New V3 Kettles from Spike? Anyone Have one yet?

[AF1HomeBrew]

After purchasing a 30 gal. kettle and loving the quality so much I sold my Blichmann kettles on HBT a few weeks ago, and then had Spike Brewing build a 20 gal kettle w/TC ports and also a false bottom for my mashtun. Just received it about 20 minutes ago. Looks amazing!

 

[1MadScientist]

Can anybody help me out? How much volume of water does a 20 gallon Spike have under the false bottom?

MS

 

[itsnotrequired]

Can anybody help me out? How much volume of water does a 20 gallon Spike have under the false bottom?

MS

have you e-mailed ben at spike? he is very responsive.

 

[1MadScientist]

Anyone using a 20 gallon kettle for electric BIAB? Or electric with TC fitting with a false bottom?

 

[homebrewdude76]

Do you use pellet or leaf hops?
And how does it work in the boil pot?
Whirlpool is enough?

After purchasing a 30 gal. kettle and loving the quality so much I sold my Blichmann kettles on HBT a few weeks ago, and then had Spike Brewing build a 20 gal kettle w/TC ports and also a false bottom for my mashtun. Just received it about 20 minutes ago. Looks amazing!

 

[homebrewdude76]

I am looking at the same thing.

All welded TC ports, electric element and false bottom for leaf hops.

Still on the fence, cause I don't think a front TC port will work with the false bottom?

Anyone using a 20 gallon kettle for electric BIAB? Or electric with TC fitting with a false bottom?

 

[1MadScientist]

I have seen some bending of heating elements. I am going to practice on an old hot water element. My goal is to have a screen / false bottom closer to 1.75" instead of 3.0".

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have seen some bending of heating elements. I am going to practice on an old hot water element. My goal is to have a screen / false bottom closer to 1.75" instead of 2.5".

I recall reading that the elements bend more easily before being fired and are more brittle after being used.

Ymmv

 

[homebrewdude76]

The element would be over the false bottom? Not sure it needs to be bent?

 

[1MadScientist]

I want the element below a false bottom. Anybody ever used a tube bender?

 

[Drumminguy81]

The false bottom in the v3 kettles is so close to the bottom an element would not fit under it. Unless you went with a different brand false bottom that had a pretty tall riser this wouldn't be a viable option..

 

[1MadScientist]

I have a 20 gallon kettle. A TC is 2.5" on center from the bottom. I BIAB, so would now like to bend an element so it could be somewhere at or below a 2" false bottom, like Jaybird builds. Anybody doing BIAB and would also like to see a screen / false bottom lower than 3" off the bottom?

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

Do you use pellet or leaf hops?
And how does it work in the boil pot?
Whirlpool is enough?

With the redesign of the HBT site, I didn't notice that I had been quoted until now. I have tried both pellet and leaf hops. Both work fine. Whirlpool is enough.

 

[homebrewdude76]

What type of chiller?

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

Can anybody help me out? How much volume of water does a 20 gallon Spike have under the false bottom?

MS

2 Quarts.

 

[1MadScientist]

2 Quarts.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

After purchasing a 30 gal. kettle and loving the quality so much I sold my Blichmann kettles on HBT a few weeks ago, and then had Spike Brewing build a 20 gal kettle w/TC ports and also a false bottom for my mashtun. Just received it about 20 minutes ago. Looks amazing!

Good God, that dip tube looks enormous?! Did Ben custom make that dip tube as well? I see they sealed up the center hole for the original dip dube location.

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

Good God, that dip tube looks enormous?! Did Ben custom make that dip tube as well? I see they sealed up the center hole for the original dip dube location.

He had it on hand. Not sure where Spike Brewing got it originally.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

When I get mine done, I'm going to have to reference what you did. Thats exactly what I want.

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

When I get mine done, I'm going to have to reference what you did. Thats exactly what I want.

I'll take that as a compliment.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

AF1. I just got mine and i did a little test with how much is left behind in a 20g kettle. If i was super careful and drained slow at the end, I was able to leave a little less than 1 quart of liquid. If you run the pump at full blast, I ended up leaving a little more than 1.5 quarts.

 

[MadMechanic]

I have the 15 gallon unit with false bottom and I love it. I'm doing BIAB and it has plenty of room even with huge grain bill. It's well constructed and handles the heat without scorching. I think it was a great investment, probably the last kettle I'll need.

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

AF1. I just got mine and i did a little test with how much is left behind in a 20g kettle. If i was super careful and drained slow at the end, I was able to leave a little less than 1 quart of liquid. If you run the pump at full blast, I ended up leaving a little more than 1.5 quarts.

My 2 quart comment was in regards to the volume under the false bottom (deadspace). I haven't measured how much was leftover after draining the kettle. I think my old Blichmann Boilermakers would be similar, but the BruGear Kettle w/False bottom had 2.25 Gal. of deadspace.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

My 2 quart comment was in regards to the volume under the false bottom (deadspace). I haven't measured how much was leftover after draining the kettle. I think my old Blichmann Boilermakers would be similar, but the BruGear Kettle w/False bottom had 2.25 Gal. of deadspace.

Ugh... Thats a lot of room under there for the BruGear. I think the only other Mash Tun I would ever consider would be a Stout with the bottom Drain. But that is $500 plus I think around $70 for shipping to me. Plus the hassle of if things are damaged, they have a very interesting way to fix your gear. Basically you have to find a welder in the area to fix it for you... Nope...

