Recent content by beach

Looks exactly like the chrome plated brass shanks I recently replaced. What you're seeing is the brass after the beer has striped the chrome off. Yes, it's true. The pH of your beer will remove chrome plating on your shanks. The only way around this is to go with stainless. Beach

I mounted mine as high as possible in my keggle, I don't do 5 gallon batches anymore (economies of scale point to 10 gallon batches here). I put a 1/2" 90 ell (brass threaded FPT on both ends) no issues with threads what so ever. Beach

I've had pretty good luck with this one:http://www.brew365.com/beer_dogfish_head_indian_brown_ale.php Beach

And as you mentioned, make up air is also critical, especially given the cfm's you'll be moving. Looking at your furnace I assume your water heater is gravity draft also. Without make up air you'll suck those combustion gasses right out of the appliances. Beach

I mounted mine as high as I could in my keg MLT. With small beers (1.045'ish OG) I learned that I need to increase the grist:water ratio so the top of the grain bed is higher in the MLT. Makes for a smoother sparge with my process. YMMV (batch size here is 10 gal net) Beach

I'm with Zamial. Hoff-Stevens 1/4 bbl is most likely what you have there. I'll sell you a tap, new washer and a bung if you really want to use it, but they're not terribly practicle for hb. Beach

I ordered a second sanke fermenter kit about a month ago and recieved it quickly. My guess is he had it built and ready to go already. He's probably waiting on something in your order to arrive, but, it would be nice to hear in the meantime. Good luck, Beach

I carb with CO2 and serve on 75/25 beer gas blend. Temp is 38, 28 psi, 5' beer line. Pours like a champ. Beach

When temps like mash out or *don't go above x degrees or you'll extract tannins* are mentioned these are grain bed temps. Depending upon my mash temp I can fly sparge with 190-200*F water and the grain bed still doesn't get to 168* (11 gal into the ferm).

Put an oring on one of the rollers to get the free roller turning. Nice build. Beach

Adjustable JSP Maltmill here. Buy a quality roller mill once and get it over with. The quality of the crush is important so the hulls remain as in tact as possible. The Corona style mills tend to shred the hulls. Beach

I think your beer line is the issue. I use 7' of 3/16 ID beer line (11 psi @ 37*F) and my pour is very nice: quick & a nice foamy head. The 3/16 line will give you the additional resistance you need to keep the CO2 in suspension and the shorter length will speed the pour. There are beer line...

The Ranco controllers can be changed from cooling to heating from the control panel on the front and it's easy to wire yourself. Unless you're in the mountains with big temp swings and away from the ferm chamber (or really like to set it & forget it) the single stage will be fine. Beach

IMO go stainless and plan for future expansion when you install your shanks and taps, reg's, manifolds, etc. Voice of experience here. Also, always assume you're going to add more in the future. In addition to that, make sure you plan for additional capacity, and go stainless. Did I mention I've...

That sounds like a pin lock converted over to a ball lock. I saw 2 or 3 of them in a HBS in Cinnci for ~$50/ Beach