Brewing Master

Question:

Don’t do it. I’ve got 2 of them in my garage that I will never use again  They did clog, and didn’t drop any decdent amount of yeast or trub. Waste of $ IMO.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just wondering if anyone has tried using an inverted carboy set up.  I can’t afford the conical fermenter, and this seems a cheap substitute.  I wonder if it’s prone to leak a lot.

Response:

I’ve got 2 of them in my garage that I will never use again  They did clog, and didn’t drop any decdent amount of yeast or trub.

Ditto.  Seemed like such a great idea, that I bought two of them.  Used them once, now they’re part of the "bonehead gadget" collection. Mike

Response:

Sell them on EBAY and they’ll become someone else’s bonehead gadgets!! — Louise:o) http://pages.infinit.net/weez1959/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve got 2 of them in my garage that I will never use again  They did clog, and didn’t drop any decdent amount of yeast or trub. Ditto.  Seemed like such a great idea, that I bought two of them.  Used them once, now they’re part of the "bonehead gadget" collection. Mike

Response:

Sell them on EBAY and they’ll become someone else’s bonehead gadgets!! — Louise:o) http://pages.infinit.net/weez1959/

Great idea!  We’re moving this week – as of Friday, I’ll have a semi-dedicated brewing area (will also be my woodshop/gym), so when all of my boxes are emptied, I should have a number of "boneheads" to put up for auction. Thanks, Mike

Response:

Just wondering if anyone has tried using an inverted carboy set up.  I can’t afford the conical fermenter, and this seems a cheap substitute.  I wonder if it’s prone to leak a lot.

Don’t waste your time/money.  It doesn’t work.  The sides of a carboy are not steep enough for the yeast to settle in the neck. John. —                            *** John P. Kolesar ***            *** Head Administrator, Monty Python’s Flying Talker ***

Response:

Hey Mike, I tried to email you before, I’m in your area and was wondering if you were up for a bit of help on one of your next brew days.  Are you staying local? -Tony – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sell them on EBAY and they’ll become someone else’s bonehead gadgets!! — Louise:o) http://pages.infinit.net/weez1959/ Great idea!  We’re moving this week – as of Friday, I’ll have a semi-dedicated brewing area (will also be my woodshop/gym), so when all of my boxes are emptied, I should have a number of "boneheads" to put up for auction. Thanks, Mike

Response:

Hey Mike, I tried to email you before, I’m in your area and was wondering if you were up for a bit of help on one of your next brew days.  Are you staying local? -Tony

Yep, just moving a little farther east (15 mins or so).  You can send an line and I’ll fill you in on the 30-40 gallon brew day – it will be in the next couple of weeks. Mike

Response:

Will do.. Sounds like you’re moving closer to me, I’m in Brentwood. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey Mike, I tried to email you before, I’m in your area and was wondering if you were up for a bit of help on one of your next brew days.  Are you staying local? -Tony Yep, just moving a little farther east (15 mins or so).  You can send an a line and I’ll fill you in on the 30-40 gallon brew day – it will be in the next couple of weeks. Mike

Response:

Will do.. Sounds like you’re moving closer to me, I’m in Brentwood.

Wow, small world!  I’ll soon be a Brentwoodian….. Brentwooder….. Brentwoody (nope)….. resident of Brentwood. Mike

Response:

Just wondering if anyone has tried using an inverted carboy set up.  I can’t afford the conical fermenter, and this seems a cheap substitute.  I wonder if it’s prone to leak a lot.

Response:

Just wondering if anyone has tried using an inverted carboy set up.  I can’t afford the conical fermenter, and this seems a cheap substitute.  I wonder if it’s prone to leak a lot.

Never tried it, but from what I’ve read there is not enough slope in the neck of a carboy for this to work well. cheers, -Alan

Response:

Just wondering if anyone has tried using an inverted carboy set up.  I can’t afford the conical fermenter, and this seems a cheap substitute.  I wonder if it’s prone to leak a lot.

They don’t leak, but they also don’t move the yeast very well and are prone to clogging.  The primary problem is the shoulders of the carboy aren’t steep enough to let the yeast slide properly and the mouth is not big enough to get the right sized plumbing through it. I was given a chance to buy that company, but I could not support the product. — Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at www.listermann.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Just wondering if anyone has tried using an inverted carboy set up.  I can’t afford the conical fermenter, and this seems a cheap substitute.  I wonder if it’s prone to leak a lot.

Not tried it but from what I have read, it doesn’t work.  The angle is too shallow to let the yeast settle in the neck. -Brett.

