Category Archives: Reviews & Top Posts

Hands on Review: FLOTit 2.0 Floating Dip Tube w/DFI, Double Filter Inlet!

Updated: September 3, 2024

This review is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

FLOTit Floating Dip Tube

Floating dip tubes are a hot commodity in the homebrewing world lately.  Many people are ditching their fixed steel tubes and replacing them with a length of silicone tubing attached to a stainless ball float.  If you’ve been living under a rock and don’t know the point of the floating dip tube, it’s pretty simple.  It floats on top of your beer so that as you draw out beer, you get clear beer from the top while everything else precipitates out and makes its way to the bottom

Check Pricing & Availability:

Also available at Keg Connection: FLOTit 2.0 Stainless Steel Floating Dip Tube | NO BEER LEFT BEHIND

A version is also available that works as an upgrade to traditional ball float floating dip tubes

FLOTit 2.0 – Double Filter Inlet (DFI) with 500/300 micron mesh for floating dip tube with a ball float for always clear beer, less beer waste, and no clogging. Best upgrade for pressure fermenter – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link

FLOTit 2.0 -...image
FLOTit 2.0 - No Beer Left Behind Floating Dip Tube with Double Filter Inlet (DFI) of 500/300 micron for always clear beer, less beer waste and no clogging. Made in USA.
$29.00
FLOTit 2.0 with...image
FLOTit 2.0 with Max Headroom gas dip tube & a HOOK tool - No Beer Left Behind Floating Dip Tube with DFI for always clear beer, less beer waste and no clogging. Ideal for fermenting in kegs.
$34.00
FLOTit 2.0 –...image
FLOTit 2.0 – Double Filter Inlet (DFI) with 500/300 micron mesh for floating dip tube with a ball float for always clear beer, less beer waste, and no clogging.
$22.00
FLOTit 2.0 with...image
FLOTit 2.0 with UNI dip tube - No Beer Left Behind Floating Dip Tube with Double Filter Inlet (DFI) of 500/300 micron for always clear beer, less beer waste and no clogging.

Related:

Related: Fermenting Under Pressure!

Continue reading →

Hands on Review: Avid Armor CHAMBER Vacuum Sealer – seals mylar bags!

Why would you want a Vacuum Sealer for homebrewing?

Vacuum sealers are indispensable for storing hops.  You can save money by getting in on bulk hop buys – See: Recent Hop Finds. Use your vacuum sealer to break these up and to preserve freshness.  You can also store specialty grains in vacuum bags.  Other uses include: storing base grains, partial dry yeast packs and storing and preserving other beer ingredients.

What’s a Chamber Vacuum Sealer?

A FoodSaver (or similar) is a standard home suction type vacuum sealer that relies on special bags. We generally call them… vacuum sealer bags. These bags are embossed or textured to create channels on the inside of the bag. Those channels allow a FoodSaver to draw out air and create a vacuum all while the machine is clamped down. When this process is done a heat strip seals the bag locking in the vacuum state.

A chamber style vacuum sealer does not rely on channeled bags. It evacuates the entire chamber and seals the bag. When this is done, prior to pressure equalization the bag does not look like it’s vacuum sealed at all. When pressure equalizes the bag immediately collapses and whammo, it’s sealed.

What are the Advantages of Chamber Vacuum Sealers?

  • Generally speaking, these remove more oxygen than FoodSaver machines.
  • Vacuum sealing wet or moist items is much easier. Since the entire chamber is evacuated, these aren’t prone to drawing out liquid like FoodSaver machines.
  • Bag cost. The special bags required by FoodSaver are more complex to produce and can lead to higher costs. Smooth sided vacuum bags can be had for less. If you’re re-using Mylar bags your bag cost essentially goes to 0.
  • One of the biggest benefits, to me, is being able to seal Mylar bags. Mylar bags have smooth sides and do not work with FoodSaver and similar. The lack of channels foils the process.

Why Mylar

Generally speaking Mylar bags consist of three layers. Two Mylar layers that laminate a center aluminum foil layer. This combination provides strength, flexibility and durability along with an extremely low Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR). These bags also block potentially damaging light. Combine this with vacuum sealing and you’ve got an outstanding way to store food & more.

For homebrewer’s… Vacuum sealed Mylar bags are an excellent  way to store hops and other oxygen sensitive materials.  As a testament to this, many hop distributors distribute hops in Mylar bags.  Sometimes those are vacuum sealed and sometimes they are nitrogen flushed.

Re-using packaging can be a big money saver. You’ll see in my review below that I re-use hop bags. Those cost me $0 and are an excellent vehicle for storing hops

I have a post on some techniques that I developed to seal Mylar bags with traditional vacuum sealers. That’s one of the most popular posts on Homebrew Finds, I’m guessing that many people that find that post are not homebrewers, but are interested in this because of the prohibitive costs of Mylar capable machines.

A note to non-brewers: Based on the popularity of our Mylar sealing post, it’s entirely possible that you don’t homebrew. If that’s you, most of the trials in this review focus on sealing hops. If you don’t brew A: Why not? Connect with Us and start! or B: Picture… other things instead of hops 🙂

In the past, chamber vacuum sealers have been very expensive. When I published my post on sealing Mylar bags back in 2011, they cost thousands of dollars. They were generally intended for commercial use and had price tags to match.

