Comments on: Fermenting in Corny Kegs http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654 Resource for home brewers created by home brewers. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:43:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Marc http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-33047 Marc Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:13:35 +0000 http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-33047 Hey Mike, Why don't you use some of the sanke kegs you have? They're perfect for 10 gallon batches. Remove the spear and insert a stopper and blow off tube and voila - 15 gallon stainless fermenter. Hey Mike,
Why don’t you use some of the sanke kegs you have? They’re perfect for 10 gallon batches. Remove the spear and insert a stopper and blow off tube and voila - 15 gallon stainless fermenter.

]]> By: Matt Sweeny http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32910 Matt Sweeny Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:59:23 +0000 http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32910 I bought a 10 gal corny off ebay for around $200 and it works perfect as a fermenter. I removed the beer/out post, removed the dip tube, greased up the remaining gasket with some keg lube and inserted an airlock. See it in action here: http://www.fattymattybrewing.com/ingredients/displayimage.php?album=293&pos=1 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeoPx5vexic I bought a 10 gal corny off ebay for around $200 and it works perfect as a fermenter.

I removed the beer/out post, removed the dip tube, greased up the remaining gasket with some keg lube and inserted an airlock.

See it in action here: http://www.fattymattybrewing.com/ingredients/displayimage.php?album=293&pos=1 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeoPx5vexic

]]> By: Matt http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32905 Matt Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:27:56 +0000 http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32905 I just listened to a Brew Strong podcast w/ Jamil and John Palmer where they did nothing but talk about fermentation vessels for an hour, very interesting - and they talk a bit about using cornies: http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/550 I've also heard of people using a product that (I think) is called Ferm-Cap - which reduces foam, and helps when fermenting in smaller vessels - I've heard that some commercial breweries also use it so they don't need so much headspace in their fermenters, allowing them to do larger batches. Cheers! I just listened to a Brew Strong podcast w/ Jamil and John Palmer where they did nothing but talk about fermentation vessels for an hour, very interesting - and they talk a bit about using cornies:
http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/550

I’ve also heard of people using a product that (I think) is called Ferm-Cap - which reduces foam, and helps when fermenting in smaller vessels - I’ve heard that some commercial breweries also use it so they don’t need so much headspace in their fermenters, allowing them to do larger batches. Cheers!

]]> By: Chris http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32875 Chris Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:52:43 +0000 http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32875 I ferment in a 10 gallon keg and it works beautifully. Closed transfer, no blowoff, no clogging so far. I cut 1/2" off of the dip tube and I use a corny keg with a hole punched in the top with a stopper and an airlock. You can pick up a factory second 10 gallon keg economically. The biggest thing I miss is being able to watch the ferment. The thing I don't miss is the sense of impending danger when using a glass carboy. I had a bad accident with a glass carboy that made me switch. I ferment in a 10 gallon keg and it works beautifully. Closed transfer, no blowoff, no clogging so far. I cut 1/2″ off of the dip tube and I use a corny keg with a hole punched in the top with a stopper and an airlock. You can pick up a factory second 10 gallon keg economically. The biggest thing I miss is being able to watch the ferment. The thing I don’t miss is the sense of impending danger when using a glass carboy. I had a bad accident with a glass carboy that made me switch.

]]> By: JW http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32873 JW Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:48:54 +0000 http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32873 Mike, I'm a carboy user, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. If your using a chest freezer as your fermentation space, a corny keg certainly has a smaller footprint than a 6 gallon carboy. So in theory, you could fit several more cornies into the freezer, so there is probably a space efficiency. As a primary fermentor, take here's a how-to for building a blow-off tube into a corney keg. http://www.cornykeg.com/shopcontent.asp?type=convert-corny-keg-to-fermenter All the same, it seems like cornies might be better served as secondary fermentors (no need to headspace, little gas output). This is especially true if your doing a lager and need to cold condition the beer for 4-6. Best of luck. -JW Mike,

I’m a carboy user, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. If your using a chest freezer as your fermentation space, a corny keg certainly has a smaller footprint than a 6 gallon carboy. So in theory, you could fit several more cornies into the freezer, so there is probably a space efficiency.

As a primary fermentor, take here’s a how-to for building a blow-off tube into a corney keg.

http://www.cornykeg.com/shopcontent.asp?type=convert-corny-keg-to-fermenter

All the same, it seems like cornies might be better served as secondary fermentors (no need to headspace, little gas output). This is especially true if your doing a lager and need to cold condition the beer for 4-6.

Best of luck.

-JW

]]> By: George Hotelling http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32870 George Hotelling Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:14:23 +0000 http://www.brew-dudes.com/fermenting-in-corny-kegs/654#comment-32870 Instead of using the normal valve opening on the keg lid, you can get lids that have lager holes for a bung or blow-off tube: http://www.homebrewing.org/Cornelious-Keg-Lid-for-Secondary-Fermenter_p_999.html Instead of using the normal valve opening on the keg lid, you can get lids that have lager holes for a bung or blow-off tube: http://www.homebrewing.org/Cornelious-Keg-Lid-for-Secondary-Fermenter_p_999.html

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