Conical Fermenters

[NamNori]

So when I invested in the gear necessary for brewing all-grain (5 gal batch sizes), I got an 8 gal conical fermenter from FastFerment (http://www.fastbrewing.com/products/fastferment). And I've been very happy with it thus far. However earlier this year, when I did a chocolate-cherry stout, and the final product lacked the cherry-flavor I had wanted I began to wonder if the conical design was working against me. While I don't remember the qty of cherry puree (it was a) what the recipe had and b) what the home-brew store owner advised), I added it at secondary. Poured it right in. And where do you suppose all of that cherry goodness went: straight to the bottom collection ball. Where there is minimal interaction between it and the wort. The puree is too 'watery' to stay in a grain bag... So then I wondered if the classic 'car boy' would have been better choice in that more surface area of cherry is available to interact with the wort. Of course there are pros and cons to either type of fermentation vessel, but I wanted to throw this topic out there and see what others thought.

 

[J A]

I think it's a fairly common practice for pros to rouse the tank with a blast of CO2 into the racking port to stir up all the flavors from hops or other additions. If it's cold and has cleared, the stuff will drop back to the bottom pretty quickly and clear the beer again.

 

[Hawkbox]

I've never had a conical, I'm not that high up in the world. But my fermonsters with raspberries I just dumped them in and let it buck.

 

[KC]

You could close the trap after primary so puree stays in the conical. You'll end up with secondary trub in the neck instead of the jar but it's still more efficient to rack off that than a carboy.

 

[JS]

I have mixed in the cherry puree (49 oz can) in the boil kettle after chilling (I whirlpool through a counterflow chiller). This yields a good blending of the puree with the wort. You could do the same by pouring the puree into the conical prior to pitching the yeast and stirring with a sanitized plastic spoon. I allow the yeast to consume the sugars and leave the cherry flavor. I don't recall ever fruiting a beer in secondary, I do it right from the start. The canned purees are a great way to fruit a beer.

 

[I_playdrums]

I pasteurize and add to the keg. Most efficient way for me to add fruit flavors.

 

[NamNori]

You could close the trap after primary so puree stays in the conical. You'll end up with secondary trub in the neck instead of the jar but it's still more efficient to rack off that than a carboy.

this is exactly the technique I'm currently trying with my pumpkin beer, so the pumpkin pie spice and other stuff isn't at the bottom of the collection ball.