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co2 release valve for natural carbonation

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  • co2 release valve for natural carbonation

    I want to naturally carbonate my beer but can't find anyone who sells adjustable co2 release valves I can attach to my tanks. Can anyone help?

    thanks!

  • #2
    Co2 release valves

    There are 2 German valves that I am aware of
    designed exactly for the operation you are trying.

    Barbi Kuhner valves, and Handtman Valves

    JVNW sells Barbi, along with manifolds to attach
    them to your Tri-clap style tank fittings.

    i use both styles, and prefer the Handtman valves,
    but they are much more expensive
    Larry Horwitz

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    • #3
      I have three like new Barby-Kuhner valves purchased from JVNW for sale. These valves are perfect for up to 15 bbl. I purchased for my 30 bbl. brewery and they will not handle that big of a co2 load. I also have three complete rebuild kits. Priced below JVNW. Drop me an e-mail if interested beertje42@yahoo.com
      Cheers & I'm out!
      David R. Pierce
      NABC & Bank Street Brewhouse
      POB 343
      New Albany, IN 47151

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      • #4
        JVNW no longer carries BK valves. I just tried to buy some.
        BrewerTL

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        • #5
          TL,
          I still have three for sale. These are real B-K valves originally purchased from JVNW. I have the following:
          3 - Barby-Kuhner Valves complete with 1 1/2" TC (as pictured above)
          3 - replacement gasket sets
          3 - replacement pressure gauges (B-K brand)
          3 - replacement water reseviours (sp?)
          Take all for the low, low price of $950. OBO

          David R. Pierce
          Louisville, KY 40202
          Last edited by beertje46; 10-21-2005, 07:54 AM.
          Cheers & I'm out!
          David R. Pierce
          NABC & Bank Street Brewhouse
          POB 343
          New Albany, IN 47151

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          • #6
            I love the BKs Last place I worked I used them.. worked great. Usually, in my case, 24 hours after pitch I had a good ferm going. Would cap and set barby to 1.4 bars. A good idea to gas up the tank to pressure right away though rather than let it build on it's own. Sometimes you can get an iffy relief that needs adjustment when first set for a batch and that can mean too little carbonation or excess pressure... one bad.. the other VERY bad. Had one of my guys nearly blow a door out... twice... ugly, ugly.

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            • #7
              Are you doing ales or lagers? I'm doing lagers and I worry about applying too much co2 too early. It could retard the fermentation with lager's longer time to get down to terminal gravity.

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              • #8
                I did both with that method.. I would usually give the lagers an extra day before capping... I would start at 70F then drop to 60 the second day.. I was using Saflager S23, I don't know how other yeasts would behave... after about 4 days I would be at 40 or 45 depending on what I wanted for the particular beer... finished in about 2 to 3 weeks depending on temp and starting gravity, I would then let sit at least 2 more at 32F.. depended on how desperate I was to get the next seasonal on.. the longer, the better. Never had any problems with yeast action that I could tell, I was always happy with the results... My results were very close to when I used Wyeast's Munich in a non-pressure fermenter.

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                • #9
                  I'm making heavy use of the Wyeast Munich. What difference did you find with the Saflager S23?

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                  • #10
                    Memory clouds a bit, and I can't seem to find all the notes I had but I'll try.. The DCL/Saflager S23 fermented out quicker and I was able to drop temp MUCH quicker and still see active ferment. I have seen active ferm as low as 35F with S23. I brewed from 13P to 17.5P gravity with it and had good results.. Pils was VERY clean which is the real test of a Lager yeast right? Did great with bock too. seemed to showcase malt character of the beers. Similar taste profiles really, of course since Lager yeasts are cleaner in general you don't see as much dif. as in ales... No need for sulfur scrubbing. I really never did brew the same recipe back to back with each yeast to compare, so it's all from memory comparing one to another, BUT I have used alot of different yeasts and I am TOTALLY sold on S23 and on the Safale S04. I had great results with both and always had the local high-tech homebrewers coming in for slurry.. you know the guys that propigate their own yeast from a particularly nice bottle of their best yadda-yadda, etc. Also don't bother to 'rehydrate' it is NOT nec. Use 1 brick /10 barrels, 2nd brick after about 15 barrels etc. And, the main things.. ease of use and price... Keep a few bricks in your file cabinet.. toss the yeast in the ferm dry when you are ready.. and what are they now maybe $30 or so for enough yeast to pitch 10 barrels... please, that's one tenth what you would pay wyeast or whitelabs (hey no direspect.. love 'em both) and you still get great yeast.. Hope that helped a little.

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                    • #11
                      I just wanted to throw my two cents in on using pressure relief’s during fermentation.

                      First, these pressure relief’s need to be additional to your tank safety pressure relief’s, which need to be set (and tested yearly) at or (preferably) below the operating pressure designed for the tank.

                      I have used Handtmann style and have found them great, if you find ways to adjust for their lack of accuracy. Due to spring fatigue I have found the best way to dial them into a certain pressure is to first set them up on a tank that is at the same pressure you desire and turn the adjuster till it slightly leaks. The graduations on the valve become inaccurate with time and IMHO rather they were not there to begin with.

                      Best use for these is ramp the pressure up at the end of fermentation while waiting for fermentation criteria (diac. etc.) to come under spec. Some brewers are very anxious that the Co2 that the beer is in contact with came from fermentation and not a bulk tank. Can't speak to whether that is important for you but certainly a PRV during fermentation could help you attain it. Also if the model you have can release enough CFM's then it also can help you with foaming in fermentation with the minus of Diac. increase.

                      I also have found these PRV's very useful to get large unfinished bright tanks to equilibrium pressure with very little labor.

                      Cheers.

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