I’m happy to say some much more economical options have become available. Here’s a hands on look at Avid Armor’s USV20 Chamber Vacuum Sealer.

Hands on Review Avid Armor USV20 Chamber Vacuum Sealer

The USV20 fresh out of the boxA look inside. It came with manuals, vacuum sealer bags, a quick start guide and a vac sealed toy avocado.A look at the contents

Check Current Price & Availability, Review Continues Below:

Note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at these links

Avid Armor Chamber...image
Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine USV20 Ultra Series for Wet Foods, Meat Vacuum Packing Machine, Compact with 11.5-Inch Vaccum Sealer Bar
$324.00
Avid Armor Ultra...image
Avid Armor Ultra Series USV32: Premium Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine High-Performance Vacuum Chamber Sealer for Professional and Home Use, Ideal Commercial Vacuum Sealer Machine for Food Preservation
$569.00
Avid Armor -...image
Avid Armor - Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine USV1 Ultra SeriesONE, Food Sealer for Wet Foods, Meat Sealers, Packing Machine, Compact Vacuum Chamber Sealer with 10-Inch Vacuum Sealer Bar
$289.00
Avid Armor Chamber...image
Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine USVX Ultra Series 10" Seal Bar for Liquid-Rich Wet Foods, Cooking Sous Vide, Infusions. Compact Size Vacuum Chamber Sealer Black Color Great for the Countertop
$389.00

Continue reading →

Five Benefits of Using Corny Kegs As Fermenters

The containers we call Ball Lock and Pin Lock Kegs come from the soda industry.  Also called Cornelius Kegs, Corny Kegs and Corney Kegs, they were originally intended to store and distribute soda pre-mix.  The big soda companies decided on different style containers for their pre-mix.  Pepsi landed on the Ball Lock style while Coke uses the Pin Lock style.

Homebrewers have since re-purposed these as homebrew beer kegs. It makes sense. These high quality stainless steel beverages that are meant for years of commercial food use. They’re also tough, can be had for cheap and are easy to move around.

What if someone said there was a pressure capable, heavy duty stainless steel fermenter that could be had for 50 bucks or so?

Great news…. kegs make great fermenters! Same high quality, stainless steel construction, toughness and easy portability, but this time used for fermentation.

Lots More About Kegs

But First, How Do you Convert a Keg to a Fermenter?

One issue needs to be addressed to convert kegs into fermenters… handling CO2 produced by fermentation. Kegs are generally designed to be airtight. Fermentation requires that we allow excess CO2 to escape.  I can think of three options…

  1. A blow-off tube. Remove the gas post or gas post poppet and get use tight fitting tubing to route CO2 to a container of sanitizer.
  2. Use a converted lid to add a stopper and airlock See: Cornelius Keg Fermenter Lid via Adventures in Homebrewing
  3. Use a Spunding Valve – some of the technique and tricks mentioned in this post rely on a Spunding Valve

Keg Fermenter Sizing

A five gallon keg isn’t really suitable for a primary fermenter for a 5 gallon batch.  You could use it as a secondary for a full 5 gallon batch, as a primary fermenter for smaller batches (maybe 3 to 4 gallons max) or you could split 5 gallon batches between two kegs.

There is a 6 gallon keg available that should allow you to ferment a 5 gallon batch.

10 and 15 gallon size ball locks have become readily available at relatively reasonable prices. A 10 gallon keg could easily accommodate a full 5 gallon batch (up to 7 or 8 gallons) while a 15 gallon keg should be able to easily handle a 10 gallon batch (up to 12 or 13 gallons).

Five Unique Benefits to Using Converted Keg Fermenter!

Continue reading →

Hands on Review: Valuebrew Stainless Steel Ball Lock Jumpers – Works with Liquid AND Gas

Updated: 5/3/2024

Hands on Review Stainless Steel Ball Lock Jumpers from Valuebrew

This ball lock jumper features stainless steel construction and food grade silicone post o-rings.  It allows you to connect two keg lines together via ball lock keg QDs. This is handy for at least a few uses, the most popular one probably being cleaning multiple kegerator lines at the same time.

Limited Time Deal, Review Continues Below:

Valuebrew is offering a pack of two jumpers and 25 replacement o-rings for $32.97. Coupon code JUMP discounts the combo by a whopping 32%.

Double Jumper Special! < note that you must use this link along with coupon code JUMP to get the deal, the standard product will not get you the discount

Valuebrew’s jumper is unique because of the custom color, food grade o-rings and because … it works with both liquid and ball lock jumpers.

In the package. As of this posting, this comes in singles with the option to add a second on for a reduced cost. Check the product page to see if that’s still available.A look at the jumper. It has a nice heft to it and feels generally well builtA look down the jumper. You’ll notice a stainless steel bar. This jumper doesn’t have traditional poppets. Instead these bars take their place enabling connected ball lock QDs to open when connected. This is actually a really good feature because it means the jumper is open to the air when unused and can be clean, dried and sanitized.

Alternate Uses

Drain Keg Lines

The other thing this design allows you to do is connect just one QD to open up a line to drain. Let’s say you wanted to clear the liquid from a kegerator line. Attach this to let air in, elevate the QD/jumper and open the faucet. No need to remove or disassemble the QD.

