Help me decide on conical(s) for 1bbl

[ApertureBrewing]

Hi all,

Long time lurker here but I don't post much. I am in the process of upgrading my homebrew system to a 1bbl Blichmannn electric setup (Kal clone). I'm also fairly new to conicals and have done a TON of reading on them but have still not made up my mind. In considering how to ferment 30 gallons of product, I've gone back and forth between buying the 1bbl Blichmann (42 gallons) or getting two smaller conicals, perhaps the Blichmann 27 gallon or even the 22 gallon Brewhemoth. Ultimately I don't have a problem forking over the money for the Blichmann gear **if** it's worth the extra dough. I'm having trouble seeing why I should spend more in this case.

Some questions I have:

1. If I buy the Brewhemoth, what else do I need to purchase to make life easier? Do they come with valves?

2. Do either the Blichmanns or Brewhemoths fit better for an upright fridge? If I get two of them I may just build something instead of getting 2 fridges...

3. I am open to other suggestions. Any others I should consider?

 

[cfrazier77]

I have a brewhemoth, and I really like it. I use the internal coil to hold temps so I don't know how easy it is to get it into a fridge. It does not come with valves. The thing that I like about them compared to Blichmanns are welded over weldless and the ability to pressure ferment and transfer. I hook up a plate filter and transfer under pressure to a purged keg. O2 never comes in contact with my beer. However, both are quality fermentors.

 

[ApertureBrewing]

Cfrazier, what are you doing for temp control on the outside? I would love to cool this way but I'm still at a loss for what to do during Michigan winters (still need to heat).

 

[headwall]

Stout Tanks makes a nice looking 40 gallon fermenter and it is cheaper than the Blichmann. It comes with tri clamp fittings and is designed to fit in an upright freezer. Might be worth checking out.

 

[ApertureBrewing]

Stout Tanks makes a nice looking 40 gallon fermenter and it is cheaper than the Blichmann. It comes with tri clamp fittings and is designed to fit in an upright freezer. Might be worth checking out.

Thanks! I saw that one too and forgot to mention it. Do you guys think it would be wise to buy two smaller fermenters - let's say their 23 or 27 gallon instead of one large one? I will probably not always be doing 1bbl batches on this thing. 10 gallons minimum but probably 1/2bbl mostly. What say you?

 

[headwall]

Thanks! I saw that one too and forgot to mention it. Do you guys think it would be wise to buy two smaller fermenters - let's say their 23 or 27 gallon instead of one large one? I will probably not always be doing 1bbl batches on this thing. 10 gallons minimum but probably 1/2bbl mostly. What say you?

I'd say it depends on how much you brew and how often. If you are most frequently brewing half barrel batches, then it might make sense to buy two smaller ones. That way you won't always have to wait for a batch to complete before you start the next one. And if you do the occasional 1bbl batch then you can split it. But if you plan to most often brew 1bbl batches, then you will have to deal with cleaning and sanitizing two fermenters for every batch as opposed to just one. Plus you may have some inconsistency as a result of fermenting half of each batch separately, but I suppose if you blend the final product it's not an issue. Still, you'd have to be monitoring two fermentations as opposed to just one with each batch.

I'd say build your brewery around whatever you plan to do most. If you're doing mostly smaller batches, it would be really nice to have two fermenters. If you are doing mostly large batches, I can see how having two might be kind of a pain.

 

[cfrazier77]

Cfrazier, what are you doing for temp control on the outside? I would love to cool this way but I'm still at a loss for what to do during Michigan winters (still need to heat).

You can get an internal chilling coil for a brewhemoth. I run either hot water or cold water depending wear the temp needs to be. To cool I have a cooler that has a submersible pump powered by a temp controller. I fill it with frozen 2 liter bottles of water ever couple of days.


To heat it is the same thing but no ice bottles, instead I have a aquarium heater in it.

It works out very well. It maintains temps with a .3 degree swing (F). I can also cold crash which really helps in clearing my beer.

 

[ApertureBrewing]

You can get an internal chilling coil for a brewhemoth. I run either hot water or cold water depending wear the temp needs to be. To cool I have a cooler that has a submersible pump powered by a temp controller. I fill it with frozen 2 liter bottles of water ever couple of days.

To heat it is the same thing but no ice bottles, instead I have a aquarium heater in it.

It works out very well. It maintains temps with a .3 degree swing (F). I can also cold crash which really helps in clearing my beer.

This is a cool idea that I've seen before, but I'm not sure that I want the hassle of having to monitor a box full of frozen bottles or a heater. I'd rather have a set it and forget it method I suppose. My only option is probably upright freezers or I build something that can house two of these things.

 

[cfrazier77]

For heating there is nothing to monitor. Eventually I am going to put a metal tank in the freezer of my kegorator and fill it with glycol. That will then be pumped into it. That way I will not have to do the frozen bottles anymore. But that is a way down the list right now.