 

[trnitz]

I bought a Spike V2 setup last year (HLT/BK/MLT) and was impressed enough with the differences with the V3 kettles that I replaced my V2 MLT with a V3 MLT.

Two brews under my belt with the V3 MLT, and I'm impressed.


The lowness (is that a word?) of the false bottom was the driving reason for getting the V3 MLT.

Photo of 19lbs of grain in a 10 gallon MLT, with a mash thickness of 1.25.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

I was very pleased with the performance of the Mash Tun's false-bottom on my new V3. I didnt leave much liquid behind and I was able to pump full speed with my chugger pump with 0 problems.

 

[xCSx]

any thoughts on the 15 with the vertical couplers for 5 gallon biab?

will the top level thermometer be too high up?

thanks

 

[Murphys_Law]

any thoughts on the 15 with the vertical couplers for 5 gallon biab?



will the top level thermometer be too high up?



thanks

Can't speak directly to the 15 but I have the 10 gallon with that config and I have zero problems.

 

[oujens]

any thoughts on the 15 with the vertical couplers for 5 gallon biab?



will the top level thermometer be too high up?



thanks

Some people don't use the thermometer in BIAB because it could snag your bag. Might take that into consideration. I've never felt the need to add one myself. I like using my CDN to verify temps. Based on spikes FAQ, you should be ok.

 

[xCSx]

Some people don't use the thermometer in BIAB because it could snag your bag. Might take that into consideration. I've never felt the need to add one myself. I like using my CDN to verify temps. Based on spikes FAQ, you should be ok.

I emailed Spike - they recommend the thermometer at the bottom rather than the top for BIAB. Is it useful there though is what I am wondering - is it worth having the thermometer at all. I currently don't have one on my 8 gallon megapot.

 

[oujens]

I emailed Spike - they recommend the thermometer at the bottom rather than the top for BIAB. Is it useful there though is what I am wondering - is it worth having the thermometer at all. I currently don't have one on my 8 gallon megapot.

My experience has been that I do not see a need for one. I once thought I did until I realized that it doesn't really do anything to improve my process. It might give me an idea of temperature, but I will always use my digital thermometer to verify and record temps. It also creates a risk of tearing my bag. What some people do is utilize their thermometer port for whirlpooling instead. If that would be a consideration for you in the future, two couplers are better than one. You can buy a plug for the coupler not in use.

 

[mongoose33]

I emailed Spike - they recommend the thermometer at the bottom rather than the top for BIAB. Is it useful there though is what I am wondering - is it worth having the thermometer at all. I currently don't have one on my 8 gallon megapot.

I had an 8-gallon megapot w/ the thermometer poking out midway into the kettle. I wanted to use a Jaded Hydra chiller with it but it wouldn't fit. It also was problematic for BIAB, which I don't do now, but may at some later date.

I bought the 10-gallon Spike kettle to replace the megapot, with two horizontal couplers, one for the ball valve, one for the thermometer. I do not currently do BIAB (traditional mash tun), so I use the kettle to heat strike water, heat sparge water, and boil the wort. However, I wanted the option of doing BIAB later if I wanted to, so I chose the low horizontal coupler for it.

In that application the thermometer is worth it for me. I can tell at a glance where I am. If i were using the kettle only as a BIAB kettle I might feel differently, but I suspect I'd still want that thermometer so I can tell where I am for all the uses to which I put that kettle.

Very, very nice kettle.

 

[bbohanon]

when I make the move to larger pots which will be this year at some point, I am totally going with the spike kettles..They really are for the money the best deal going.
Really nice gear.

 

[xCSx]

I had an 8-gallon megapot w/ the thermometer poking out midway into the kettle. I wanted to use a Jaded Hydra chiller with it but it wouldn't fit. It also was problematic for BIAB, which I don't do now, but may at some later date.

I bought the 10-gallon Spike kettle to replace the megapot, with two horizontal couplers, one for the ball valve, one for the thermometer. I do not currently do BIAB (traditional mash tun), so I use the kettle to heat strike water, heat sparge water, and boil the wort. However, I wanted the option of doing BIAB later if I wanted to, so I chose the low horizontal coupler for it.

In that application the thermometer is worth it for me. I can tell at a glance where I am. If i were using the kettle only as a BIAB kettle I might feel differently, but I suspect I'd still want that thermometer so I can tell where I am for all the uses to which I put that kettle.

Very, very nice kettle.

Thanks for this response!

I think I am sold then on the two horizonal

 

[Oldskewl]

I went through the same dilemma as you when I bought my 15 gal Spike kettle, which I love by the way. I do BIAB and asked around, as well as sent an email to Spike. I chose to forego the thermometer fitting in the kettle all together. I got a $16 fast read digital thermometer from Thermoworks and it works great. Only down fall I see it you have to take the lid off the kettle to take a reading, but you need to give the wort a stir to have an accurate reading anyway. Just my 2 cents.

http://www.thermoworks.com/RT600C

 

[xCSx]

One last question - side pickup tube or center?

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

That really is a personal decision... I see no reason for a center pickup as I try to whirlpool and pickup from the side. Trub and hop cone stays undisturbed that way.

 

[xCSx]

That really is a personal decision... I see no reason for a center pickup as I try to whirlpool and pickup from the side. Trub and hop cone stays undisturbed that way.

on that note - if I go with two vertical couplers, can I use the top one to whirlpool instead of a thermometer? I would think so...

 

[AF1HomeBrew]

Pictures of my custom 30 gal. v3 Spike Kettle playing around with a whirlpool option. When it gets warmer out I am going to try again using a butterfly valve and a different pump head.