Flush Keg Lines and Transfer Tubing with CO2

Place this on a gas QD and attach to another gas QD (gas QD to gas QD) to flush gas lines. Attach to a liquid QD (gas QD to liquid QD) to flush serving lines

Flush Buckets, Compatible Fermenters and Kegs with CO2

Place this on a gas QD to open it up to assist with flushing compatible containers with CO2

Keep Reading the Review

Hands on Review: Kegland Ball Lock Cleaning Kit and Party Pump

Updated: September 26, 2024

Kegland Draft Line Cleaning Pump

Kegland’s Draft Line Cleaning Pump is a single hand operated pump that attaches to a tee. The tee takes a hand pump and ball lock carbonation cap which connects to a dip tube. This hardware has some alternate uses that this review will also explore.

In true Kegland style this setup is innovative, packed with some surprising features and well priced. Here’s a hands on look.

Limited Time DEAL!

William’s has launched a fall clearance sale that discounts a large selection of items by up 60%. No coupon or promo code is required.  Check William’s for current selection and availability.

Fall Clearance at William’s Brewing

This is currently available via via William’s Brewing and MoreBeer – the offerings are slightly different. See the breakdown of different options and separate components toward the end of this review.

Bag o’ stuffThis is what you get with the basic pump. Tee, carbonation cap, pump and dip tube.I installed this on a 2L bottle. You’ll notice the carbonation cap has changed colors. I used one I already had (Kegland brand, just a different color), because I already has a dip tube trimmed to size and installed from a recent update to My Simple Draft Line Flushing Build.I decided to try and clean two draft lines with this pump to really test it. Here’s the key piece of hardware to clean two ball lock lines at the same time. It’s a Ball Lock Jumper from Valuebrew. There are only a couple similar offerings out there, to my knowledge. This one is unique because it uses their custom color, food grade post o-rings AND… it works with both liquid and ball lock jumpers.Here it is installed. This is connecting two 10′ EVABarrier tubing runs.Complete test setup

The plumbing for my test is as follows

  • Kegland Ball Lock Cleaning Pump (on left) >
  • Ball Lock Line Jumper – 2 ball lock QDs with a short length of EVABarrier tubing >
  • Intertap ball lock spout on right faucet >
  • 10′ EVABarrier tubing with ball lock QD >
  • Ball Lock Jumper Fitting >
  • 10′ EVABarrier tubing with ball lock QD >
  • Intertap faucet (second from right) >
  • 2 Quart collection pitcher

Ball Lock QD Installed on the pump assemblyIt’s a little difficult to see but… it works. With some pumping, I got a slow steady stream of liquid. Keep in mind this is cleaning two 10′ lines at the same time.William’s Brewing has a package that gets you the pump + a large 2.5 liter growler and BLC. They also sell the standalone pump kit.  I actually purchased everything separately because I wanted a full case of these growlers.

Use it for.. Portable Serving!

Add on a ball lock faucet and you’ve got a portable serving keg without paying for expensive CO2 cartridges.  Before you email me/comment/etc… yes this will cause oxidation, I would not suggest this as a long term solution. Only for the occasion that you and your friends will be able to drink an entire growler in an evening.  Oxidation won’t have enough time to become a factor. Use another solution for longer term applications.

Use it for… Mini Pressure Fermenter

Remove the tee, add a 2.5L PET Bottle and a Spunding Valve to convert this into a pressure capable mini fermenter. You could potentially do 2 liter batches. Not ideal, but a great way to play around with pressure fermentation at an unbeatable price. See: Fermenting Under Pressure for more on the topic.

Convert it to a Mini-Keg For Your Kegerator!

Replace the pump with another carbonation cap, use a 2.5 liter bottle and… you have a 2.5 liter keg you can use in your kegerator!

Conclusions

This collection of economical hardware is extremely versatile. As far as a cleaning pump goes, it works well, but, I prefer my own draft line flushing build. That’s very similar but replaces pumping with a quick shot of CO2. That’s less work. Having said that, you get a lot of equipment and capability with this setup. If you’re looking to build my flushing assembly, I suggest buying the Kegland cleaning setup and another carbonation cap. That gives you a ton of flexibility.  Line cleaner, mini fermenter, party pump and ball lock mini keg.  Overall, this is another win for Kegland, innovative, packed with features and well priced.

via William’s Brewing

via MoreBeer

via Valuebrew

Related Resources!

Build a Simple Draft Line Flushing Setup

Keg Deals!

keg deals
kegdeals

Build a Recirculating Draft Line Cleaner

Rebuild Your Kegs!

More Kegland Gear Reviews!

More Homebrew Finds!

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This post may contain affiliate links. We may make a commission when you use our links. This will never cost you extra. Thank you for supporting Homebrew Finds!

greatdeals

Price, promotions and availability can change quickly. Check the product page for current price, description and availability.

Make sure the components you use are compatible and rated for your intended application.  Contact manufacturer with questions about suitability or a specific application.  Always read and follow manufacturer directions. tag:lnksfxd review:kldlcp tag:tpr

How Much Pressure is Required to Seal Homebrew Keg Lids?

How much pressure is required to seal a corny keg lid?

But, First… The Anatomy of a Homebrew Keg Lid

From my keg rebuild post. With just replaced lid o-ring.  This is silicone.

