Fermentation Under Pressure

Yeast & Fermentation
1

I recently purchased a 14 gallon unitank and have the ability to ferment under pressure.

Have any of you tried this?

At what point in fermentation should you pressurized the tank?

What was your outcome and experience with fermenting under pressure?

Cheers

2

Our local brewer swears by this… He ferments for the first few days without pressure, then when it slows to a burp every few minutes, he will use a spunding valve set at 15 PSI… Then up the temp to 72… He can crank out a 220 gallon batch every 9 days… Realize he’s a small, local guy… hands on. He does make some good brews. Sneezles61

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3

There is some talk of pressure inhibiting Saison strains. This was tested on Brulosophy and they found no difference. If fact they have done at least 4 fermenting tests under pressure and came up with no solid evidence of a difference between pressure and no pressure.

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4

Is the idea to naturally carb the beer or is there some other reason to ferment under pressure? Other than the spunding valve I have enough equipment to do it and building one doesn’t look that difficult.

5

I always ferment Saison with Wyeast 3724 with just loose foil(no airlock), following recommendations, as you stated, to allow C02 to escape, in effect a partially “open” low pressure fermentation. NO heat, just ambient room temp. Drew Beecham(of Brewfiles) is a proponent of this…I’ve never had it stall, and it ferments to 1.001 or so…But…I’ll look for the Brulosophy test you reference, as I “aim to keep an open mind”. Flexibility is a key in this hobby!

6

I really think, once you get a way of doing things… you tend to talk them up like it was your child… I think thats good and adds to our colorful conversations… It isn’t just… “my way or screw you”! And as Voodoo says, I will always keep an open brew… er I mean eye to ideas… After all… If it wasn’t for all different ideas to think on, I’d never had settled on my system or way of brewing… THANK YOU! Sneezles61

7

[quote=“hd4mark, post:4, topic:26089”]
or is there some other reason to ferment under pressure?
[/quote]http://scottjanish.com/fermenting-dry-hopping-pressure/

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8

Sorry I nodded off after the second paragraph. Can you give me a condensed version?

9

“Fermenting and dry hopping under pressure has the potential to reduce
ester production, flexibility to ferment at higher temperatures,
and ability to trap dry hop oil compounds from being removed by carbon
dioxide production.”

I like esters though

10

Hmmmm pre-fermentation hopping.

11

Well, sorta… its called the bionic hop thingy-ma-jobby… :yum: It sure seems that using pressure, also as a by product, helps to complete its fermentation sooner also… Sneezles61

12

Think I will stick with put it in a bucket, carboy or conical, add yeast and forget about it for a while. I do have a ten gallon corny that would work nicely for pressurized fermentation. Looks exactly like the one pictured in @squeegeethree 's link.

If any of you guys try this, please post a thread to let us all know how it works and if it is worth the trouble.

13

I just ordered stuff to adapt to my Anvil brew bucket… So, I will be able to comment on my stuff down the road… Sneezles61

14

I just took the time to listen to beersmith, last January interview. Brad had Charlie Bamforth on talking of yeast and flavors… If you can listen long enough, he gets into pressurized fermenting about 3/4 of the way into the discussion. So it appears, should you want very low ester, clean tasting brews, then pressurized fermenting is great.
I’ve enjoyed the interviews with Charlie… I finally get to hear how all these “things” in our beer are pronounced… He throws them out there like its no body’s business… I suppose he should, since he teaches this stuff… :grin: Sneezles61

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