This weekend I am converting a sanke into a fermenter. I am going to cut the top fairly wide, use a flat gasket of some sort and a plexiglass lid w/ an o-ring and a brace across the top (of the keg) w/ a eye bolt to apply the pressure to the lid to create my seal. (or a steel lid.... undecided yet)
The bottom will have a SS coupler welded in so I can put a 1/2" SS valve on the outside and a bent racking arm on the inside. I may also have a weldless thermometer in the middle somewhere
My quesitons are
1) What do some of you recommended the height of the coupler to be from the bottom to ensure that I can get the most beer w/ the least amount of trub/yeast/hops? My arm will extend to the middle of the ked and have a 90 degree bend up to stay above the crud and whatever is left I can manually siphon off or use for gravity readings. I am not overly concerned with harvesting yeast at this point.
2) What is recommended for the racking arm? I was thinking stainless brake line from AutoZone but I am not sure they have stainless compression fittings and my goal is to use parts available locally. Everyone keep's saying Brass will leech lead into the brew/
3) I also think it can double for a boil kettle assuming i get about 4 of these completed and put them in "rotation" - any harm in doing that (none I can think of)
The bottom will have a SS coupler welded in so I can put a 1/2" SS valve on the outside and a bent racking arm on the inside. I may also have a weldless thermometer in the middle somewhere
My quesitons are
1) What do some of you recommended the height of the coupler to be from the bottom to ensure that I can get the most beer w/ the least amount of trub/yeast/hops? My arm will extend to the middle of the ked and have a 90 degree bend up to stay above the crud and whatever is left I can manually siphon off or use for gravity readings. I am not overly concerned with harvesting yeast at this point.
2) What is recommended for the racking arm? I was thinking stainless brake line from AutoZone but I am not sure they have stainless compression fittings and my goal is to use parts available locally. Everyone keep's saying Brass will leech lead into the brew/
3) I also think it can double for a boil kettle assuming i get about 4 of these completed and put them in "rotation" - any harm in doing that (none I can think of)