I've got a 10g Spike Brewing boil kettle and had been using a bazooka tube, a counter-flow chiller and a pump. The kettle only has one flow port, so I was just hanging the return tube over the kettle when was running boil wort through the CFC and pump to sanitize them. I was able to get kind of a whirlpool to happen.
Then I decided to do a real whirlpool. I talked to the guys at Spike Brewing and they were happy to weld on a new port for me for only $30. That was a great deal except for one thing... I live in Seattle and shipping would be $30 each way.... so despite their offer and my unwillingness to drill my kettle for a weld-less option, I decided to get a whirlpool arm.
But I couldn't find a commercially available WP Arm. So I looked around for DIY WP arms. I found this post for building a copper one. It's pretty nice, but I like stainless better. Then I found this post. This looked just like what I wanted. Long-short, here's what it looks like:
The only difference from the original bill of materials was that the guys at Stainless Brewing have added stainless racking cane that is pre-bent to make it a whirlpool arm. Also, their standard whirlpool Racking Cane arm is too tall for my 10g pot, so in the order I asked that they make it only 16" tall (after bending). they were super cool about it.
Here's the updated BoM:
So, for under $50 in parts I'm pretty happy with the setup. Now I have to brew some more beer.
Cheers!
/Smokey
Then I decided to do a real whirlpool. I talked to the guys at Spike Brewing and they were happy to weld on a new port for me for only $30. That was a great deal except for one thing... I live in Seattle and shipping would be $30 each way.... so despite their offer and my unwillingness to drill my kettle for a weld-less option, I decided to get a whirlpool arm.
But I couldn't find a commercially available WP Arm. So I looked around for DIY WP arms. I found this post for building a copper one. It's pretty nice, but I like stainless better. Then I found this post. This looked just like what I wanted. Long-short, here's what it looks like:
The only difference from the original bill of materials was that the guys at Stainless Brewing have added stainless racking cane that is pre-bent to make it a whirlpool arm. Also, their standard whirlpool Racking Cane arm is too tall for my 10g pot, so in the order I asked that they make it only 16" tall (after bending). they were super cool about it.
Here's the updated BoM:
- 1 x Beam Clamp ($1.76)
- 1 x 1/2" MPT x 1/2" tubing compression fitting ($13.01)
- 1 x 1/2" Camlock Type A ($3.55)
- 1 x 1/2" Stainless Whirlpool Racking Cane (12.00)
- 1 x 1" piece of 1/2" ID silicone tubing
- Teflon tape
- 1 x 1/2" Stainless comp x 1/2" MPT Bore through ($14.36)
- 1 x 1/2" Stainless 135 Degree Tube Bend ($4.79)
So, for under $50 in parts I'm pretty happy with the setup. Now I have to brew some more beer.
Cheers!
/Smokey
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