twd000
Well-Known Member
I have a 10-gallon Rubbermad mash tun and a 7.5-gallon stainless kettle. The kettle is really too small for full 7-gallon boils, and getting the mash temp set and stabilized is a bit of a Rube Goldberg enterprise with a heatstick.
So I'm looking to build an electric keggle out of a 1/2-barrel keg, and hoping there would be a way to use it for the heat source throughout all three steps - heating strike and sparge water, maintaining mash temp (and allowing step mashes) and boiling.
I have a Ranco controller and plenty of wiring and plumbing experience. I have a copper immersion chiller that I use post-boil. I currently collect 1st mash runnings in 6-gallon buckets, and would continue to do so, since the "boil keggle" would not be freed up until sparging is complete.
Is there a 240V electric element size that would be suitable for both heating strike water and boiling? Is is the energy density requirement too different?
Could I somehow leave my immersion chiller in the keggle full-time and use it was a HERMS during mashing, and for chilling post-boil?
So I'm looking to build an electric keggle out of a 1/2-barrel keg, and hoping there would be a way to use it for the heat source throughout all three steps - heating strike and sparge water, maintaining mash temp (and allowing step mashes) and boiling.
I have a Ranco controller and plenty of wiring and plumbing experience. I have a copper immersion chiller that I use post-boil. I currently collect 1st mash runnings in 6-gallon buckets, and would continue to do so, since the "boil keggle" would not be freed up until sparging is complete.
Is there a 240V electric element size that would be suitable for both heating strike water and boiling? Is is the energy density requirement too different?
Could I somehow leave my immersion chiller in the keggle full-time and use it was a HERMS during mashing, and for chilling post-boil?