Alex, this is by far the best series of videos that I've seen on the webs about the Catalyst. I have one and have done a few batches with it. Definitely some learnings you get from each batch. I also added the cover, the racking ball valve and picked up both bigger and smaller mason jars. It's a nice unit with some shortcomings that you can get around with experience and technique. Just want to say that your knowledge and video "presence" is really, really good. You should make lots more videos on brewing beer. I would subscribe for sure. It's very entertaining and informative.

Great video series...thanks very much for taking the time to make it. I've been using the fast ferment for 2 months now. I find the best way during primary is to drain the trub after the first 6 to 8hrs using the tubing and then use the ball from there on in.

Great video! Love that it is long and in-depth!

Im enjoying the in depth look at the catalyst. One note, cold crashing with just an air lock can introduce oxygen into the vessel. I like to use a collection bag during fermentation to capture the co2 then during the cold crash the co2 gets sucked back into the fermenter. No oxygen is introduced that way.

Nice work walking through this video. Like I commented in your last segment too, I feel somewhat better that we had similar experiences the first time with the Catalyst. Looking forward to your conclusions.

@alexcando4726

7 жыл бұрын

Just watched your video, Larry. You're right, we did have similar experiences. I liked that you took advantage of the dishwasher for cleaning! Thanks for checking out our vid. Cheers!

@jimp9458

6 жыл бұрын

@beer-n-bbq Awesome to see your support for other tubers.

The ball valve is a union so you do not have to keep unscrewing the catch ball. Put it on securely and leave it. There is a second half to the ball valve that the keg filler attaches to.. Didn;t it come with instructions? The lid gasket does suck but as someone mentioned, there is a new O ring replacement. I would call and ask them to replace the obviously defective gasket with the new style. Actually they should replace them for everyone. The whole thing is plastic, so yes, it will take a lot of tape ancare in screwing everything together. Also, I saw no mention of the difference in price,Enjoyable video. Especially when the sludge overflowed the Ball Jar. Keep the videos coming.

I am thinking that maybe one could attach the bottling funnel much earlier, maybe already after removing the first trub, with a clamp on the tube near the funnel. Then you would just open the clamp to remove yeast and the late haze material. That way you wouldn't introduce air into the fermenter at this late stage

I think the single biggest flaw of the Catalyst is the angle of the cone - it needs to be 60 degrees to really maximize flocculation

hey guys great review of the 2 conical fermenters. One thing to note is that the fast fermenter is designed to use the black union joint to remove the bulb. You should only have to use the teflon tape once this way as the union coupling has a rubber gasket to seal between the two pieces......looking forward to part 4.

@AVDH-zn9mv

7 жыл бұрын

I agree. Do not unscrew it as in the video

@markovukovic8664

7 жыл бұрын

Noticed the same thing.

Nice video series. How did it taste?

I noticed that the trub ring around the top of the fermenter disappeared after the second cold crash. Did it just fall, or did you help it along?

Glad to see you guys doing videos again. Do you still prefer these to glass carboys and/or buckets?

@SmartyPints

7 жыл бұрын

Knut Hollebakken we have mixed feelings. check out our next video on our thoughts overall.

Looking good

For Next time guys, they make really shallow jars, so you would lose a LOT less. They are wide mouth to fit that valve, but very short.

Nice Top-Gun frame!

Nice vid. What size fridge did you guys use to cold crash in?

@alexcando4726

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Stephen! It's a single door True commercial fridge. I'm not sure the exact cu/ft, but it's quite big.

You guys have done this before?

In Australia We have a thing called a "fermentasarus" I'd like to see you guys compare these 2 against it. I'd think it would kick BOTH their asses!!!

@SmartyPints

7 жыл бұрын

The manufacturer of this product has reached out to us. At this time it is too expensive to ship to the States; however, he has informed us he is working on making it readily available for the States to get in the near future. We look forward to trying that out soon!

@ComradeJehannum

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for getting back to me!!!!! I've seen a couple reviews here and its generally been positive. Big bonus on the fermentasarus is the ability to siphon from the top of your brew, rather than having to disturb your trube. Look forward to seeing your review of it when you can get your hands on it.

@toddtab3048

7 жыл бұрын

i own a fermentasaurus, and gotta tell you, really not a fan. the collection cup opening is too small, and gets blocked. very hard to clean, and waaaay too tall. for me, nothing beats a 30l pail, cold crashed and racked off the top.

@SmartyPints

7 жыл бұрын

Jehannum The manufacturer has reached out to us again and we plan on a video being a very high possibility soon

It looks to me you just added a whole of air in your beer. It is much better to add a sampling/racking port valve to the Catalyst. Nice video.

couldn't you have just taken the jar off and poured it back in through the top?

Great video. I'm not sure why you keep removing the sediment ball and fill tube by the threads. They are supposed to come off by the coupler. It has an O ring seal and only takes a couple of turns to remove it. That way once you have the threads taped and sealed you never have to break that seal. I'm not sure maybe yours didn't come with 2 couplers like mine did. Also you complained about losing a whole gallon with the fast ferment. Did you forget that you pulled off 2 litters for no real reason.

Have you seen The Bouncer inline filter? If you use that to keg after you have dropped the cold crash trub, you should get a clean beer.

@alexcando4726

7 жыл бұрын

I haven't, but I will definitely look it up. Thanks for the recommendation!

@rickyjphillips

7 жыл бұрын

I've been using it for the past couple of brews and it is amazing

@alexcando4726

7 жыл бұрын

Any issues with it clogging? Do you use it only on the way to the keg, or can you use it when you drain your kettle too? I did purchase The Clarifier (1 micron) for filtering finished beers keg-to-keg, and it didn't make a bit of difference. We may post a video about it. I'm still waiting to hear back from the manufacturer to see if I may have done something wrong.

@rickyjphillips

7 жыл бұрын

I work for Atlantic Brew Supply and the guys at Bouncer sent us one for testing. Coming out of the boil kettle it clogs, so I kept my normal whirlpool steps in place to reduce trub going into the fermenter. From the fermenter to the bottling bucket or keg , the unit has been flawless.

@rickyjphillips

7 жыл бұрын

I also think the pocket of air that is located in the bottle filling attachment for the catalyst kicks up some of the yeast that maybe located along the edges of the butterfly valve. You don't get that with the fast ferment, but like you the FF doesn't fit into my fermentation chamber or fridge.

You're unscrewing the ball valve at the wrong location. You're creating more places for contamination by doing it that way. You keep complaining about the threads, and leaks, but there are no exposed threads when you open it the way it is designed. Also, if you're comparing one fermenter to another, you should follow instructions.

@erikdillenkofer9358

7 жыл бұрын

I agree ... just open the union on the valve and leave the ball attached to the bottom half of the union. That's why the union is there and is why FF supplies 2 bottom union parts ... one for the collection ball and one for the hose.

3:46

Painful to watch. Just effing jiggle the fermenter over a few days to get the s##t to the bottom!! Jeez..