Fermzilla Conical Fermenter V2

[Nola_Brew]

Anyone have one? https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermzilla-conical-fermenter-71-gal-27.html
if so would like your thoughts. Thinking about getting one so I can ferment under pressure and do pressure transfers.
Not alot of info or reviews yet since this product was recently released.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Anyone have one? https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermzilla-conical-fermenter-71-gal-27.html
if so would like your thoughts. Thinking about getting one so I can ferment under pressure and do pressure transfers.
Not alot of info or reviews yet since this product was recently released.

Kegland (manufacturer in Aus) have some good YouTube videos on all their products. Also Gash Slug has put a few brews down in it too search him one word on YouTube up will come his videos. His last brew a Neipa Jedi Juice he calls it is his latest one all preassure fermented spunded and transfered to keg through the fermzilla.



I've thought about it but it won't fit I to my chamber without some mods. There is another product without the butterfly valve just the conical pet fermentor called the Snub Nose fermentor with pressure cap for less than the fermzilla. You still can do preassure transfers/ferments but no yeast collection pod. Keg king make this one.

 

[Nola_Brew]

I looked at the one without the valve but opted for the Fermzilla. Ordered it today. According to the dims on More Beer's site and the info on Kegland's site, i will have to add a collar to my ferm chamber but the width should be good.
I may end up using this one to ferment outside the chamber using OYL 091 (hornindal) but will probably just add the collar in case I want to ferment in it using the 'Zilla.
I'll search for Gash on Youtube. Thanks for the info.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I looked at the one without the valve but opted for the Fermzilla. Ordered it today. According to the dims on More Beer's site and the info on Kegland's site, i will have to add a collar to my ferm chamber but the width should be good.
I may end up using this one to ferment outside the chamber using OYL 091 (hornindal) but will probably just add the collar in case I want to ferment in it using the 'Zilla.
I'll search for Gash on Youtube. Thanks for the info.

Hey I'm sure they even have a glycol style insert so you can remotely control temp of fermentor. Check out kegland and YouTube kegland fermzilla and watch kegland vids.

Same reason I'd have to build a collar but even width wise stand wouldn't fit in my freezer. And I thought am I really gunna lift the whole thing out to unscrew port nope. All I want to do is preassure ferment and transfer.

Good luck can't wait to see it full of wort!

 

[Nola_Brew]

Well it arrived two days early. Pretty nice. Stinks to high heavens. Getting ready to clean it up.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Well it arrived two days early. Pretty nice. Stinks to high heavens. Getting ready to clean it up.

Look in good hey you can get carb caps for that bottom section too so you can purge hops.

 

[Nola_Brew]

Look in good hey you can get carb caps for that bottom section too so you can purge hops.

Yea, I meant to order them from More Beer when I ordered the Fermzilla. I'll order from Amazon so I can have them here before the weekend.

 

[Nola_Brew]

Here's my assessment:
Received on Monday. Cleaned it up with Oxy, added the lid and once the pressure built up, 5PSI according to my spunding valve, the collection cup started leaking. I tighten up as much as I could get as it took a lot of force to get the cup to turn once it got to a certain point. I removed the collection cup, re-applied a thin layer of keg lube and tried again. Once again, it still leaked. I even had my neighbor try and get the cup to turn a bit more but he could not either.

My issue now is once pressure tested (before brew day to check for leaks) and it passes, how to you know for certain the cup will not leak once it is removed to dump yeast/trub? You don't until it's re-attached and the valve is opened. If it does leak then the only option is to close the valve and try and tighten the cup again. There isn't a lot of room to work between the fermenter and the stand, really no place to gain any leverage. The included strap does help in getting a grip. The cup appears to get to a certain point and it stops.

One of the main reasons I bought the zilla was the ability to dry hop from the collection cup. This makes the purchase useless.

Anyway, not sure if others are having the same issue as I could not find many reviews or videos. The ones I did find were positive which led to the purchase.

Kegland does have a video and they make it look so easy however they do not use any water in the fermenter to show how much force is needed to get a good seal.

I did send an email to Kegland this am but no reply yet. Realize there is several hours difference between AUS/US time so I'm hoping they respond within hrs with info. I also sent an email to the vendor I purchased the fermenter from asking for a refund. I really don't want to mess with this any longer as I do not feel confident I will be able to get consistent seals with the cup.

As an FYI the seal does not appear to be damaged and the keg lube didn't help.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Here's my assessment:
Received on Monday. Cleaned it up with Oxy, added the lid and once the pressure built up, 5PSI according to my spunding valve, the collection cup started leaking. I tighten up as much as I could get as it took a lot of force to get the cup to turn once it got to a certain point. I removed the collection cup, re-applied a thin layer of keg lube and tried again. Once again, it still leaked. I even had my neighbor try and get the cup to turn a bit more but he could not either.

