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NCGrayson · 06-18-2012, 04:58 PM

Greetings All,

I have done a few extract brews inside on the stove with partial boils, and now am in the process of making building a solid keggle to move outdoors. I already have the keg, disassembled, and cut the top open. My big question involves draining. I'm pretty clueless as to what would be the best for my situation. I really would love to go all grain one day, but for the time being and the foreseeable future, i really see myself sticking with extract kits. Can anyone recommend the most logical solution for a pickup tube and a weldless bulkhead kit for me from bargain fittings? I'll be chilling with a 50ft copper 3/8" IC if that makes any difference...

Weldless Bulkhead Kits....which one?

1. http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=46
2. http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=178

Which pickup tube?

1. Whirlpool
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=151
2. Center
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=94
3. Side
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=157

I see benefits for all the pickup tubes....just can't decide which one will generally be the best for me. Any help from you seasoned guru's?!?!?

Copperpots_Brewing · 06-18-2012, 05:03 PM

I made my own pickup tube, just using 3/8 copper tubing. If you have some basic soldering skills you can do it for less than $10. Someone has mentioned to me that they would recommend using half-inch but I just haven't gotten to that point yet. I welded my couplings and so I can't comment on which weldless is the best. But I bought my couplings and ball valves from Bobby M. All you would need to do is spend $40 to get a cooler to convert to a mash tun and you're ready for all grain! Here is a picture of what my pick up tube looks like.

Over time you can acquire more keggles and add extra components to them. I would definitely recommend a sight glass and a thermometer, then you can work on building a pretty bad ass system!

d_striker · 06-19-2012, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Copperpots_Brewing

I made my own pickup tube, just using 3/8 copper tubing. If you have some basic soldering skills you can do it for less than $10. Someone has mentioned to me that they would recommend using half-inch but I just haven't gotten to that point yet. I welded my couplings and so I can't comment on which weldless is the best. But I bought my couplings and ball valves from Bobby M. All you would need to do is spend $40 to get a cooler to convert to a mash tun and you're ready for all grain! Here is a picture of what my pick up tube looks like.

Attachment 65301

Over time you can acquire more keggles and add extra components to them. I would definitely recommend a sight glass and a thermometer, then you can work on building a pretty bad ass system!

Attachment 65303

Those keggles are rad. Where's the step by step writeup???

NCGrayson · 06-19-2012, 12:54 PM

on a side note....forgive the ignorance of this next question, but how does a keggle drain exactly? if i have a pickup tube pointing down, logically, beer isn't just going to flow out of a ball valve once opened it is ? I'm going to have to start some sort of a siphon? Will simply opening the ball valve start the siphon i need to drain the keg?

davis119 · 06-19-2012, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCGrayson

on a side note....forgive the ignorance of this next question, but how does a keggle drain exactly? if i have a pickup tube pointing down, logically, beer isn't just going to flow out of a ball valve once opened it is ? I'm going to have to start some sort of a siphon? Will simply opening the ball valve start the siphon i need to drain the keg?

Yup. When u have the pick up tube and open the valve it creates a siphon ..... just make sure u have a 2foot or so. Hose coming off a barbed nipple from the valve and make sure to keep the keggle above the fermenter . Just like when you bottle.

**bad67z** · 06-19-2012, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCGrayson

on a side note....forgive the ignorance of this next question, but how does a keggle drain exactly? if i have a pickup tube pointing down, logically, beer isn't just going to flow out of a ball valve once opened it is ? I'm going to have to start some sort of a siphon? Will simply opening the ball valve start the siphon i need to drain the keg?

Some systems use gravity like the three tier setup:

or some use food grade pumps to move the liquids:

**StainlessBrewing** · 06-19-2012, 05:05 PM

Don't count me out. www.stainlessbrewing.com

NCGrayson · 06-23-2012, 03:55 PM

what's the difference between the new and the old weldless bulkhead fittings?

**StainlessBrewing** · 06-25-2012, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCGrayson

what's the difference between the new and the old weldless bulkhead fittings?

Nothing really new about a bulkead fitting, just not what you normally see being used. The Coupling, Nipple, Locknut, washer setup is a several piece design used to act like a bulkhead fitting at a low cost.