Need Help adding Recirculation Port to Sanke Keg
 

I am looking to move from a Coleman Extreme as a Mash Tun to a Sabco Keg that I purchased for a boil kettle but no longer use. I'd like to do a direct fire mash and recirculate, but I'm a bit at a loss as to how to add a port to the top of the Keg for the liquid recirculation. I have a step drill bit so making the hole should not be a problem, but I'm not sure what parts/fittings to use to make the port, and what parts I should get for the tubing to connect. I have a 1/2 inch port ball valve already installed for the lower outlet and can add either a 3/8 or 1/2 hose barb there. Not sure whehther the larger tubing is beneficial for recirculation. If disconnects are helpful I'd like to know that too.

Many thanks for guidance.

Hi

Unless you like a problem, the recirculation rate should be pretty low. Not quite soda straw capacity, but pretty low. The easy way to do it is to just toss a chunk of tube in the top of the keg.

If you want to go fancy, Brewer's Hardware sells some very nice weld less fittings. Drill a hole in the keg wall, screw in the fitting. Attach a tube inside, attach a tube outside and something to throttle the flow.

There are *lots* of other options.

Bob

Sorry, I have to disagree with this. I have a Little Giant pump with a 4500 Watt rims tube. I keep it wide open with a measured 10 gpm flow rate. I get fantastic efficiency and I can do fast step mashes at approx 2 degrees a minute. If I slowed down the flow my tube starts vaporizing and burns the wort.

Experimentation is needed to fully understand what you system can do. Every system is different. Buy a sack of grain and find a simple recipe (single hopped pale ale?) that you can do over and over again to test your system. Just my 2 cents.

I would use a weldless coupling, 1/2" FPT inside, and a barb or QD on the outside. Use LocLine on the inside as your recirc return, it's easy to adjust and clean and you can use any variety of nozzle that suits you.

You can do the same in your BK and use the LokLine as your whirlpool nozzle.

Hi

I believe we are talking about a direct fired mash and the recirculation is sparge water. Could be wrong though.

Bob