Standard homebrew keg lids are compromised of these general components…

  • The main lid body. This is an oval shaped piece usually made from stainless steel that has a lip on on edge to hold an o-ring in place.
  • The lid o-ring. This is an appropriately spec’d gasket that is required to enable a seal. I recommend replacing these yearly or at the very most every other year.
  • The bail. This heavy duty wire flips back and forth to engage and disengage the lid. Depending on the design, the bail can also be used to hang the lid from a post when not in use.
  • Keg lid feet. These go on the end of each side of the bail. It’s important that these are in good shape. These provide back pressure against the top of the keg to seat the o-ring and lid in place. They also protect the top of the keg from getting scratched by the bail.
  • The PRV. The pictured lid is a ball lock style lid. the PRV is manual (and automatic). It’s located in the center of the lid and has a pull tab on it. A pin lock style lid is a little different when it comes to PRV. Those typically have automatic venting only. Ball lock style lids are preferable, in my opinio. See: What’s the Difference Between Ball Lock Kegs and Pin Lock Kegs? for more on this topic.
  • Yes, standard ball lock lids do fit on standard pin lock kegs. This is an easy upgrade to pin lock kegs.

Semfeil Brew 304...image
Semfeil Brew 304 stainless steel Cornelius Keg Lid New Replacement Corny Keg (Soda Keg) Lid with New O-ring for Cornelius or Firestone Kegs for homebrew beer kegging…
$17.48
Gekufa Keg Lid...image
Gekufa Keg Lid Replacement with SS Pressure Relief Valve Fit for Corny Cornelius Keg, Homebrew Beer Keg, Soda Keg Lid
$16.99
Keg Lid with...image
Keg Lid with Built-In Pressure Relief Pin Lock or Ball Lock
$14.50
304 stainless steel...image
304 stainless steel Cornelius Keg Lid, New Replacement Corny Keg (Soda Keg) Lid Stainless Steel Beer Barrels Lid with SS Pressure Relief Valve & New O-ring for Cornelius (Replacement Keg Lid)
$16.48

Keep Reading! Test Results & More

Hands on Review: Growler Sized Ball Lock Keg by Kegland!

Updated: October 18, 2024

Kegland Ball Lock Growler Keg!

I like growlers. I just like them. I have a lot of different designs ranging from basic glass and PET growlers to featured-filled mini kegs, vacuum insulated models, ceramic growlers and more.

As a growler-enthusiast… I have to say I’ve been waiting this thing to be made. Kegland’s KL20893 is a growler sized ball lock keg.

Because it’s a ball lock keg, it works with most existing ball lock keg parts and accessories.

 

A look at the top. This has a nice easy to hold strap handle. As you can see it sports a standard size keg lid.  To my knowledge this is the smallest available ball lock keg.A closer look at the handle and lid. This lid (like most ball lock style lids) is equipped with a manual PRV.  Generally speaking… Both Ball Lock and Pin Lock style lids are the same dimension and are interchangeable.  You can use a Ball Lock Lid on a Pin Lock Keg and vice versa.  A big difference are the PRV (pressure relief valve) functions between the two styles.  Both have automatic safety PRV valves.  That is, if the pressure gets too high, both will automatically vent for safety reasons.  The difference is in manual PRV functionality.  Ball Lock Keg lids have a pull ring that allows you to manually vent the keg as you’d like.  You may want to do that for the purpose of removing the keg lid or to vent excess pressure in an attempt to get down to a lower pressure. See: my post comparing ball lock and pin lock kegs – Jump Section on Lids – All that to say… Manual PRV = good.

Check Current Price, Specs & Availability, Review Continues Below:

Also (not Kegland branded): Semfeil Brew 64 oz Keg 1/2 Gallon Keg Corny Keg Ball Lock Keg Soda keg 2L Small Keg Single Metal Handle 304 Stainless Steel Beer Mini Keg for Home Brew

Continue reading →

Hands on Review: Kegland DuoTight Ball Lock QDs!

June 28, 2024

Kegland’s DuoTight Fittings are designed to work with EVABarrier Double Wall Tubing.  They offer quick, reliable connections, easy implementation, a variety of fitting options and feature amazing versatility.  They’re also, generally speaking, very well priced.  DuoTights are push to connect fittings and require no tubing clamps.

DuoTights are… awesome.  Check out my extensive Hands on Review

When DuoTights first came out, the solution for connecting kegs to EVABarrier was using an MFL QD + DuoTight Flare fitting. That works just fine and is still the only option available to pin lock keg users.

Ball Lock keg users now have a native DuoTight option. Here’s a hands on look!

Limited Time DEAL (ends 6/28)!duotight fittings

  • DuoTight Fittings are awesome: Easy to use push to connect fittings compatible with EVABarrier lined tubing.  Clamp-less installation and reconfiguration.
  • Lots of options mean the DuoTight system is flexible and full featured.’
  • Check out my extensive Hands on Review
  • Shipping is free or reasonably priced flat rate to addresses in the contiguous US depending on your order size for most items

William’s Brewing is discounting DuoTights by 15%. Applies to all options.

No coupon code is required, add to cart to see discounted prices

Kegland DuoTight Fittings and Accessories!

