Sankey conical(ish!) fermenter

[Hop_Bomb]

Ive done it twice & they work beautifully. I grinded the collar down so a carboy cap can squeeze on & I also cut a hole for a corny lid on one of the kegs. The corny lid makes for much easier cleaning & for taking out a sample for your hydrometer. (good tip is to keep your worn down SS grinder blades for cutting out the tight corners to fit the corny lid)

You can transfer under pressure too with the carboy cap & a SS racking cane from Hop & grape. Just add some beer line & a liquid QD for the receiving corny. Ive not used my glass carboys since Ive started using the kegs.

http://i.imgur.com/uswromwl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uZOm8Qgl.jpg

[dean_wales]

Looking good Hop_Bomb!

How do the corny lids attach to the keg? I haven't got one (only sankey kegs) and cant work out how they fit on and seal?

If you were to flip the keg over (to have a bottom drain) what would be the pros/cons do you think?

Dean.

[Fil]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=corny ... d=0CDEQsAQ

the corny lid is oval with an inside lip, its inserted 90 degrees off the angle it sits and is twisted into place so the lip sits under the keg oval and is sealed with the under pressure pushing it up into the lid hole
against its sealing o-ring if that makes sence ;;)

[asd]

Ive done it twice & they work beautifully. I grinded the collar down so a carboy cap can squeeze on & I also cut a hole for a corny lid on one of the kegs. The corny lid makes for much easier cleaning & for taking out a sample for your hydrometer. (good tip is to keep your worn down SS grinder blades for cutting out the tight corners to fit the corny lid)

You can transfer under pressure too with the carboy cap & a SS racking cane from Hop & grape. Just add some beer line & a liquid QD for the receiving corny. Ive not used my glass carboys since Ive started using the kegs.

http://i.imgur.com/uswromwl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uZOm8Qgl.jpg

That looks pretty cool!

[barneey]

Ive done it twice & they work beautifully. I grinded the collar down so a carboy cap can squeeze on & I also cut a hole for a corny lid on one of the kegs. The corny lid makes for much easier cleaning & for taking out a sample for your hydrometer. (good tip is to keep your worn down SS grinder blades for cutting out the tight corners to fit the corny lid)

You can transfer under pressure too with the carboy cap & a SS racking cane from Hop & grape. Just add some beer line & a liquid QD for the receiving corny. Ive not used my glass carboys since Ive started using the kegs.

http://i.imgur.com/uswromwl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uZOm8Qgl.jpg

I like the idea of just cutting an oval for the lid

[dean_wales]

Good ideas and great photos chaps. JBK rules

I too like the idea of 'simply' cutting an oval hole for a corny lid. The lids also seem pretty cheap at approx £10.

The gas in posts can be brought separately so could be added eo the top later on. Great. No need for beer out post etc as that is not the purpose.

The only issue I can see is that of the lid sealing only under pressure? That would be useless during fermentation when we want no pressure and to use a regular airlock.

Doesn't that cantilever handle on the corny lid fasten or clamp it to the lid? If not what is it for?

Only other point would be how/where to make the hole as the top of the keg is quite steeply domed.

Dean.

[barneey]

Depends how much of a seal you want, the cantilever arm will hold a lid in place / should stop any nasty's dropping in, if you then wanted to squirt some co2 in at racking stage to syphon under co2 the lid would automatically seal anyway.

I know you want to make something with the keg but I cant help but think a standard bergland or similar pot with a lid works just as well as a fermenter - still wouldn't mind trying to git a lid to a keg in the future though for an experiment.

[dean_wales]

For use as a 'conical' it would need to be just airtight enough to allow a) for an airlock/blow off to function during primary b) to keep out oxygen during secondary / lagering.

After looking at some pictures and YouTube videos of corny lids I am a little concerned about the fact cornys have such an specifically shaped/lipped opening.

Would be great to hear from people who have fitted a corny lid to anything non-corny. How well does it fit and how easy was the hole and/or closing lever to get right?

Dean.

[darkonnis]

Nothing wrong with an open top fermenter really, doesn't necessarily have to "seal". then when you want to lager just transfer it to a keg to drop bright and lager under its own steam.
I looked into attaching a pressure cooker lid to a corny. (literally cutting a pressure cooker in half and getting it welded up) But the cost was horrendous just for the welding, such is the price of quality welding though.

I'll post some pictures of my kit at some point, works perfectly as a conical without much persuasion though it doesn't seal I can justify buying all the kegs I need for storage

[Hop_Bomb]

The corny lid seals. I use a blow off tube from the carbon cap. It bubbles just like any other ferment vessel. You do have to trim the corny lid feet a bit shorter so you can close the lid properly. I also lube the rubber o ring on the lid to ensure an airtight seal (not essential but I like to hear the blow off tube bubbling so I know what stage my ferment is at)

To cut out the correct size and shape hole just push a sheet of paper on to your corny hole. Then draw around the outline on the paper with a marker. Then cut that & stick it to your keg. Then you are ready to make your cut (just make sure you've released any pressure inside the keg)

Brewers hardware in USA offer a much more elegant solution with their sankey fermenting kits. I went this DIY route as all it cost me was the price of a corny lid.

[dean_wales]

That's decided then Hop Bomb. Thanks.

Anyone got a lid they fancy selling me? If not where is the cheapest place to get one?

Also be interested in the gas in fitting but that is not urgent.

Dean.

[dean_wales]

Look what I just got in the post...



Thanks a millon goes out to Mr Dripping - a true gent.

Now just to decide where to locate it and get cutting! Cant decide between top dead centre and further to the side.

Dean.

[dean_wales]

Also still need to work out cheapest way to 'utilise' the bottom drain.

No funds currently for a full blown stainless 2" clamp valve.

Think I may go for a swept tri clamp elbow like this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400337031961

Two of these to join up...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221082511485

But then I am at a loss of what to put on the end to keep costs reasonable...

One of these which should accept a regular 22mm valve for now? With a little PTFE!
One of these. But yeouch they are expensive!

Is there no threaded fitting that will use the thread of a keg neck instead for a cheaper option?

Dea.

[dean_wales]

Even using imported tri-clamp bits the keg, elbow, valve arrangement for the underside was over £60 which is too much for this budget build.

So I am only using a tri-clamp to go adapt the neck to 3/4 BSP thread. After that its cheap threaded parts (stainless admittedly - nearly went for brass as per hotside) which brings it down to circa £20. All parts from eBay shop Premium Digital Store or metjune232008

Parts in order (from keg neck to the 3/4 clear hose I already have) are...







Now just to wait for any discount he offers on postage and for them to arrive.

Will probably add a side valve to the vessel at a later date to allow easier drawing off the trub/hops etc. But this will get me going and allow it to be used in some way - also spreads the cost.

Comments welcome!

Dean.

[dean_wales]

On a side note - it would have been handy, and I suspect cheaper, if I could have screwed something directly into the thread of the neck.

Any ideas what the thread size is on a Sankey keg neck?

Dean.