Like wine, beer is a beverage that has been made for centuries. Ancient civilizations have been known to make their own beer. This is where homebrewing has its roots as this is the earliest form of homebrewing. Medieval monks were the first to make homebrowing a thing and whilst beer back then wasn't made the same way it is today it is the precursor for today's hop based beverage. While the process for making lager beer, (the most popular beer style in the world) was standardized in Germany, it soon took off all over the world.
Today beer is the third most popular beverage after water and tea. Because of this people have brought it upon themselves to make beer at home. Home brewers have the benefit of enjoying this millennia old beverage by their own means and for that a crucial piece of equipment is needed, a conical fermenter. One such company that has been making this type of equipment is Grainfather, a true leader in the homebrewing industry.
Benefits of a Conical Fermenter
Trub Reduction
The mix of yeast and protein that goes on the bottom of the fermenter is called turb. The cone-shaped bottom of a Grainfather conical fermenter helps reduce the amount of turb in the beer. When you get rid of the yeast from below the clear beer you are left with almost no trub in your fermenter and all beer.
Yeast Management
Talking about yeast, one thing that a Grainfather fermenter lets you do is have better control over it. That same cone-shaped bottom allows the yeast to settle neatly under the clear beer. You can also store and reuse the yeast with a Grainfather conical fermenter which can save you money in the long run.
Pressure Rated
What is available on a conical fermenter is the ability to ferment beer under pressure. This allows you to change the flavour of the beer by suppressing off-flavours. You can also naturally carbonate the beer if the fermenter is rated for it.
Cleaning & Oxidation
Conical fermenters are going to be easier to clean if you happen to go with single vessel fermentation. This is because the fewer the parts included in the brewing process the less there is to clean thus easier to maintain too. With conical fermenters you will avoid off flavours caused by oxidation. You also don't need to transfer the brew so there are less chances of oxidation and infection too.
What to Consider
Features
While the majority of conical fermenters are going to be basic, if you have a particular need in mind you should consider some of the additional features offered by manufacturers. For example most fermenters need a hose to extract the liquid when the process is complete. To speed up this part you can get a fermenter with a tap that will make it far easier to extract the liquid without the need of additional equipment.
Size
While getting a larger fermenter than the one you need isn't that bad, if you don't have enough space to store it then it's better to go with a smaller one. You might want to consider getting a large conical flask if you want to make larger batches so you don't end up fermenting a single batch in separate carboys.
Quality
One important feature that we seem to forget about when considering other features is the quality of the fermenter. The way it's built even when it comes to the tiniest of details will tell you a lot about the quality of the fermenter. Obviously stainless steel fermenters are going to be better than plastic ones in this regard. But make sure to check if the construction of the fermenter is well made too. Is a particular component wobbly? Are certain pieces slightly misaligned? This can affect the performance and longevity of the fermenter.
Valves
Brewing beer requires different valves. A sanitary sample valve and a butterfly valve are main two valves. The former allows you to taste your beer without opening the fermenter whilst the latter is used for yeast or trub removal. Other fermenters have transfer valves to ensure that you move your brew without opening the fermenter. Make sure to choose a fermented with the valves you need not the ones that most of them have.
Accessories
Whilst the fermenter is a crucial part of the brewing process the accessories it comes with can also have an effect. Models that come fully equipped with valves and spigots are what you should look for. Whilst some fermenters will come packed with add ons others will require you to buy them separately
Temperature
Being able to control the temperature during the brewing process is essential. This is where a fermenter that allows you to have good control over the brewing temperature is going to make or brake the brew itself. There are fermenters that allow you to maintain brewing temperatures within 1°V at any time of the year without any issues.
