keggle question

how necessary are a sightglass and thermometer in a boil kettle? Do i need a false bottom? Thanks for the help

They are not necessary but very helpful. I love my sight glass and thermometer. False bottom in a BK is not needed unless your boiling all whole hops every single batch.

I won't own a BK without a ball valve and sight glass. They're too useful to me.

YMMV

i will be using this specifically for 10 gallon batches so i will definitely order the valve but i was just wondering what the advantages were with the sightglass and thermometer.

kosmokramer said:

i will be using this specifically for 10 gallon batches so i will definitely order the valve but i was just wondering what the advantages were with the sightglass and thermometer.

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The advantage is that you can sparge or add water to the desired level with the sight glass and the thermometer is helpful to monitor.

kosmokramer said:

how necessary are a sightglass and thermometer in a boil kettle? Do i need a false bottom? Thanks for the help

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Sight glass and thermometer are not important in a boil kettle. If you want to BIAB they may be useful. You could always use a tee after the bulkhead for a sight glass valve combo.

mux said:

Sight glass and thermometer are not important in a boil kettle. If you want to BIAB they may be useful. You could always use a tee after the bulkhead for a sight glass valve combo.

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That is exactly what i was going to get, had it in my cart then started thinking "why". I have the extra money now but this will be used strictly as a boil kettle and that extra 40 buck will buy a sack of grain

I have a ball valve on mine that's it. my stir paddle is marked in 1/2 gallon increments up to 8 gallons. I over sparged a batch by a bit last weekend and boiled for an extra half hour before adding 60 min hop addition. Came to just over my target volume in ferm bucket... all from measurements on my stirring stick.

starrfish said:

I have a ball valve on mine that's it. my stir paddle is marked in 1/2 gallon increments up to 8 gallons. I over sparged a batch by a bit last weekend and boiled for an extra half hour before adding 60 min hop addition. Came to just over my target volume in ferm bucket... all from measurements on my stirring stick.

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How do you mark the paddle? add half gallon at a time but wouldnt the marker saturate with water...lol

Yup add a half gallon at a time, I heated a knife with a bic lighter and burned/melted a line. My paddle is plastic so no absorption, black soot from lighter has stayed in groove over many batches. I made a red oak paddle which I still have to mark, but I don't forsee any noticiable absorption in hardwood oak paddle

Ahhh, i picked up a stainless paddle at the swapmeet for 10 bucks so i was hoping to use that...

On a sidenote, i just made my cooler mashtun and want to brew tomarrow. what do i need to do for an initial cleaning prior to use?

kosmokramer said:

i will be using this specifically for 10 gallon batches so i will definitely order the valve but i was just wondering what the advantages were with the sightglass and thermometer.

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Measuring starting volume and boiloff, both of which are essential to know if you want to make really good beer.

sudsmcgee said:

Measuring starting volume and boiloff, both of which are essential to know if you want to make really good beer.

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I see where that can come into play... what about a thermometer? I can check pitching temp manually, is a dedicated thermometer fitting necessary?

A thermometer I can go without (on my BK) and check by hand. Regarding chilling, I can tell when my wort is cooled because it stops steaming and then I just take a temp reading by hand. Usually that get's me below 100 degrees and then I just keep checking every couple of minutes.

I do have a thermometer on my HLT though.

kosmokramer said:

I see where that can come into play... what about a thermometer? I can check pitching temp manually, is a dedicated thermometer fitting necessary?

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I have a sight glass and ball valve in my BK and can't imagine not having them! A thermometer in the BK is a waste of $$$!

I actually love my sight glass more than the thermometer - you can always use a digital probe or some other type of thermometer to monitor temps.

The real question is: is this strictly a boiling kettle or are you also using an HLT?
If you are heating strike & sparge water then a thermometer becomes much more important. If you are just collecting runnings and then boiling and chilling, a thermomter itsn't as necessary and becomes more about personal choice.

I have 13a gallon, 8 gallon, and 5 gallon pots i can use as hlt this will just be the kettle when i feel like brewinng outside. My stove currently gets me a full boil in 5 gallon bqtches so this is just for when i want to do larger bqtches or brew outdoors