My issue now is once pressure tested (before brew day to check for leaks) and it passes, how to you know for certain the cup will not leak once it is removed to dump yeast/trub? You don't until it's re-attached and the valve is opened. If it does leak then the only option is to close the valve and try and tighten the cup again. There isn't a lot of room to work between the fermenter and the stand, really no place to gain any leverage. The included strap does help in getting a grip. The cup appears to get to a certain point and it stops.

One of the main reasons I bought the zilla was the ability to dry hop from the collection cup. This makes the purchase useless.

Anyway, not sure if others are having the same issue as I could not find many reviews or videos. The ones I did find were positive which led to the purchase.

Kegland does have a video and they make it look so easy however they do not use any water in the fermenter to show how much force is needed to get a good seal.

I did send an email to Kegland this am but no reply yet. Realize there is several hours difference between AUS/US time so I'm hoping they respond within hrs with info. I also sent an email to the vendor I purchased the fermenter from asking for a refund. I really don't want to mess with this any longer as I do not feel confident I will be able to get consistent seals with the cup.

As an FYI the seal does not appear to be damaged and the keg lube didn't help.

I have had good dealings with them over a pump issue I had earlier this year. They have a process. Make sure you email them directly not through their site just open your current email tool and type in the email.address given on website. Photograph and if you can a short drip drip video . Take photo of seal too and your cup butterfly valve. They will replace it I'm sure if there is a prob. They ended up sending me one free no postage nothing.
Gash Slug took the butterfly valve apart on one of his videos I'll try and find it. He's pretty good at fault finding.
Here's what I've watched...

And this is his unboxing

Hope this helps.
Hey ask gashslug in the comments section he'll help you out for sure!
Oh I ordered my snub nose yesterday but not your fermentor in question but simillar without the dump valve.

 

[Nola_Brew]

I have had good dealings with them over a pump issue I had earlier this year. They have a process. Make sure you email them directly not through their site just open your current email tool and type in the email.address given on website. Photograph and if you can a short drip drip video . Take photo of seal too and your cup butterfly valve. They will replace it I'm sure if there is a prob. They ended up sending me one free no postage nothing.
Gash Slug took the butterfly valve apart on one of his videos I'll try and find it. He's pretty good at fault finding.
Here's what I've watched...

And this is his unboxing

Hope this helps.
Hey ask gashslug in the comments section he'll help you out for sure!
Oh I ordered my snub nose yesterday but not your fermentor in question but simillar without the dump valve.

I hope your snub nose works out. it's a bit taller than the Fermzilla but should be a nice addition.

Thanks for the vid's. I watched Gash's vid before I ordered and I thought about messaging him in the comments section but wasn't sure if he keeps up with the comments since the vid was over 1 month old.

I emailed Morebeer yesterday. I sent it through Outlook but they haven't responded yet. Planning on giving them until noon today then will call.

I'm frustrated with this thing- for me it takes too much effort to try and make the seal on the cup- Not something i want to be fighting on brew day or when I want to dry hop. I think Kegland should have put a silicon seal at the top part where the cup screws into the lid. I think that would have been a better option then where they have it located at the top part of the threads. At this point, I just want to return it and get a refund.
As for the snub nose version, I almost ordered it but when I saw the Fermzilla and the ability to dry hop through the collection vessel that alone persuaded me to get that one.

If Morebeer pays for the return cost and refunds my money then I may order the snub nose version. Only issue with that one is it sits much higher in the stand vs the Fermzilla. I would definitely need to modify my ferm chamber.

I am also considering the Spike Flex+ but really don't want to spend $400 for a fermenter. Another option is the Kegmenter. I just don't know if it will fit in the space between the compressor hump. I probably would have to add a collar to my chamber and a step to be able to place the Kegmenter to be level with the compressor hump.

I wanted to add that I did contact Kegland and they responded saying to pressurize to 10 PSI and try tightening the collection cup. I did that and could not get the cup to tighten any more than it is so that leads me to believe the cup is seated as far as it will go.

I had planned on brewing Saturday but will now have to push that back to next week. Keep us posted with the snub nose. Curious to see how it works out for you.

 

[Nola_Brew]

Morebeer will be sending out a new Fermzilla and will return the one I have. Hope it was something with the cup or something. If the next one leaks it's going back as well for a refund.
Seems like the ones who do have them have had no issues. Hoping the one I received was the only bad apple.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Morebeer will be sending out a new Fermzilla and will return the one I have. Hope it was something with the cup or something. If the next one leaks it's going back as well for a refund.
Seems like the ones who do have them have had no issues. Hoping the one I received was the only bad apple.

Sweet yeah frustration can lead to anger and sometimes rash decisions especially when it gets in the road of your brewing plans and preassure fermented dreams man but being rational is always the best result.

I bet thus next one will be fine that first one musta had a defect fingers crossed hey?

I'll have to go have another gander at the snub nose dimentions I'm sure it was gunna fit more snug than then fermzilla or I would purchase that and just left the collection ball alone.
I remember the stand was too wide for the zilla but I might a been a little enibriated at the time.

