Single Tier Drain Placement

**EuBrew** · 10-07-2010, 03:13 AM

It's time to start my electric brew sculpture and I'm looking for input as to where to place the drains for my MLT, HLT, and BK. Since I will be going all electric I was wondering about bottom drain for the MLT and HLT. I'll be using a 15" hinged false bottom from Jaybird for the MLT and a "hop stopper" from Jaybird for the BK. I'm assuming since I have no experience working with a keggle that the bottom drain in the BK is avoided even with a false bottom because of trub getting through the false bottom?

Also I plan on hard plumbing everything with SS and swagelok fittings for a CIP setup.

System will be single tier 4 vessel HERMS with a dedicated HEX in a 1/6 barrel cut down for smallest size to fit a 3500 watt element and stir motor (though I'm not sure the stir motor will be necessary with a 3ish gallon HEX). HLT and BK both get 5500 watt elements, 2 pump system controlled by Brewtroller. I plan on using a coil in the HLT as well and using it for a chiller. The last 10 min of the boil I will pump the wort through the coil in the HLT and back to the BK to whilrpool and sanitize the coil then stop the whirlpool and allow the trub cone to settle. Once this is settled I'll add ice to the HLT and use the coil as a chiller.

At this point I see no need to pump the cooled wort from the BK to the fermenter as gravity works well here so I'm back to my original question. Bottom drain bad? Are those of you using a keggle BK and whirlpooling using an offset diptube to the side of the keggle to avoid the trub and hops? Sorry for the rambling, I've had a few of my latest batch

There's all kinds of things I'm leaving out here but I'll address that when I start my build thread

Bowtiebrewery · 10-07-2010, 04:41 PM

Hi there i just started my Electric single tier in operation mode... I often pondered a bottom drain for mine but then decided against it. That is not to say that it won't work, just personal preference... If you do decide on that make sure your false bottom is quality... My HERMS setup contantly recirculates the wort through the HERMS coil the entire mash as well as i have a stirring motor attached to a mash paddle to continuously stir my wort or only stir in when I want it to...

I am juggling with the idea of adding a separate motor to the HLT to keep the hot water evenly distributed.

I will be pumping to my fermenter most likely even though. I am going to do a test of a the pump transfering water through my 50ft HERMS coil which will be filled with ice water and ice and seeing what temp it comes out the other end... based on this I will determine whether or not I will pump back to the BK or directly into the fermenter... I have a feeling I will go directly to the fermenter.

**pickles** · 10-08-2010, 01:48 PM

I have a similar setup. 2 pumps, BT controlled, etc. I have bottom drains in my HLT and MT and couldn't be happier. I just flipped the keg upside down and attached 2" triclamp-to 1/2 npt reducer and hard plumbed it frm there. I went with a pick up tube in my BK for two reason: I wanted the lower tier as close to the ground an possible and I wanted to keep the trub from clogging the drain. I ultimately had to come up with a way to prevent the hop debris and break material out of the plate chiller so I designed the pie pan shaped "hop stopper" and asked Jaybird to make it for me. That thing is awesome! It's so sturdy and does a great job filtering, however it doesn't prevent all the fine stuff from getting by. I'd say that I'm very happy with my setup but I did make some improvements. I would make sure you have a drain at you lowest point to flush system after CIP, daisy chain your temp sensors to the BT, seperate low voltage from line voltage items in separate boxes. I'd highly recommend metal boxes that can be grounded. The BT can be a bit finicky when it comes to interference and noise.

Bowtiebrewery · 10-08-2010, 01:55 PM

^^^ I originally had a side-drain in my BK but i abandoned that after i was leaving way too much wort behind... I know have a strait center pick up tube attached to a SS Braid circle that is about the circumference of the lowest point of the Keggle. It did end up clogging when i did strait Hop additions to the bk... however has no problem handling trub by itself...

When you say the "BT" what is that? Mine is controlled via controll panel and 2 PIDS.

**pickles** · 10-08-2010, 02:43 PM

Sorry, BT is just short for BrewTroller.

**EuBrew** · 10-08-2010, 03:07 PM

@ pickles

I just ordered a hop stopper and a 15" hinged bottom from Jaybird. Where did you put your hole for your PU tube on the hop stopper? Also where did you get your control boxes? I'd love to check out your system sometime and have a couple brews since you're here in Cbus!

I've started ordering parts and I'm still coming up with a list of swagelok fittings I'll need so I can start trolling ebay for them. Any idea where I can find a 1/2" swagelok tubing bender? What's the wall thickness on your SS plumbing and how did you end up bending yours? Anywho, awesome work pickles!! Thanks for the inspiration!

Brew On!

Gene

Bowtiebrewery · 10-08-2010, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickles

Sorry, BT is just short for BrewTroller.

I thought thats what it was... I was originally going to go with a BrewTroller setup given that I had an extra computer hanging around that was going to interface with it. But decided not to in the long run. I'm so jealous of your system... I would have never thought to cut the bottoms off and use the fitting on the top of the keg for that... Genius!