Adding accessories keggle, help with options

[mcfire12]

Hi guys, I recently went to an all grain set up and it's time to put some more stuff on my keggle. Currently it's just a keg with the top cut off and a few handles tig welded to the sides.

After brewing an all grain recipe this weekend I realized it would be nice to have a site glass, my home made stick with measurements on it just isn't cutting it anymore. Looks like you can buy them with a thermometer on them as well. Not so sure if I want that or not. I use an immersion chiller and I was worried about it getting in the way.

So I definitely need a sight glass. I'm wondering if a ball valve would be nice also. I currently chill then whirlpool then use an auto siphon to drain into my fermentor. Is it handy to have a ball valve installed to drain instead? I would think you'd just empty a bunch of trub into the fermenter using it? Just looking at other options rather then using my auto siphon. One less thing to sanitize and clean would be great.

As far as thermometers on your boil kettle, are they really worth it or just a pain? I don't mind using my stick thermometer but it would be nice to have it right on the kettle. Are the accurate? Looks like guys put them around the bottom. I would think the probe would be sticking in trub after the boil? And do they get in the way when using an immersion chiller?

That's pretty much it, i'm curious to see what everyone things of all of this!

 

[OlDirtyJohn]

I can't really answer your questions very well, as I'm new to all of this. But I have a keg at home I'm planning on turning into a keggle. I am planning on giving it the full norcal brewing treatment. Sight glass, thermometer, ball valve, dip tube and false bottom. In my mind, it all seems very useful.

 

[tracyk]

The ball valve and sight glass are great additives to your boil keggle, as I have them on mine. Bought them from Bargain Fittings. I do not have a temp probe on my boil keggle. We are just looking for the boiling point and not a certain set temperature. I do however have a temp probe on my keggle hot liquor tank in which I do need to know a more precise temperature. Hope this helps.

 

[mcfire12]

The ball valve and sight glass are great additives to your boil keggle, as I have them on mine. Bought them from Bargain Fittings. I do not have a temp probe on my boil keggle. We are just looking for the boiling point and not a certain set temperature. I do however have a temp probe on my keggle hot liquor tank in which I do need to know a more precise temperature. Hope this helps.

Thanks, I guess I was looking for a thermometer just to know if the wort is cool enough to pitch yeast or not. Do you have a dip tube on the other end of the ball valve? I'm trying to reduce running trub into my fermenter after cooling down. Not sure how to do this yet. If I need some kind of screen, false bottom, or just a dip tube that ends near the outside portion of the keg.

 

[Bandit-brewer]

I have a ball valve with dip tube. It picks up from the side of the keg not the middle so i leave the crud behind. Plus a thermometer so i know when im at pitching tmp. And a whirlpool port near the top that i use with a pump and immersion chiller to cool and clump everything together before transfer. I have all the ports on all three of my keggles.

 

[mcfire12]

Any site sponsors care to shoot me a price on everything I need to install a sight glass, and a ss ball valve with pickup tube? I think i've convinced myself that I should just keep checking temp with my stick thermometer. Unless anyone has reasons why an actual mounted thermometer would better serve me?

 

[dmcman73]

If you plan on installing a sight glass on your brew kettle, just keep in mind that you should make it so you can remember very the glass/plastic tube easily to clean, hops and other material can get jammed in there.

A ball valve at the bottom for draining is a plus. Thermometer is a good thing too, not for the boil part but for when your cooling. Another addition would be a whirlpool side pickup tube on your draining valve as well.

 

[mcfire12]

Even with a side pickup tube, aren't you going to suck a ton of trub into the fermenter using the ball valve rather then an auto siphon? I have never used a ball valve... Just have my keggle and run the auto siphon out. I'd really like to eliminate the auto siphon for this step though.

 

[dmcman73]

Even with a side pickup tube, aren't you going to suck a ton of trub into the fermenter using the ball valve rather then an auto siphon? I have never used a ball valve... Just have my keggle and run the auto siphon out. I'd really like to eliminate the auto siphon for this step though.

Not if you whirlpool like he said he does, all the trub settles in the center of the pot and the side pickup up is no where near it.

 

[Bobby_M]

We've got the nicest weld less bulkheads with integrated diptube you can buy.

 

[djonesax]

If you plan on installing a sight glass on your brew kettle, just keep in mind that you should make it so you can remember very the glass/plastic tube easily to clean, hops and other material can get jammed in there..

This is why I have not done this yet. When I get a chance I plan to calibrate a my SS spoon.

 

[dmcman73]

This is why I have not done this yet. When I get a chance I plan to calibrate a my SS spoon.

I actually just electro-etched lines on the inside wall of my kettle using instructions in the DIY, came out great and I don't need to use my paddle I had notched.

 

[Bobby_M]

The electro etching thing is really cool but it only works if you can see inside the kettle when you need to read the level. The other way to do it is to use our flex sight to get the liquid level visible outside the keg and then electro etch the gallon marks right next to the sight glass.

 

[ahariton]

I actually just electro-etched lines on the inside wall of my kettle using instructions in the DIY, came out great and I don't need to use my paddle I had notched.

^^^^THIS^^^^

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=463099