Snub Nose should arrive next week I've got a pale ale ready in cube to pitch straight in !

 

[GFHomebrew]

To put the dimentions out there

Fermzilla

Snub Nose.

Musta been the hight I'll have to 're messure the chamber.now. man the zilla has got some attachments though?

 

[Nola_Brew]

Not sure why I thought the snub nose sat higher in the stand. Maybe as you said i must have been inebriated .
The valve is really nice, heavy duty. The fermzilla is just awkwardly built, meaning not easy to grab to get leverage. Not alot of space around the collection cup and stand legs so it makes it hard to try and tighten it up, especially if filled with wort.

In hindsight, I kinda wish I had ordered the Kegmenter. Probably easier to handle but it lacks the ability to dry hop without opening the lid. That was an advantage to the 'Zilla.
I'm hoping the replacement is all good. I'll just have to push back brew day to next Saturday. Not a big deal as my two taps are full at the moment.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Not sure why I thought the snub nose sat higher in the stand. Maybe as you said i must have been inebriated .
The valve is really nice, heavy duty. The fermzilla is just awkwardly built, meaning not easy to grab to get leverage. Not alot of space around the collection cup and stand legs so it makes it hard to try and tighten it up, especially if filled with wort.

In hindsight, I kinda wish I had ordered the Kegmenter. Probably easier to handle but it lacks the ability to dry hop without opening the lid. That was an advantage to the 'Zilla.
I'm hoping the replacement is all good. I'll just have to push back brew day to next Saturday. Not a big deal as my two taps are full at the moment.

My thoughts dry hop at fading fermentation let's say day 3 purge headspace. add more whirlpool hops. And at packaging into keg add hops to canister you can add them in whilst fermentation is underway and direct o2 through recieving keg. There's always a workaround I reckon.

She'll be fine mate .

 

[Nola_Brew]

Received the replacement today. Initially I filled the Fermzilla with a couple gallons of warm water. Added the collection cup (valve closed) and no leaking. Once I opened the valve it leaked (dripping) from the same place as the other. I only hand tightened the collection cup.
I removed the cup, added a thin layer of keg lube to see if that helps. Opened the valve and still drips. it's not much but more than i feel comfortable with. At this point I am no interested in using the strap to tighten the crap out of the cup to prevent leaking. If this thin doesnt seal properly with just hand tightening then I dont want it.
The idea behind the Fermzilla is great. But the sealing sucks. Seems like i am the only one having issues with this and maybe is just me being petty. But I cant have issues with the cup not sealing especially with trub removal or dry hopping and not know if the cup will seal until I open the valve.
Anyway, going to play with it a bit more tonight and if I cannot get it to seal to my satisfaction, I'll return it and go with the Kegmenter.

 

[Brewer #222202]

Don't feel lonely. I have the original Fermzilla and I'm having the same problem. Since it won't fit in my fermenting freezer anyway, I'm not using it at the present time.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Received the replacement today. Initially I filled the Fermzilla with a couple gallons of warm water. Added the collection cup (valve closed) and no leaking. Once I opened the valve it leaked (dripping) from the same place as the other. I only hand tightened the collection cup.
I removed the cup, added a thin layer of keg lube to see if that helps. Opened the valve and still drips. it's not much but more than i feel comfortable with. At this point I am no interested in using the strap to tighten the crap out of the cup to prevent leaking. If this thin doesnt seal properly with just hand tightening then I dont want it.
The idea behind the Fermzilla is great. But the sealing sucks. Seems like i am the only one having issues with this and maybe is just me being petty. But I cant have issues with the cup not sealing especially with trub removal or dry hopping and not know if the cup will seal until I open the valve.
Anyway, going to play with it a bit more tonight and if I cannot get it to seal to my satisfaction, I'll return it and go with the Kegmenter.

Ah that sucks glad I went for snub nose now.
Thread tape won't help have you tried taking seal out and using opposite side?

 

[Nola_Brew]

Ah that sucks glad I went for snub nose now.
Thread tape won't help have you tried taking seal out and using opposite side?

I haven't messed with the seal/gasket yet. Not sure I want to mess with it. Should not have to do that, TBH.
Even with a drip, it will be sufficient over a 2-3 week period.
In hindsight, i probably should have went with the snub nose but the ability to dry hop through the collection cup is what sold me on the Fermzilla.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I haven't messed with the seal/gasket yet. Not sure I want to mess with it. Should not have to do that, TBH.
Even with a drip, it will be sufficient over a 2-3 week period.
In hindsight, i probably should have went with the snub nose but the ability to dry hop through the collection cup is what sold me on the Fermzilla.

Totally get you. Actually one thing I'll point out with snub nose is using the fermentasaurus body it's 35lt so if your doing a standard 21ish LT batch there is a awful lot of head space above the wort. I dry hopped near high krausen this morning and them hops made a splash.

I see the Zilla is 27lt more snug more suited to 20lt ish brew.
Good luck can't go wrong with stainless you'll probably hand it down to ya son whem done.