https://www.anvilbrewing.com/ferment/pet-fermentors

 

[Noob_Brewer]

I got an email about these ferementors/kegs a few days ago. What does everyone else think? Personally, I think they are a little pricey...especially because PET needs to be replaced every few years. However, the convenience of fermenting and kegging from a single vessel would be nice.

https://www.anvilbrewing.com/ferment/pet-fermentors

Wow! Looks like they took the lineup from keg king and renamed them. The 9.2gal conical looks just like Keg king's snub nose. Anvil is also selling what looks like their kegerator as well. Interesting for sure. BTW - I have a fermonster and love it. Not sure Id consider any of these if they don't already fit in my mini-fridge though.

 

[solsbrew]

I'm using a fermentasaurus and love it. I've only brewed 2 batches in it so far, but I love being able to keg almost fully carbed beer. I used to ferment in my anvil kettle, but I'll never go back now!

 

[Knightshade]

My thoughts when I got the email were somewhere along the lines of..

”Wow, I guess they’re the sole supplier of keg king’s stuff in the US then? Pretty cool though <click, browse website>…dang, seems expensive for what it is. Anvil support is pretty awesome though, so I guess that is hopefully included in the cost?”

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[solsbrew]

My thoughts when I got the email were somewhere along the lines of..

”Wow, I guess they’re the sole supplier of keg king’s stuff in the US then? Pretty cool though <click, browse website>…dang, seems expensive for what it is. Anvil support is pretty awesome though, so I guess that is hopefully included in the cost?”

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I didn't know about Keg King until Noob_Brewer pointed it out!

 

[DuncB]

Very happy with my 5 fermentasaurus, have gen 1 to gen 3. I prefer the Gen 2 for pressure fermenting. All still going strong past their use by date.
Great for making wine kits in as well, no racking and much less loss, along with a bit quicker.
Lots of politics between Kegland and Keg King should keep you entertained for a while.

 

[Noob_Brewer]

lol, I've read a ton of those politics between the two companies. if you go on the Australian forums its there. Definitely get out your popcorn if you go that route lol. Im sure that this is a good product as I have a hard time thinking that Anvil/Blichmann would do this otherwise. Still strange that everything is renamed but lots that I don't know about the business side of things regarding getting exported products into the US etc.

 

[Noob_Brewer]

OK so I will chime in though regarding the 7.9gal sledge fermenter. It seems that the lid opening is small and that would be a real shame if I couldn't get my arm in there to the bottom with a microfiber cloth to dry after cleaning like I do with my fermonster. But the 7.9gal is about 3/4 of a gallon more headspace than fermonster so that would be a plus as I routinely need blow off tube with my fermonster. But Im not sure the sledge has an alternate lid that would allow for a big blow off tube. I would be envisioning one of my belgian dubbels clogging those posts in a heartbeat. As is now, I have two lids for my fermonster - one is the generic one that came with the fermonster which I use with a blowoff tube for the first day or two of most of my brews (yeast dependent though) and then I switch to the modified ball lock lid. I like this flexibility and not sure the sledge (or keglands all rounder for that matter) has alternate lids. Lastly, If I would invest in either the sledge or all rounder - I think Id pick the all rounder due to bigger lid opening and positive reviews from peeps here in the USA. But the all rounder is cheaper by about $50. So there's that too. But I agree with @Knightshade that having the anvil name behind the sledge is a big plus because there customer service has always been fantastic (Im a foundry owner).

https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermzilla-rounder-30-pressure-brewing-kit.html

 

[DuncB]

My arms aren't big, just measured and 10 inch circumference at the elbow crease level around the funny bone, 4 inch diameter. I can just get my arm in and out if wet, easier in than out of the fermentasaurus. That looks identical to the 9.2 impact + conical unitank ( the other impacts have the same size opening).
You'd need a long arm to get to the bottom of the bigger impact though. I've seen the sledge and the opening is far too small for your arm even a childs arm.
I use a CIP ball on a pond pump and PBW. I also picked up this little water bottle cleaner in a japanese store very cheap works great if it does need a rub.

Lighter is for scale no other relevance. I love that I can get bright beer with a closed transfer carbed into the keg with these unitanks. Great for yeast harvest as well. Do not try and dry hop up thru the bottle on the bottom it doesn't work well at all especially if under pressure and using leaf hops.
Use magnets and bags just much more user friendly.

THis picture after dry hopping was over and I lifted the hops out, lets them drain and stops over expression / bad flavour.
You do need a good sized fridge as well.

 

[YaleH]

I'm with @Noob_Brewer .... I have the Kegland Fermzilla 7.9 All Rounder and love it..... So much, that I bought a second one when I converted my mini fridge to hold it. I can now do two brews at once!! I like that I can do a closed transfer from fermenter to keg and have the option to use a spunding valve and be totally Ox free from time I put in fermenter. And with large opening it's a breeze cleaning!!!! I will continue to use them

 

[SugarJohnson]

I use the All Rounder as well as a Foundry. At this point the all rounder is a way better buy. With a 15% discount from one of the big suppliers we all know you can get a fully loaded all rounder that includes alternate multi port lid, stainless ball lock pressure kit, thermowell kit, temp twister kit, floating pickup screen, stand straps and blowtie 2 spunding valve for 169.00 free shipped. It works well with no issues. Pressure test everything and it works like designed. Opening is big enough to get an arm in to clean, closed transfers, pressure ferment etc....just a winner for the $

I'm literally fermenting with Kveik yeast currently holding 85 degrees using the temp twister. Circulating heated water via a 500w aquarium heater. Dead simple setup with an inkbird and 14 dollar Menards pond mump.