Response:

I have been playing with an inverted demi-john as a unitank for years now. They have steep sides and a large mouth for the plumbing.  I have not been impressed by their use.  The yeast settles very well in the neck, but does not drain in a predictable manner.  It does not move like, say,sand.  When the drain is opened, only the yeast directly or so above the drain flows out.  This wastes a lot of beer because it requires a several drainings to remove the yeast and the runnings are thin with beer.  Alternatively the yeast packs very hard and only extrudes out very slowly as a turd like structure.   I have taken to using a stand pipe to drain the beer above the yeast and only then attempting to drain the yeast. I am still screwing with it and it may still evolve into a marketable product. —  Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com Take a look at the anti-telemarketer forum.  It is my new hobby!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy Chris, Well, first of all to keep the guy who invented it from having to find a job… As an added benefit, you can supposedly remove the trub and settled yeast after primary fermentation without having to rack to a secondary. This reduces infection and oxidisation risks. There was some discussion about these in HBD a few years back, but nobody seemed too impressed with them though. Mostly, it’s a gadget for you to play with while you’re waiting for those bottles to carbonate! Now what we REALLY need is a treadmill powered electric HERMS  for under $100. Then, maybe we all wouldn’t look so, uh, full figured! (Dan, are you out there?) -Brett I was at my local homebrew store the other day, and saw a setup for an inverted carboy.  It looked nifty, but in my reasonably inexperienced state I couldn’t figure out exactly why you would want to do such a thing.  Could anyone enlighten me? Chris

Response:

I have been playing with an inverted demi-john as a unitank for years now. They have steep sides and a large mouth for the plumbing.

An inverted demi-john?  Why not just take a hammer to it now and save some time? I’m making some mead in a demi-john and its glass is about thin as the glass on a Christmas ball. Phil visit the New York City Homebrewers Guild website: http://www.pipeline.com/~dogglebe/nychg.html

Response:

I have never broken one, but I know where you are coming from.   I have even used a 54 liter.  I worked out a simple way to fill it inverted and I don’t move it until the beer is done and drained. —  Dan Listermann Check out our E-tail site at http://www.listermann.com Take a look at the anti-telemarketer forum.  It is my new hobby!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been playing with an inverted demi-john as a unitank for years now. They have steep sides and a large mouth for the plumbing. An inverted demi-john?  Why not just take a hammer to it now and save some time? I’m making some mead in a demi-john and its glass is about thin as the glass on a Christmas ball. Phil visit the New York City Homebrewers Guild website: http://www.pipeline.com/~dogglebe/nychg.html

Response:

If you’re talking about the fermentap, save your money.  Earlier this year, I actually came to their defense in this forum, as I was fermenting my first batch, and all seemed to be going well.  I wasted a TON of beer with all of the drainings I had to do.  As someone else mentioned, the sides of the carboy neck just aren’t steep enough to get the yeast/sludge all of the way into the neck.  And cleaning up all of the parts was a bitch.  Save up your pennies, and buy a plastic or stainless fermentor with 60 degree sides. Mike

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was at my local homebrew store the other day, and saw a setup for an inverted carboy.  It looked nifty, but in my reasonably inexperienced state I couldn’t figure out exactly why you would want to do such a thing.  Could anyone enlighten me? Chris

Response:

What i heard was the angle on these are not steap enough for all the trub to settle to the bottom… nice concept but this one missed the mark Bill

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was at my local homebrew store the other day, and saw a setup for an inverted carboy.  It looked nifty, but in my reasonably inexperienced state I couldn’t figure out exactly why you would want to do such a thing.  Could anyone enlighten me? Chris

Response:

Howdy Chris, Well, first of all to keep the guy who invented it from having to find a job… As an added benefit, you can supposedly remove the trub and settled yeast after primary fermentation without having to rack to a secondary. This reduces infection and oxidisation risks. There was some discussion about these in HBD a few years back, but nobody seemed too impressed with them though. Mostly, it’s a gadget for you to play with while you’re waiting for those bottles to carbonate! Now what we REALLY need is a treadmill powered electric HERMS  for under $100. Then, maybe we all wouldn’t look so, uh, full figured! (Dan, are you out there?) -Brett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was at my local homebrew store the other day, and saw a setup for an inverted carboy.  It looked nifty, but in my reasonably inexperienced state I couldn’t figure out exactly why you would want to do such a thing.  Could anyone enlighten me? Chris

Response:

I have seem these too at the recent Annual Home Brew and Wine Show in Southport UK but they are extemely expensive ( in the order of