Recommended Pick Up tube on Keggle

Hello all;

Looking for some advice on what type of DIY pick-up tube to make for my keggle-to-be. The pick up tube I orginally planned on making consisted of a 90-degree elbow directly from the bulkhead and short piece of copper tubing that would run along the wall of the keggle.

However, I noticed on my particular keg that the lowest part of keg bottom is in the center. A pick up tube that ran along the wall of the keg might have some dead space and leave some wort in the keggle after draining.

My original idea for a pick-up tube along the side was that I like to whirlpool the wort so that hot break and hops make a cone in the center of the pot. I could then pull the clear wort off from the side. It would work that much better with the hop/break cone sitting in the low part of the keg bottom.

Couple of questions:

1. For those with a pick-up tube that runs along the side, do you leave alot of wort in your keggle? I'm thinking that I'll be able to get most of the wort by tipping the keggle at the end of the drain. Does this work?

2. For those with pick up tubes that go to the center of the keg, why did you pick that design? I would think that the hot break and hops to pool in the low center of the bottom and might plug whatever pick-up tube there. OTOH, you would get most (if not all) of the wort out of the keggle since the pick up tube is positioned in the lowest part of the keg.

Any recommendations/advice would be great! Thanks!

My pick-up tube is a straight piece from the bulkhead, then a 90 degree elbow and another straight piece going down to about 1/4" off the bottom in the dead center of the keg. It will pick up just about all the wort, leaving no more than a few ounces of wort.

I picked this arrangement because I like not wasting any wort, and I do not buy into the idea of avoiding cold break, especially after reading this enlightening article:
Jeff Irvine : Cold Trub
But that's really a matter of opinion, there are plenty of people on both sides.
As a result, I do have to use a hop bag during the boil, but I don't find that to be an issue.

I put a T inside keggle then put an elbow on each side with a stainless braid. I put a stainless nut on each for weight. With this you may put them any place in the bottom of the pot. Most brews I leave about a cup or two in the bottom when finished.

I split the difference. My pick-up runs horizontally from the valve, then down to the bottom about 4" from the center. I didn't plan this -- it just happened to be the lengths of copper I had lying around.

With this arrangement, I get most of the wort, and with a cheap hopstopper (a chore-boy around the inlet), I have no problems with clogging from whole or even a combination of whole and pellet hops.

I did a search and found this old thread that is related to my question.

I have a pick up tube for my keggle brew kettle.

It screws into the valve, runs straight to the center of the keg and uses a 90 degree elbow with a three inch or so down tube to come within oh, 1/2 inch of the kegs bottom.

I am now recalculating my systems deadspace and volumes as I have completly changed my brewing process.

To test the deadspace volume I added three gallons of water to my keg. I then opened the valve to drain it out. My intent was to measure the volume that drained out and subtract it from the three gallons.

I was surprised when I drained about three quarts and the flow stopped. The volume of water left in the keg is about the three inches above the bottom of the down tube.

I thought the liquid would drain down to the bottom of the down tube but it appears to only have drained to the bottom of the valve itself.

Thoughts? TY

Did you have any tubing on the out end of the kettle, hopefully going down into a bucket, sink, etc? You need to create a syphon and just opening the valve won't do that.

Kilted Brewer said:

Did you have any tubing on the out end of the kettle, hopefully going down into a bucket, sink, etc? You need to create a syphon and just opening the valve won't do that.

Click to expand...

Of course. TY for your response. I did not do so and will later tonight.

I don't have a parts list, but i spent a good amount of time walking around the Watts section of lowes. I found a 6" x 1/2" threaded brass tube. This screwed into my bulkhead fitting. Then I got a female threaded copper elbow and some copper tube. I just soldered the elbow and copper tube for my dip and have the threaded rod extend into the center of the keggle. It sits maybe 1" off center. But I tell ya this thing drains almost completely. Was real easy to make and is easily disassembled.

Hardest part was lining up the the threads so the dip was straight down when everything was tight.

I No Chill, so I am not worried about avoiding break material or much of anything for that matter. I drain it all out and whatever is left falls out during fermentation. I have done it this way for my last 5 AG batches, and everyone of them tastes great.

I started with a dip tube from the bulkhead into the center of the keggle. Worked great and picked up nearly all the wort.

But because of whirpooling, etc, I made another that only extended into the keggle a couple inches.

You can measure out some water and poor it into your keggle to see about how much will be left behind.

I think I now leave less than 8 ounces behind (I measured it but don't have the numbers with me right now).

You can measure out some water and poor it into your keggle to see about how much will be left behind.

I made this one which also serves to hold the false bottom in place. The pipe union in the center permits easy removal and proper alignment:

Anyone ever thought of using the top that you cut off the keg as a false bottom? You'd gave to plug the hole with something and allow room for a piece of pipe and also drill small holes in the false bottom, but it might work. I will try this perhaps today or soon...

Thats a LOT of small holes. a LOT

I got mine from Bargainfittings.com. It sits right against the side and will probably leave about 0.5 gallons behind which will be mostly trub. It sits just below the weld line on my keggle. With an IC, I will chill, remove IC, whirlpool and rest 15 minutes, then drain.