Do conicals ferment differently?

[Kealia]

Last weekend I put the first batch of wort into my SS Brew Bucket Mini:


For those that don't know or can't tell - it has a concial bottom.

I put 3G into this and the capacity is only 3.5G so it was pushing it, for sure but I wasn't about to waste any wort:


I pitched a full pack of US-05 and knew that I'd need a blowoff tube because there was very little headspace. This picture is right after pitching and when I came home today it looks exactly the same. There's no trub or blowoff in the jar at all. I had my wife check the other day and she said it was bubbling "slowly" so there was fermentation, but no mess.

I pulled the blowoff tube out to add an airlock and pulled the bung to take a peek inside. I didn't need to peek because there was some krausen on the bottom of bung so it definitely fermented.

I posted all that to ask this:
Does using a conical somehow change the dynamics so that there is less krausen? Given the lack of headspace I am shocked that I didn't come home to a huge mess.

[Gymrat]

No they do not! I would say you dodged a bullet on this one.

[Beer-lord]

Not that I know of and I don't see why it would though other than my Brewbucket, I have no other experience with any.
Of course, take a reading and see where she is.

[Stinkfist]

They do produce a different yeast profile, you are putting more pressure on the yeast which will create different flavors, I am not sure about a reduction in krausen though.

[Pudge]

There was an old Brewing Network episode where they discussed fermenter shape and how different shapes did ferment a bit different. It was an old episode and I have no idea which.

[RickBeer]

If the temp was mid 60s it will be less active then if it is 70.

[Gymrat]

If the temp was mid 60s it will be less active then if it is 70.

That depends on the yeast. Nottingham loves mid 60s.

[Kealia]

And that's typically where I ferment US-05 and have had blowoffs in my carboys before.
Like I said, I know it's moving as evidenced by the krausen on my bung (hehe) so I think Gymrat nailed it....the beer Gods spared me on this one.

Thanks guys.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Whamolagan]

Do you oxygenate? I was having a hard time a while back, and it came down to not enough oxygen in the wort. The shape does make a difference according to the yeast book.

[Kealia]

Yes, I do. But I have on every batch for quite a while now (after hte first year or so of brewing).
Nothing about my process changes, just the use of the conical to ferment. I see some minor bubbling out of the airlock so I bumped the temp by 2 degrees to help it finish off since I didn't have to worry about a blowout. I'll check gravity next Saturday when I get back in town again (after leaving tomorrow) and I'm quite confident that it will not only have finished, but will have settled and cleared by then too.

The timing is perfect with my travel for a 2-week fermentation then a dry hop, though.

[D_Rabbit]

The only difference I can think of when fermenting in a conical is that the wort has less surface area on the trub pack. That definitely can help in regards to how long it can sit on the pack without creating off flavors. Other than that the fermentation itself should be no different.

[Beer-lord]

I thought my first couple of beers in the Brewbucket tasted better but I think it was just my head. I do think the fact that it doesn't hold odors is a help in the long run. It cleans very easy too. But I agree, less beer touching the trub can definitely be beneficial.