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

[Grant R Baker]

Very very nice. Those fittings look very sweet.

[Smiffy]

Because I was worried by the way the flat lid bulged  under pressure, I've made a domed lid, you can probably guess what from.

[Liam Callaghan]

Nice mate!

[Liam Callaghan]

A quick update...

 

I will have a guideline for prices next week for some conical fermentors, I don't want to jump the gun on the prices as I have no idea what the bank is going to charge me yet or the cost for setting up a company, website and all that yakka.

 

I have a great deal on a stainless fermentor, fixed volume of 27 litres (this is not negotiable) 3/4" socket in the cone and straight sides and mirror finish, the quality of this unit is second to non.  No lid at this stage but an awesome quality unit, better than anything I have seen on the market.  Will be a great vessel to get you started and depending on how I get on this week I might be able to source a lid or get one manufactured to suit.  Either way its an awesome deal even if you have to do some work yourself, way less than an imported and all made in NZ.

I have two plastic options at 35 litre and 70 litre, lids and stands available.  I have removed all the reinforcing for holding 5psi pressure which will make it very affordable for everyone (around $100). 

While I was at it I have designed a really flexible range of gas gear.  Conditioning and dispensing manifolds for tapping fridges/freezers plus tools for flushing with c02 (kegs, fermetors, bottles and yeast cultivation vials or flasks) and a neat beer shifting tool with a c02 powered racking arm (I'm still working on this but think its going to be really awesome.  These are all stainless and push fit so break apart for easy sterilisation.

As I don't like to do things by half I have also designed a push fit pick up tupe for your boil kettles so you can just discconect it from the bulkhead when you are scrubbing out your kettle.  There might be a few in this range as it means you can also disconnect all the valves off it for cleaning too.  If these work I think everyone will be busy refitting!

Not enough time in the day currently to do all the research, do my day job and rebuild my workshop - which is looking mint as on Sunday night although I can barely function today I am so tired haha.  Not brewed for three weeks now either...

All this is made in NZ too btw, no imports.  Put together by local fabricators and manufacturers around he country.  I have been blown away by their generosity and willingness to help out - keeping the costs right down.

I'll hopefully post next week with details and any images I have - once I have spoken to the bank and secured a website... 

Fun times

Liam

 

Ps.  Thanks to everyone for their support and offers for help and assistance, its been really appreciated.  Hopefully I will repay your time with some really good value items to help make better beer.

[Reuben Rowntree]

Awesome work Liam - thanks :)

[Brent Marquis]

nice!

I'm probably in the market for a plastic fermentoror or 2 depending on dimensions, then a stainless or 2 in the not tooooo distant future.

[Tristan Worley]

Hi Liam,

If you want help setting up a website I'm happy to help. Let me know what you want it to be like and I'll see if I can create it for you.

[Grant R Baker]

Wow.. sounds really good and I can't wait to see some shots of the units.

[Liam Callaghan]

Me too Grant, its been a long old process, especially with so much going on in my normal life too.  Could do with a break soon and make some beer.  Especially after lubricating all these engineers!

Thanks for the offer Tristan, I might take you up on that!

Brent and Reuben, I might look at an initial cheap order (plastic and stainless) for the first ten so I can get some feedback, I'll let you know.  Same with the gas gear and bulkhead disco gear, have to see about that, they will be super cheap anyway so might not be worth it.  I know they are going to work well :p

[Michael van Wijk]

Hey Liam, I may have missed it, but what's the height of the plastic 35 & 70 Lt fermenters? I have a chest freezer and would like to know if it'll fit or if I'll need to extend the lid somehow. Cheers

[Liam Callaghan]

Hey Michael, I'm still waiting on the final design from the fabricators but I would expect the 35 litre to be about 600mm and 900mm for the 70 litre.  Rough estimate though.  Add 100mm or so for valves.  I am catching up with them on Friday with a keg and hoping to get the final design then. 

I am looking to build a collar on my freezer, I'll post up the photos once I have it done.  Laminate ply and polystyrene is what I am going for but the polystyrene is pretty light compared to the insulation foam in the freezer.  Then I can tap through the collar and run the gas manifold through it.  Lid just unbolts from the freezer and bolts onto the collar.

[Michael van Wijk]

Cool, that's why I went chest freezer instead of upright. I'm not using kegs at mo but would likely in the future. Still doing good old bottling ;-)

 

I guess there's the valves and stand too to support it. Cheers Liam