Conical Fermentors

[Alex Daniel]

Does anybody know if there is someone who makes conical fermentors on the homebrewer scale in nz? or does anyone have expereince with ordering these from overseas? what sort of prices etc

[Rob Owen]

Hi Alex,
I got mine from MoreBeer - www.morebeer.com about 7 years ago. I love it. I seem to remember it was about $600 and another $600 in shipping - memory kind of rusty now.
If you can arrange to have it shipped in a container that would save a big portion of the cost.
It was well worth the money.

[Dan]

Sheesh $1200 dollars for a small fermentor, i,d want at least three, Have you thought about converting a 50lt keg, kegs, or scrap stainless steel, and getting someone (welders etc), to fabricate a cone to it, maybe get a quote!
Got me thinking now, a conical or three would be the zhit.

[Steve Baker]

Another option is importing a plastic conical. There seems to be quite a few of those being sold on the internets.

[Smiffy]

Do you know if these plastic ones will withstand any pressure (for pushing the beer through a filter into a keg)?

[Horace]

Look fo toledo metal spinning. You'll find they make conical hoppers and lids for them. I think this is where most of the guys that make them get their bit sfrom. Obviously some more fabrication would need to be done. i.e adding valves and a stand. If enough people are interested you might be able to get a whole lot........... or start making them yourself

[denimglen]

I just had a look at morebeer out of interest.

The economy 7.1 gallon is 520USD and shipping estimate to NZ is 170USD, so about 890NZD.

[Stu McKinlay]

You should, for safe budgeting, add 12.5% GST and 7% excise to that.
If you are lucky you'll get away with it and it'll just turn up at your door (and there is possibly a solid argument that it is "brewery machinery", which is duty free).

[denimglen]

Ah yeah, I forgot about stuff getting taxed when coming into the country.

But for 890+ personally I'm gonna stick with my Better Bottles.

[Stu McKinlay]

Me too (std brewcraft fermenters for me). I've tossed it up a few times but I so love my yeast battles - double batches split across two batches with a different yeast, or pitching rate, in each one (and I certainly wouldn't be buying two conicals!)

[Brendon]

I got a plastic conical custom made from Rotational Plastics of Hamilton.
It cost me $311 about a year ago and is approximately 80 L in volume.
Most embarrassingly I have never used it because I haven't built a stand for it to go on. The idea was to make bigger batches of lager using Cal-Lager yeast but I haven't got around to it.

Anyway - my whole experience is very experimental (i.e. still plastic and will therefore not last too long) but I like doing these weird things!
B

[Smiffy]

Will it withstand any pressure?

Did it include any fittings or was it just a bare moulding?

[IPWS]

what size did you have in mind would you want it want it to be pressure capable so you can carb in the can