Check Current Price & Availability, Review Continues Below:

MoreBeer

William’s Brewing

Related: DuoTight Keg Faucet

Amazon

Keg Connection

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Hands on Review: Milwaukee MW600 Dissolved Oxygen Meter

This review is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

Brewing is a mix of art and science. When you get it just right, the results are incredibly rewarding. For us nerds out there, sometimes the science can be its own reward, even if it doesn’t lead to better beer. The homebrewing world has LoDo brewers that are interested in reducing oxygen pick up at every stage of the brewing process. And hoppy beer lovers devote a lot of effort trying to reduce oxygen pickup to stave off the evils of hop oxidation. So this is a point where the science can help you make the better beer you want. A Dissolved Oxygen (DO) meter is a tool you can use to experiment and learn more.

Milwaukee Instruments makes a wide variety of digital measuring instruments to measure all manner of things in liquids. Those of relevance to the brewing world include digital refractometers, pH meters, and dissolved oxygen meters. Their MW600 Dissolved Oxygen Meter is the subject of this review. This meter functions using the polarographic method. It passes a small current through the liquid it is submerged in, and the amount of Oxygen present affects the sensor reading as the current flows through it.

Contents of KitDescription of Box Contents

Check Current Price, Availability & Specifications, Review Continues Below:

Related: Hands on Review: Milwaukee MA871 Digital Refractometer

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Hands on Review: Kegland 2.5 Liter Growlers

Updated: September 22, 2024

Kegland 2.5 Liter PET Growlers

Kegland’s 2 Liter PET growlers offer increased capacity (84 ounces verses a more typical 64 ounces), they have a great pressure rating, use standard soda style caps and a generally very economical.  Here’s a hands on look.

A look at the box. When I purchased mine from William’s Brewing they came in packs of 9. This is a pretty good size box, but still shipped for free because I live in the contiguous US and placed a large enough order.Close-up of the box. Part number KL19859, Compatible with KL10788 – Carbonation Cap and KL14830 – PCO Tee Piece. Manufactured by Kegland.

Check Current Pricing & Availability, Review Continues Below:

Keep Reading the Review!

Hands on Review: SPUNDit Spunding Valve

This review is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

Why a Spunding Valve?

There are loads of homebrew related applications for a Spunding valve ranging from pressurized ferementation to naturally carbonating to fixing over carbonated beers and lots more.  Check out our resource post on the subject.  It’s arguably the go-to resource on the Internet on the subject

SPUNDit 2.0 Spunding Valve

Spunding valves are probably one of the most boring pieces of homebrew kit. They perform a very simple function of mechanically regulating air/gas pressure. They can be used in various ways around the home brewery to do some cool stuff when it comes to fermentation, or when dealing with kegging. The SPUNDit does all the work of a regular spunding valve but does it in a swanky package.

SPUNDit In the Box

Check Current Price & Availability, Review Continues Below:

SPUNDit 2.0 Spunding Valve – via eBay

Full Content of Kit

There are two parts to any spunding valve- an adjustment knob connected to a mechanical valve, and a pressure gauge that measures the pressure it’s regulating. The SPUNDit is a diaphragm valve type of spunding, which has better operation than a poppet type. The diaphragm valve has a larger surface area for the regulation pressure to act upon and has better pressure regulation control because its opening & closing pressures have less hysteresis. The SPUNDit has a long travel spring and fine pitch thread on the adjustment knob, allowing you to make very minute changes in the regulation pressure.

Keep Reading The Review!

Adding a Tri-clamp Fitting to a Homebrew Keg Lid!

This article is by Homebrew Finds Reader Kris G.  Thank you Kris for your creativity and hard work!

Editors Note: This is an advanced project that requires additional tools, skill and materials. This post outlines the process that Kris took to modify his keg lid with a weldless tri-clamp bulkhead. Product specifications can change over time, double check to make sure that current specifications match your needs.

Adding a Tri-clamp Fitting to a Homebrew Keg Lid

Carboys, conicals, buckets, kegs, etc. There is an ever-growing number of options for fermentation vessels. I recently moved away from carboys to experiment with pressurized fermentation. I didn’t feel like buying anything new, so why not repurpose a corny keg for fermentation? This past year I “right-sized” my batches down to 2.5-3 gallons making a corny the perfect size for fermenting. With a couple modifications (shortened dip tube, hop screen, etc), I had an old 5 gallon corny now as a dedicated fermenter. An added bonus was that it fit perfectly in my temp-controlled chest freezer.

Fermenting in a Keg Using TC Equipped Lid

Related: Fermenting Under Pressure

Commercial Option Now Available, Build Continues Below:

304 stainless steel Cornelius Keg Lid with 1.5" Tri-clamp Ferrule,NEW Corny Beer Keg Lid 60PSI PRV Food Grade Dry Hopper

304 stainless steel Cornelius Keg Lid with 1.5″ Tri-clamp Ferrule,NEW Corny Beer Keg Lid 60PSI PRV Food Grade Dry Hopper – affiliate link, note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link

This article contains affiliate links. We may make a small percentage if you use our links to make a purchase. You won’t pay more and you’ll be supporting Homebrew Finds and more content like this. Thank you for your support!

I started seeing some other homebrew fermenters with tri-clamp connections on top. Blogs all around showed them used with blowoff tubes, thermowells, carbonation stones, CIP spray balls, etc. It seemed like a great universal connection with a ton of uses. Most importantly to me, I wanted the tri-clamp connection to build an oxygen-free dry hop dropper (that build is an article for another day).

