Keggle Design Question

brauhausjoe · 04-02-2009, 02:10 AM

I ran across these keggle pics via this thread http://http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f16/3-keg-home-brew-system-15-5-gallon-all-grain-beer-kit-brewing-100192/index5.html

I am getting ready to build my rig and am wondering if there advantages to the hole being on the bottom apposed to the side? I like the bottom idea, but am wondering how if the pipe being so close to the burner would effect the brew? If it would?

and

Thanks

Catt22 · 04-02-2009, 02:29 AM

Not a good design for a couple of reasons. First, any wort in the fitting and piping under the kettle will be exposed to very high temperatures and will scortch. Secondly the cutout in the skirt will channel heat out from beneath the kettle and right along the valve pipe. This isn't a major issue except that the valve will likely get very hot and that exit port will be ejecting very hot air and gasses from the burner. The only advantage of this approach seemed to be the elimination of a pick up tube/siphon thing and that marginal advantage was lost when the hole was made considerably away from the center of the bottom. The negatives far outweigh any perceived advantage.

The normal side ports work best. There's usually a reason why things like keggles are set up the way they are. A lot of experimentation has been done with these over the years and there doesn't seem to be a lot of room for improvements.

brauhausjoe · 04-02-2009, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catt22

Not a good design for a couple of reasons. First, any wort in the fitting and piping under the kettle will be exposed to very high temperatures and will scortch. Secondly the cutout in the skirt will channel heat out from beneath the kettle and right along the valve pipe. This isn't a major issue except that the valve will likely get very hot and that exit port will be ejecting very hot air and gasses from the burner. The only advantage of this approach seemed to be the elimination of a pick up tube/siphon thing and that marginal advantage was lost when the hole was made considerably away from the center of the bottom. The negatives far outweigh any perceived advantage.

The normal side ports work best. There's usually a reason why things like keggles are set up the way they are. A lot of experimentation has been done with these over the years and there doesn't seem to be a lot of room for improvements.

Kind of what I was thinking. Everything in the pipe would get pretty hot/scorched. Good look out on the skirt, didn't even think of that.

Thanks!

BrownsBrewing · 04-02-2009, 03:56 AM

a 7/8" hole about 1" above the weld line works out perfect. This is for weld-less fittings. The fittings required for your application maybe a little different. These work great for all of my keggles.

**cyberbackpacker** · 04-02-2009, 03:28 PM

One point to consider; a bottom mount center valve would give you the advantages stated without the disadvantages if you are running an electric keggle.

There are a large enough number of people running/going to run/considering running electric that these differentiations should be made.

brauhausjoe · 04-02-2009, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberbackpacker

One point to consider; a bottom mount center valve would give you the advantages stated without the disadvantages if you are running an electric keggle.

There are a large enough number of people running/going to run/considering running electric that these differentiations should be made.

True, My intent is to run gas. I missed mentioning that in the original post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrownsBrewing

a 7/8" hole about 1" above the weld line works out perfect. This is for weld-less fittings. The fittings required for your application maybe a little different. These work great for all of my keggles.

Just checked, I cut the hole 3 3/4" from the bottom on my HLT, Works out to about 1 - 1 1/2" above the weld

Thanks

sigmund · 04-02-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberbackpacker

One point to consider; a bottom mount center valve would give you the advantages stated without the disadvantages if you are running an electric keggle.

You also want to remember that if you tap into the bottom of the keg like that, you will more likely than not prevent yourself from being able to set your keggle down without either hitting the fitting or having to set the keggle on blocking. Also, you will be draining all the hops and gunk out first rather than being able to leave it in the bottom if you siphon your wort.

**conpewter** · 04-02-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sigmund

You also want to remember that if you tap into the bottom of the keg like that, you will more likely than not prevent yourself from being able to set your keggle down without either hitting the fitting or having to set the keggle on blocking. Also, you will be draining all the hops and gunk out first rather than being able to leave it in the bottom if you siphon your wort.

These two are easy to avoid. You can either cut through the skirt and try to keep the fitting shallow enough that the skirt still is lower. Or you can add some stainless screws in the rim, you can add permanent runners (I used two sankey dip tubes).

I also have a semi false bottom (SS strainer turned upside down over the outlet hole) that works really well in filtering out the hops. I get all the wort out of the keg and I don't have the troubles I had with my pump and a siphon tube that I had before.

Ogdenenator · 04-16-2009, 01:58 PM

I have been thinking about doing this same thing with my 10gal cooler MLT with hole drilled right through the center in the bottom and a ss kitchen strainer for a false bottom. My thinking is that it would completely eliminate any leftover runnings and would increase the efficiency?

Any comments before i start cutting holes in my cooler?

**Bobby_M** · 04-16-2009, 02:12 PM

If we're talking about a gas fired boil kettle, I would agree with Catt22. If we're talking about a an HLT or mashtun, I'd disagree. In an HLT in fact, I'd even move the drain closer to the center. If you cut the pipe on a sharp angle to create a long elipse, it shouldn't protrude much from the bottom. Why require a siphon tube on an HLT if you don't have to right? The benefit on a mashtun is that you can have nothing in the way of stirring the mash and no deadspace whatsoever, even if you temporarily lose siphon when the wort level gets below the typical bulkhead height.