completely new, kettle keg build plus more?

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213chrisp

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as title says it all. im COMPLETELY new to all this but i want to get into doing home brews.

currently i have a kegerator and a 5 gallon corny keg in my home, as well as a old ss keg from coores , probably mid 80's to be exact (was my fathers).
i did manage to already cut the top off the keg and started looking into fittings and adapters to convert the keg to a kettle, i do have a turkey/fish fryer already as well, so heat and pot are covered.

my question i have seems that every time i start looking into couplers and adapters to make the keg into a kettle i get more confused as to "WHAT" i really need.
i would like to do a decent setup and i do have access to someone that can weld ss if needed but im not against weldless fittings as an option.

i would like to do a thermometer as well as a sight glass. that way i have some ways to monitor variables like volume and temp. (which i would assume is the smart way to brew)


ive looked online and only places i tend to find parts are online (none local that i can come up with) and prices are all over the place , which is why im asking here.



2nd part of my question is brewing being im completely new, i like the concept of brewing in a bag, odds are ill stick to alot of wheat beers , hefeweizens to be be exact, and seems like the concept of biab is easier then anything else ive ran across, and since im using a beer keg as a kettle , room shouldn't be an issue for me, or i hope not....
ive seen people run all these home made worms to cool down the beer after brewing to cool down the liquid, is this a step that's "needed" or is that just a luxury to cool down the liquid before adding the yeast to speed up the process and does anyone have a decent idea for building a chiller?


sorry for being so long of a post, but figured id make one long one for multiple subjects vs 3-4 different post.
i appreciate all help in advance.
 
What you really need right out of the gate with BIAB is:

A kettle with a bulkhead fitting with 1/2" valve. To that you will add a barb to 1/2 NPT on the outside and dip tube on the inside.

A big bag and the wilserbrew bags are excellent.

A good thermometer and you do not want it installed in the kettle...at least not your only one.

A hydrometer.

A chiller...for many this is just 25' of 3/8" ID (normally 1/2" OD) copper coil that that form into what looks like a spring...I formed mine around my corny keg. Keep in mind if you are doing BIAB, you are only going to have that coil submerged to about the 6-7 gallon mark. Even a chiller is optional but really have to change how you brew if you do not use one because hop utilization changes significantly.

I will not claim a sight glass is useless but certainly is not worth the investment at the beginning when doing BIAB. Use a stick, or metal ruler or your mash paddle and mark gallon markings on it. You only measure liquid once with the system.

In spite of the Keggle being about 15 gallons with the top cut off (you did cut it off, not a 12" hole in it, right) you can only do about 8 gallons of no-sparge BIAB.
 
i used a grinder and cut around the top to get the top section off. as for double posting yes it probably is, but the more i keep reading all the articles the more i was getting thrown off as to what i truly needed.

so a chiller IS needed to stop the brewing process of the hops basically?
 
A kettle with a bulkhead fitting with 1/2" valve. To that you will add a barb to 1/2 NPT on the outside and dip tube on the inside.

I'd say OP doesn't *need* any hardware for their keggle. The first 3 or 4 batches in my keggle I used a syphon to get the wort out of the kettle and into the fermenter.

I'm guessing, OP, that you already have or are planning on purchasing a syphon or autosyphon to transfer wort from fermenters? You can just use that if you need to save some $$$.

That said I eventually purchased these luxury items and am very happy with them:
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=250
with these options: 2 piece valve, 45 turn, and 1/2" barb

and this:
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=46&product_id=151

$32 + shipping

No welding required. For drilling the hole you can get a cheap step bit at harbor freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=step+drill+bit

[Edit]
As for sight glass I just installed this but havnt brewed with it yet: https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/flexsight-l.htm
Not completely decided that I've made the right choice but time will tell... It's better than nothing.
I skipped putting a thermometer in the kettle as I have a quick read digital thermometer that get's the job done.
 
i used a grinder and cut around the top to get the top section off. as for double posting yes it probably is, but the more i keep reading all the articles the more i was getting thrown off as to what i truly needed.

so a chiller IS needed to stop the brewing process of the hops basically?

The double post was me...not you.

A chiller has lots positives but the one absolutely needed if you do full volume boils (that you cannot safely lift into an ice bath and use near freezing top off water to chill) is getting the wort below 180 f to stop hop isomerization...so if you do not use one...you have to change how you use hops for flavor and aroma additions. For a Stout or Porter, this is easy but for many styles it become more challenging.
 
Agreed. Bare bones, you need a kettle, a bag, thermometer, some way to siphon, and a fermentor.
Other stuff that I'd recommend: extra thermometer, hydrometers (have two and you'll never break one), chiller (start basic). Spring for a wilser bag, well worth it (much tighter weave, very well built).

I measure volume throughout (start, post mash/drain to validate absorption, post-boil to validate boil-off), but haven't put a dip tube in...kettle is marked well enough. Brew a few times in basic mode and you'll know better how you want to outfit your rig...maybe BIAB doesn't work for you, and you repurpose the keg to something else. If BIAB does it for you, then I'd skip a thermowell, personally, and get a decent thermometer that you can sink in the middle of your mash. A drain is never a bad idea though, if you're itching to cut some stainless.
 
well i dont have any way to siphon yet, so just assumed it would be easier to just cut a hole and put in a bulkhead and valve and not have to fight with it too much.
i do understand i can do it cheaper but id rather just spend a bit more and do it right the first time to make my life a bit easier if at all possiable.

is there more info on a chiller that would work , ive been watching a tone of videos and seems like people like to use garden hoses and copper tubes.
 
For drilling the hole you can get a cheap step bit at harbor freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=step+drill+bit

When using the step bit, follow this very sage advice:

Go very slowly with significant pressure once you have punched through...the bit should create chips, not shavings

Use a high torque setting on a stout drill

Use veggie or mineral oil for cooling (or water)

once you have the hole of the proper size, de-burr it by run the drill from the inside out in reverse.
 
thats easy for me, i live with a 55 year old (father in law) that a pipe fitter and welder as trade so ill leave that to him. he works in all the larger companies like P&G doing all there sanitary, large tanks, mixing machines, pipes , you name it... but yes, stainless i did know you dont want heat when cutting, or metal for that matter.
 
well i dont have any way to siphon yet, so just assumed it would be easier to just cut a hole and put in a bulkhead and valve and not have to fight with it too much.
i do understand i can do it cheaper but id rather just spend a bit more and do it right the first time to make my life a bit easier if at all possiable.

is there more info on a chiller that would work , ive been watching a tone of videos and seems like people like to use garden hoses and copper tubes.

How are you planning on transferring beer from your fermentation vessels?

For the chiller I made one of these out of 50' of tubing. If I were to do it again I *might* pony up for something like one of these from JaDeD.

Also, I use a (relatively) cheap submersible pump from harbor freight to recirculate ice water through the IC after ground water gets the wort temp below 100F.
 
i would assume some food save tubing , im going to end up buying a 6.5g fermintor bucket from my local brew shop.
 

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