TC Equipped Lid with Butterfly Valve – Also: Color Coded Keg O-Rings

Read on to see my trials and tribulations while adding a TC bulkhead to my corny lid.
Build note: This is a weldless build. If you’ve got the ability/skill/tools to weld stainless, go for it!

Safety Note: Ensure that you are using all tools properly and wearing all the proper PPE. You will be drilling/cutting metal which is both sharp and hot.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
HBF is not responsible for your irresponsibility. At time of this writing, I am fully up to date with my tetanus shot. That may or may not be related…

Supplies

Editors Note: Note that multiple variations of these products may be available, as such a different version may appear at these links. Double check sizes and features.

Continue reading →

Hands on Review: Waterdrop Tankless RO Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System

waterdrop tankless filter review

Why Use a Reverse Osmosis Filter for Homebrewing?

Using RO (Reverse Osmosis) or DI (Deionized) water allows you to start with a clean slate of sorts and build your water profile from the ground up using water salts.  That allows you to take control of an important aspect of your brewing, especially if you’re an all grain brewer and create exactly the water profile you’re looking for.

Water by John Palmer and Colin Kaminski, part of the Brewing Elements Series, is a great read to learn lots more about brewing water and water adjustments

A note to non-homebrewers: From the popularity of this review, I’m guessing a good number of you are not homebrewers. This review still applies to you. Just disregard any specific references to homebrewing or… hey, why don’t you start homebrewing? 🙂

Hands on Review Waterdrop Tankless Reverse Osmosis Filter

The Waterdrop WD-G3-W is a three filter, seven stage tankless reverse osmosis filter. It is intended for under-counter installation and comes with a LED light indicating faucet. It’s rated for 400 gallons per day and is NSF 58 certified.

The box the Waterdrop system came in. The box is quite large.A look at the contentsThe AC Power Adapter. This unit requires power. I believe that’s related to the tankless aspect of this filter’s design. My assumption is that It has a pressure pump that drives water through the filtration system to deliver a reasonable on-demand performance. The advanced filter tracking features and built in TDS sensor also require power.Required tubing and fittings

Check Current Price, Availability & Specifications, Review Continues Below:

Note that multiple variations of these products may be available, as such a different version may appear via these links

Waterdrop G3 Reverse...image
Waterdrop G3 Reverse Osmosis System, 8 Stage Tankless Reverse Osmosis Water Filter, NSF/ANSI 42 & 58 & 372 Certified, Under Sink RO System, 2:1 Pure to Drain, Smart LED Faucet
$399.00
Waterdrop G3 Replacement...image
Waterdrop G3 Replacement Filter 1-Year Combo, Pack of 2 WD-G3-CF Filters and 1 WD-G3-CB Filter, Replacement for WD-G3-W, WD-G3P600 and WD-G3P800-W Reverse Osmosis System
$91.99
Waterdrop WD-G3-N2RO Filter,...image
Waterdrop WD-G3-N2RO Filter, NSF Certified, Replacement for WD-G3-W Reverse Osmosis System, 2-year Lifetime
$92.99 ($1.00 / Count)

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Our Top Homebrew Content – Resource Posts, How-Tos, Reviews & More!

top homebrewing resources

Homebrew Finds features loads of how-to’s, tips, reviews, resources posts and more. We attempt to identify our top content through two lists of resources.

Together those two lists highlight some of the best homebrewing related information on the Internet.

Having said this, what we think is great, may not match exactly what homebrewers around the world think is great.  So, this page, shows our top content based on traffic.  The people of earth have voted and here are the homebrewing resources they’re most interested in!

This list is periodically updated to reflect our most popular content by traffic.

Show Me The Most Popular Reviews, How-Tos & More!

Make Your Own Hard Seltzer!

make your own hard seltzerHard seltzers are easy drinking and easy to make. They’re typically light in flavor and body and easy to drink.

These are also great to make if you’re looking to fill a keg of something you made yourself and don’t have a lot of time.

Hard Seltzer Kits!

Craft A Brew...image
Craft A Brew - Hard Seltzer Brewing Kit - Easy For Beginners - At Home Make Your Own Hard Seltzer Kit - Includes Ingredients & Equipment - Yields 1 Gallon of Hard Seltzer - Natural Grapefruit Flavor
$39.95
Northern Brewer -...image
Northern Brewer - Hard Seltzer Recipe Kit - Makes 5 Gallons (Ruby Grapefruit)
$29.99 ($29.99 / Count)
BrewDemon 1 Gal....image
BrewDemon 1 Gal. Blackberry Hard Seltzer Recipe Kit - Makes a Wicked-Good 5.0% ABV Batch of Craft Brewed Hard Seltzer
$14.50
Mangrove Jack's Hard...image
Mangrove Jack's Hard Seltzer Yeast & Nutrient 25g (0.88oz), Multicolor
$9.99 ($9.99 / Count)

Lots More About Hard Seltzer!

