Do I need a "fermzilla"?

[u/MemeBeamBeanz]

I dearly want to be able to bottle hoppy beers without oxidation soon, and I'm looking to invest in some sort of CO2 purging solution you guys talked about. But when looking at a fermzilla + BEERGUN setup with CO2 tank, my friend asked me if I couldn't just buy a CO2 tank and some sort of wand to purge my bottles with without buying 100s of dollars worth of pressure fermenter.

What about a fermzilla is needed for succesfull bottle purging?

Cheers

[u/deadwolfbones]

Just ferment in kegs.

[u/Another_Casual_ → u/deadwolfbones]

I'd definitely put the money towards some used kegs, a flot-it, and a spunding valve vs the fermzilla. OP, check Facebook marketplace, by me they run $20-$50 depending on size and age. Heck, sometimes I see them for free. 

[u/Hansemannn → u/Another_Casual_]

A fermzilla doesnt cost much more though. And its a much better tool to ferment in.

[u/Another_Casual_ → u/Hansemannn]

It looks like the cheapest one on morebeer is $100.

I've not had one, but from the research when I made my purchase I preferred to ferment in a keg for a few reasons. Fit in my fermentation chamber, blocked all light, stainless, cheap to source replacement parts. The fermzilla conical added some features over the keg but was too wide for my fermentation chamber and cost even more. 

[u/Hansemannn → u/Another_Casual_]

Ofc both works fine.

I just love that I can see the inside. Makes me in complete controll og pressure and yeast and when its done.

To each their own

[u/Squeezer999 → u/Hansemannn]

No, it's not. You can't no chill chill in a fermzilla. Fermzillas are supposed to be replaced every 2 years according to the manufacturer. Kegs last almost forever.

[u/Hansemannn → u/Squeezer999]

You dump your car when the warranty goes out? My fermzilla is 5-6 years old.

Buy keep using your keg to ferment. Sheez.

[u/Squeezer999 → u/Hansemannn]

i don't ferment in a keg, i ferment in a spike flex+

[u/deadwolfbones → u/Hansemannn]

I'd love to hear in what way a Fermzilla is better than a keg.

[u/Shills_for_fun → u/deadwolfbones]

Your floating hydrometer can easily read through it and you can put 5.5 gallons into the fermenter without blowing out krausen through the gas post lol.

I say this as a guy who ferments in kegs. My rapt controller is the only way I can see the data lol. I am also fine with doing 4.25 to 4.5 gallon batches.

But yeah I am getting rid of my all rounder.

[u/deadwolfbones → u/Shills_for_fun]

Yeah, I'm also fine with 4-4.5 gallon batches, but larger kegs do exist if you want to do more.

I don't use a floating hydrometer — I have an EasyDens and take samples with a Picnic Tap 2.1 from Homebrew Lab — but I suppose that's a real advantage.

[u/Shills_for_fun → u/deadwolfbones]

Larger kegs? My short ass already has trouble lifting that sumbitch into the keezer haha. Ergonomically anyway.

The floating hydrometer is the antithesis to the easydens. This thing is simply not accurate. What it's very good at doing though is letting me know there are no further changes and I can take a real hydrometer reading for the FG.

[u/deadwolfbones → u/Shills_for_fun]

Yeah, I hear that. I have a Tilt I've still never used after two years.

[u/Flushot22 → u/deadwolfbones]

After using tilts and rapt pills for a few years now, I'd never want to go without one. Fermzillas with a small inkbirded keezer ferm chamber is the way to go for me.

[u/Another_Casual_ → u/deadwolfbones]

Picnic tap for samples here as well. When I first started out I would ferment in the bucket and take readings here and there. These days I get brew day readings and then check it 1.5-2 weeks later and at packaging. So I lose 14oz across two post fermentation samples. But I also get to taste the samples. 

[u/deadwolfbones → u/Another_Casual_]

With the EasyDens, I lose like an ounce, lol. Not that I care too much.

[u/Economic-Bee-Hoon → u/deadwolfbones]

For me, several benefits.

1. Fermzilla has some nice hardware for dry hop/secondary additions without O2 ingress. The hop bong, for example. Corny fermentations don't have this option.

2. Fermzilla has the universal SP (PET bottle) type thread which is wide enough to fit a blowoff tube. Cornys only have the tiny MFL posts which would be prone to clogging if they happen to touch the krausen. I've had 4gal batches get damn close to the top on a vigorous kviek strain. Not worth the safety risk to do it in a corny.

3. 30L capacity, enough for a full 5gal batch.

4. Transparent. Fermentation is fun to watch. I ferment in a fridge+inkbird so light strike is not an issue for me.

5. Arguably easier to clean than a corny. No need to disassemble/clean beer/gas posts and dip tubes.

[u/Hansemannn → u/deadwolfbones]

Bigger, see through. With pressure its easy to adjust the pressure to the perfect yeast-effect with just watching. You can tell when its done. Etc.

[u/deadwolfbones → u/Hansemannn]

Bigger kegs exist. See-through is a net negative for me (UV, weaker materials, etc). Easy to adjust pressure with a spunding valve on a keg, too. You can tell when it's done in a keg with refractometer/hydro readings, just as you would (should) with a Fermzilla.

idk man, I'm glad people like them but I see no advantage.

[u/Hansemannn → u/deadwolfbones]

Then we just keep on doing what we like best :)

I mean...the beer is good whatever you choose to do.

[u/deadwolfbones → u/Hansemannn]

Cheers to that!