Tips, Tricks & Accessories
FermZilla Tri-Conical 27L & 55L | Tips, Tricks & Accessories
The FermZIlla range is distinguished by being pressure capable fermenters which allow fermenting and transferring beer under pressure. There are also a number of super handy accessories available to improve your beer and your brewing! The FermZilla range has a number of advantages over more traditional fermenters on the market.
Dispensing from a FermZilla
As a pressure capable fermenter, the FermZilla can be treated as an all in one fermentation and dispensing unit. If the FermZilla is equipped for pressure fermentation, simply ferment and cold crash as normal. Once the cold crash is complete, there is no need to transfer to a keg.
Simply connect the FermZilla to CO2 using the Gas Post, and connect a tap of some kind to the Liquid Post. Once connected (and the beer is chilled and carbonated) you are good to go!
Recommended taps include the NukaTap Mini FC Disconnect Kit, the Nylon Composite Pluto Gun and the duo-Bronco/duo-Picnic Party Tap. These are all great options to have to hand for pulling samples during fermentation (to check gravity etc).
Yeast Harvesting (Tri-Conical series)
To harvest the yeast from a fermentation it is as simple as waiting for fermentation to be complete. Ideally perform a cold crash to cause yeast in suspension to flocculate out. Once fermentation is done and the beer is transferred, simply close the Butterfly Valve and remove the Collection Container.
The Collection Container can then simply be capped and placed in the fridge to be pitched into the next brew. Otherwise the yeast and trub can be carefully decanted in sanitised jars or similar and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Yeast harvested and stored in this manner will remain viable for approximately one month.
Low Oxygen Dry Hopping using the Collection Container
It is always best to minimise introducing oxygen (O2) into the beer once fermentation is underway. Oxidation can cause off flavours (typically described as a 'cardboard' taste). Oxidation can also seriously impact hop flavour and aroma, resulting in a loss of both flavour and aroma. Low Oxygen Dry Hopping procedures are great for hoppy beer styles such as NEIPAs, XPAs, Pale Ales etc.
The FermZilla Tri-conical offer low oxygen dry hopping capability with very few extra required parts and is quite easy and quick to introduce into your normal fermentation schedule.
To use the Collection Container for LODO (Low Dissolved Oxygen) dry hopping replace once of the black PCO1881 caps with a KL10788 Carbonation Cap. This allows you to easily connect CO2 to the collection container. Use the other post to attach a Red PRV 1881 Cap Combo.
To use the Collection Container for dry hopping, it must first be cleaned and sanitised. It is quite useful to have a separate Collection Container for this purpose. These instructions assume that the Collection Container has already been removed, cleaned and sanitised and the Butterfly Valve is closed on the FermZilla Tri-Conical.
Place the required dry hops in the sanitised Collection Container
Attach the Collection Container to the the 3" Butterfly Valve at the base of the FermZilla Tri-Conical
Set your regulator to between 5-10psi and connect the gas ball lock disconnect to the Carbonation Cap on the Collection Container
While connected and pressurised, pull the PRV on the Collection Container several times. This will purge and refill the container with CO2, effectively displacing the O2 in the Collection Container
Once purged, disconnect the CO2 and open the Butterfly Valve to introduce the hops into the FermZilla tank
The Hop Bong
The Hop Bong is a fantastic way to dry hop in a FermZilla without introducing O2 (LODO). The Hop Bong is suitable for all pressure capable FermZillas (the Tri-Conical and the All Rounder). It can be purchased as a standalone unit (if you have the required Carbonation Caps, dip tube etc) or as a complete kit.
The Hop Bong assembly can be attached at the start of fermentation. It can also be added to the lid at any stage - simply keep the 2" Butterfly Valve closed until the Hop Bong has been attached.
LODO Dry Hopping with the Hop Bong
Remove the lid of the Hop Bong by undoing the 2" Tri Clover clamp
Add the required dry hop to the Hop Bong
Replace the lid on the Hop Bong and secure the 2" Tri-Clover clamp
Set your regulator to between 5-10psi and connect the gas ball lock disconnect to the Carbonation Cap on the Hop Bong
While connected and pressurised, pull the PRV on the lid of the Hop Bong several times. This will purge and refill the container with CO2, effectively displacing the O2 in the Hop Bong
Once purged, disconnect the CO2 and open the Butterfly Valve to introduce the hops into the FermZilla tank
For more information and detailed instructions for the Hop Bong, please refer to this video
RAPT Pill Hydrometer
The RAPT Pill Hydrometer & Thermometer is the perfect accessory for the FermZilla range! Unlike stainless fermenters, the FermZilla is made of transparent PET. PET is easy to clean, sanitary and also transparent to WiFi signals, making the use of a network capable floating hydrometer such as the RAPT Pill very simple. Using the RAPT Pill connected to your home network (or to another RAPT device such as a RAPT Temperature Controller via Bluetooth) you can get near real time gravity and temperature readings from directly inside the FermZilla! This unlocks powerful and easy fermentation and temperature control and is a highly recommended upgrade.
More more information please refer to this video
RAPT Fermentation Chamber
The RAPT - Fermentation Chamber is the most capable Fermentation Chamber on the market. It was designed from the ground up to hold 2 x 30L FermZilla All Rounders, 1 x 27L FermZilla Tri-Conical (with or without Hop Bong) or 1 x FermZilla 60L All Rounder or 55L Tri-Conical. With built in heating and cooling, WiFi and Bluetooth* connectivity and connection and control via the RAPT ecosystem it is the easiest and most advanced method of fermentation control on the market!
*Bluetooth connectivity works only in conjunction with a RAPT Pill Hydrometer & Thermometer
For more information, please refer to this video
Temperature Control with Glycol
The FermZilla range can also be used in conjunction with a glycol chiller such as the G20 - Glycol Chiller
You will need to install a thermowell for the temperature probe and also a cooling coil such as the Temp Twister. All FermZilla lids have ports marked for drilling in order to fit these accessories. Otherwise, a pre-drilled lid can also be purchased. These can also be installed in the 2" TC Pressure Lid which enables the use of the Hop Bong in conjunction with a glycol setup.
No need to do a whirlpool in the kettle
Due to the shape of the FermZIlla range (the conical shape of the Tri-Conical FermZilla and the rounded base of the All Rounder) you can skip the whirlpool in the kettle and just transfer everything! The hops and trub will simply settle out. You can then use the Collection Container of the Tri-Conical to dump this (if desired). In addition, when transferring under pressure, we are only drawing clear beer from the surface during the process, greatly minimising the amount of solids that can make their way into the keg.
Using the Collection Container for Samples and Bottling (Tri-Conical series)
By attaching a ball lock post to the bottom of the Collection Container, you now have a variety of removable options at your fingertips.
You can connect a KL21821 sanitised duo-Bronco / duo-Picnic Party Tap mounted to a KL24235 6.35mm duotight Disconnect to allow to take hydrometer samples. Simply slip some 10mm hose over the end of the tap and you now have a simple bottling gun!
Just make sure the FermZilla is elevated so that gravity can carry the beer down to the bottle. You may need to remove some of the trub and yeast sediment before using this method to get clear beer. Crash chilling after fermentation will make the trub compact faster.
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