Hands on Review: Anvil Crucible Stainless Conical Fermentor!

anvil brewing equipment crucible conical review

This review is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

Anvil Crucible Stainless Conical Fermentor

Complete Fermentor Box Contents

In the world of brewing, stainless steel reigns supreme. And in the world of fermentors, conicals top the “most desired” list of many homebrewers. So of course, combining these two things explains why stainless conicals are such a desired commodity in the homebrewing world. Blichmann was one of the first to offer homebrewers a stainless conical fermentor, back in 2004. But recently they introduced a more budget-friendly model, in their Anvil line, called the Crucible. The Crucible does not have the same feature set as Blichmann’s Fermenator, as the Anvil Crucible is not pressure capable. But it does take advantage of the true “conical fermentor” shape.

Fermenter vs Fermentor?

(Note: Some use the word “fermenter”, and some use “fermentor”. Although “fermenter” is the common use word, someone once explained that grammatically speaking, “fermentor” was more accurate. So now I can’t help myself. Sorry.)

Compare Models, Prices and Availability, Review Continues Below:

Continue Reading Review!

Hands on Review: BrewBuilt Uni Conical Fermenters!

This review is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

Updated: 7/23/2024

BrewBuild Uni+ Conical Fermentor

Fermentors are like the cars of the brewing world. There is a wide range of prices, appearances, and features. And just like cars, the most basic model (plastic bucket with a lid) will get the job done. But the basic model has limitations, and you soon find yourself eyeballing the next step up the fermentor food chain to either get one that’s flashier (stainless) or one that has more features (pressure fermentation capable). Of course, the ultimate is one that’s both shiny and has more features (stainless pressure-capable conical).

Fermentor Before Any Assembly

BrewBuilt is a division of MoreBeer that creates homebrew gear. They make a variety of products, and recently launched a series of stainless pressure-capable conical fermentors they call the X1 Uni. The X1 comes with a lot of different accessories for added features, depending on what you want. You can buy the add-ons piecemeal, or they come bundled into different hardware kits. There is the base X1 Uni, the X1 Uni+ that bundles some add-ons and temperature capabilities, and the X1 Uni Pro that also includes a heat pad, Peltier cooler, and a temperature controller.

Limited Time Deal!

Limited Time Deal!

MoreBeer has a limited time Summer Sale going on. The x2 Uni is included in the mix!

BrewBuilt® X2 Uni Conical Fermenter

Check Current Price, Models & Availability, Review Continues Below:

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Fermenting Under Pressure!

brewbuilt x1 fermenting under pressure

Benefits of Fermenting Under Pressure

Updated: October 7, 2024

Pressurized fermentations are becoming increasingly popular, and for a good reason. Some of the benefits that you gain from fermenting beer under pressure are: Lower ester production, being able to ferment at higher temperatures without producing off-flavors, and having your beer carbonated by the end of fermentation. Pressure fermenters are also called uni-tanks because you can use them for both fermentation and carbonating. You can serve beer directly from uni-tanks, counter pressure fill bottles or easily transfer beer into kegs using pressure.

Limited Time Deal on 15 Gallon Kegs (can be used as a pressure fermenter)!

Torpedo Keg | Ball Lock Keg | Stainless Steel Corny Keg | 15 gal. KEG815

Torpedo Keg | Ball Lock Keg | Stainless Steel Corny Keg | 15 gal.

More Info

From the product description, check product page for current description, price and availability:

This used Torpedo ball lock 15 gallon keg has the same great features and superior quality as its predecessors, and will allow large-scale homebrewers to fit their entire batch into a single keg. These kegs are laser welded by an ISO certified commercial keg manufacturer, so you won’t find any nooks or crannies for contaminants to hide. Made with rolled stainless steel handles that are comfortable to grab. “In” and “Out” are etched near the keg posts for a quick and mistake-free set up when connecting lines in a refrigerator or kegerator. The 15 gallon kegs can be stacked on top of each other with ball lock fittings still attached.
Specifications:

Total Capacity: 15.2 gal.
Max Pressure: 130 psi
PRV Rating: 85 psi
Height: 24.75″
Diameter: 16.05″
Made from 304 Stainless Steel
Shipping Box Dimensions: 25-3/4″ H x 18″ L x 18″ W
Weight: 32.16 lbs
These kegs are used but in excellent condition. I have a good number of these but when they are gone they are gone and tough to find. They have only been rinsed and examined during refurbishing so Corny Keg recommends that you clean and sanitize before use. The kegs pictured are stock photos of new kegs but these used kegs look great and will perform like new or we will take them back.

 

  • cornykeg,com has a limited number of used 15 gallon Torpedo Ball Locks.
  • These are selling for $175. That’s a bargain for a 15 gallon keg!
  • Quantities are limited, check the product page to see if you can still get in on this.

Used Torpedo 15 Gallon Ball Lock Corny Keg

Hands on Review!  Check out my in depth Hands on Review of the 10 gallon version of this keg.

Compare, New at MoreBeer: Torpedo Ball Lock Keg – 15 gal. KEG815

Related: Benefits of Using Kegs for Fermentation

Fermenting lagers under pressure is a huge benefit of uni-tank. When yeast ferment under pressure, the production of fruity esters is greatly reduced. This can allow you to brew a lager at 70F an obtain traditional lager flavor. – via MoreBeer

Since off-gassing is reduced added hop flavor and aromas are also potential benefits of fermenting under pressure.

This article is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

What is Fermenting Under Pressure?

