Kettle vs Keggle-brutus type build

schristian619 · 01-12-2010, 09:48 PM

I am starting to piece together and plan out a brutus 10 type system and and looking at kettles. I currently have a 15 gallon boilermaker, that I really like. I debating between buying a couple more of those, or buying/making a couple keggles. Obviously, the keggles are cheaper, which is a big plus, but I worry about them being harder to clean/bulkier. Is there anyone that has used both that can chime in and push me one way or another. FWIW, if I did go with keggles, I would probably buy them from kegglebrewing. I was also thinking that if i did go with keggles, I might sell my BM and get three keggles for consistency.

Side question, keggle users, what do you use as a hop filter and how does it compare to the boilermakers boil screen? False bottom, how does it compare to Blichmanns?

Thanks!

Suthrncomfrt1884 · 01-12-2010, 10:02 PM

I haven't used a kettle since my first 5 gallon one, so I can't really give you pros/cons on each, but I love my keggle.

It's a little bulky, but if you're building a brutus, you'll have a pump and won't need to move them around anyway. I use something like this http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/recommendations-hlt-keggle-diptube-assemblies-155366/ scroll down the page to the second picture. It works great for filter hops and break material.

Sawdustguy · 01-13-2010, 01:24 PM

I have three Keggles in my brewery and if I had to do all over again I would go with kettles in a heartbeat. I think kettles are more managable because they are not as tall. It is easier to drain a kettle more completely because the bottom is flat where the bottom of the Keggle is not. A Keggle is all stainless steel where a kettle can be all aluminum which is a much better transmitter of heat or you can go with a stainless kettle with a copper/aluminum sandwiched bottom for heat transfer. I also don't like the heat that gets trapped under the skirt of the Keggle.

schristian619 · 01-13-2010, 06:24 PM

good point about kettles being more manageable. Kegs are a bit tall and seemingly bulky. What do you use to filter hops in your keggles? how does it work, does it work with pellets?

**CodeRage** · 01-13-2010, 06:38 PM

I love my keggles but I will agree they are big ans bulky, but that is it. The heat transfer is less than aluminum but that works just as well going in the other direction too

I thought draining out of a keggle was much easier. I don't have my pick up right in the middle of the keg, it is about 4 inches from center. After a whirl pool it leaves a small puddle and the trub. You could put it right in the middle and purge the trub first if you wanted to get as much as possible.

I use hop socks for all of my additions (pellets), keeps the trub way down, I don't understand why some one wouldnt want to use one.

If you've designed the system so it can CIP then I would be all about keggles. If you have to break it down and move stuff around to clean, kettle all the way.

The Pol · 01-13-2010, 06:39 PM

I just got my Boilermakers today...

I have NO screen in my BK

I whirlpool the BK and rotated my pickup in my Boilermaker so that I can leave the trub in the bottom.

I am a pellet hop user

**Mirilis** · 01-13-2010, 06:43 PM

I have keggles and I like them .. probably because im cheap and cant afford a boilermaker

The Pol · 01-13-2010, 06:48 PM

BMs are expensive, but you get A LOT more than a kettle. At one time I would not have purchased them either, but selling a rig gave me the means to get a couple and some other stuff.

Keggles are nice, but HEAVY and BULKY

They are cheap, but you are getting a lot less than you do with a BM

Sawdustguy · 01-13-2010, 06:58 PM

I use Lil' Sparky's paint strainer hop filter contraption except I use a 150 micron, polyester tubular filter in mine. I don't get any hop debris at all and the filter has not affected the hoppiness of my beer. There are a lot of ways to do it, whirlpooling, hop sacks, hop filters and hop stoppers. You have to pick the method that works for you. I use a Blichmann plate chiller so I don't want any hop debris at all to clog my chiller.

schristian619 · 01-13-2010, 10:40 PM

thanks for your thoughts. I'll have to see how money looks when it comes time to pull the trigger. I do love my boilermaker, and I will have to carry them inside to clean (I live in an apt and brew on the patio), so they seem easier in that regard. But saving a couple hundred is always nice...that can go to my new upgraded keezer project planned after this.