I’ll start first by defining “normal fermentation” as fermenting with an airlock or blow-off tube on your fermentor. In the chemical process of your yeast converting wort sugars to alcohol, CO2 gets naturally produced. In a normal fermentation, this CO2 pushes out of the liquid wort/beer into the headspace above your liquid level. As more and more CO2 gets produced, it starts to get crowded up there, so pressure builds up and then pushes a glug of air/CO2 through your airlock. As fermentation progresses, more CO2 is created, creates pressure in the headspace, and then vents through your blow-off tube or airlock.

Limited Time Deal on Larger Pressure Capable Kegs

  • Cornykeg.com is discounting their exclusive lineup of brand new kegs by 10%
  • This is a rare sale, in fact it’s the first across the board keg sale I can recall.
  • Use coupon code HBFathersday to get the deal

cornykeg.com brand keg sale! – remember promo code HBFathersday

The lineup includes 10 and 12 gallon kegs…

Pressure Capable Fermenters:

Fermenting under pressure follows the chemical process, but instead of an airlock or blow-off tube, which has a very low pressure threshold before it relieves the pressure, you have a spunding valve attached. The spunding valve is typically set to open and release headspace pressure until a much higher level, and therefore keeps everything at a higher pressure in your fermentor (headspace and beer). This increased pressure on your yeast during fermentation changes how they behave. The two main important things that happens with yeast under pressure are: 1) It slows down fermentation rate, and 2) It suppresses production of esters and fusel alcohols.

Spunding Valves for Fermenting Under Pressure

There are multiple makers of spunding valves, with different looks and features/limitations. They can be grouped into two major types- 1) Spring & Poppet, and 2) Diaphragm. Both operate with the same basic principles. Pressure from your fermentor pushes up against the pressure regulating mechanism inside. In the Spring & Poppet, the “mechanism” is a small poppet like what you have inside the gas or liquid posts on your keg. The Diaphragm design uses a large flexible rubber/silicone disc as its “mechanism”. Resisting this pressure, on the other side of the mechanism is a spring. By turning an adjustment knob on the spunding, you can compress the spring more, which in turn pushes harder on the mechanism. Then it’s just a force balance between the pressure in your fermentor and the compression of the spring. Once the pressure overcomes the spring force, it creates a path for the compressed CO2 to escape and it bleeds off. This then regulates your pressure.

Keep Reading: Lots More About Fermenting Under Pressure

Hands on Review: Anvil Crucible Cooling System

This review is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert.  Brad is an engineer, expert homebrewer and experienced reviewer.  Grab a link to Brad’s website at the end of this review.

Anvil Crucible Cooling System

The Anvil Crucible is a new stainless steel fermentor on the market. It has the 60-degree angled cone which makes it long and narrow as it tapers down. This angle makes it steep enough that as yeast and particulate drop out of suspension in your fermenting beer, it hits the cone wall and slides down to the bottom point. This long cone makes the fermentor taller overall. The 7 gallon Anvil Crucible measures 30.5” from the bottom to the top of the lid (plus an additional 6.25” for airlock and stopper). In contrast, the Anvil Stainless Bucket Fermentor is only 19.5” tall (plus the 6.25” for airlock). Both of them have the same 16.5” width from handle to handle. So while you can stuff the Bucket Fermentor in a dorm-sized fermentation fridge, not so for the Crucible. However, Anvil has an optional Cooling System for the Crucible you can buy to add on cooling capability.

Cooling System Full Kit

The Crucible cooling system replaces the standard one-hole stopper (just for the airlock) with a multi-hole stopper that has holes for inlet and outlet spots for the stainless cooling tubing, another hole for the stainless thermowell, and lastly a hole for an airlock. The cooling tubing is fairly narrow, but it makes up for its small diameter with lots of extra length as it runs up and down inside, providing extra surface area for cooling. To attach to the metal cooling tubes, the kit includes two 5-foot lengths of vinyl tubing, which provide a clamp-free tight fit to the inlet and outlet tubing portions.

Compare Models, Prices and Availability, Review Continues Below:

Buy Anvil Crucible Conicals

Related… Hands on Review: Anvil Crucible Stainless Conical Fermentor!

Continue Reading This Review

Easy Hard Seltzer! Using Hard Liquor, w/Dilution Calculator

Hard seltzers are easy drinking and easy to make. They’re typically light in flavor and body and easy to drink. They generally consist of carbonated water + alcohol + flavoring. The alcohol part is what we’re dealing with in this article. The alcohol can come from fermented sugars like simple sugars and malt, or…. still spirits.

+ Can Your Own Seltzer, Limited Time Deal on Cannular, Resource Post Continues Below…

Cannular Bench Top Can Seamer CAN100

  • MoreBeer has Cannular on sale for $399.99. That’s a $150 savings.
  • For some pricing clarity, I’ve seen USED units sell for more than this.
  • This is a rare deal because the regular version of the Cannular is under a MAP agreement.  That means that it, generally speaking, cannot be discounted.  I don’t know if this is a one-off thing or if the reverse roller version will be an ongoing offering.
  • Get Free Shipping: Shipping is also free to most US addresses with a qualifying $59 order.  This includes bulky cases of new cans.
  • Learn More! Hands on Review: Kegland Cannular Bench Top Can Seamer – Homebrew Canner

Cannular Bench Top Can Seamer CAN100

Make Your Own Hard Seltzer… The Easy Way

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