Conflicted on recirculation port location for custom ebiab kettle

[dqbco89]

I’m currently working on designing a custom ebiab kettle that I plan to buy from Spike and am very conflicted about how to rig up the recirculation return. Having spent a fair amount of time reading various build threads, it seems to me that the options fall into three broad categories, each having its own advantages and tradeoffs:

1. Recirculation port in the lid: I really like the design below from Metzen. But I’ve heard some people in other threads say that it can be annoying to have to have the lid on to recirculate/run the pump (see, e.g., here). I’d be interested to hear from others what they like/don’t like about recirculating through the lid.

2. Recirculation port on the side toward the top of the kettle: I really like the design below from jmrybak. But I’ve read others say that recirculating through the side can interfere with the bag/basket (FWIW, I plan to start with a Wilser bag and false bottom. But I’m toying with the idea of switching to a mesh basket at some point).

3. Recirculating over the top of the kettle but not through the lid: I like this design from TexasWine.

It seems simple and effective, but you can’t fully close the lid—does this really matter, since recirculating should hold the mash temp constant anyway? I’ve also seen that some people just lay the tubing back on top of the mash, which seems by far to be the simplest option--any drawbacks of just doing that?

I’d be interested to hear others’ thoughts on the tradeoffs involved in these various design options.

(P.S., sorry for posting other people's pictures--I just really like all of your designs!)

 

[trav77]

I recirc through the lid with a setup almost identical to your pics in #1. Works very well. I set the locline arm just below the surface of the mash and it results in very even temperature control and very clear wort. I usually lauter by diverting the pump output before pulling the grain bag.

Maybe the only annoyance can be that if you want to take the lid off, sometimes having wort in the locline can be messy. I put a plastic hose clamp on the tube just upstream of the lid fitting, so I can at least pinch it off and shake out the locline before trying to set the lid elsewhere.

I have never tried recircing over the lip. Probably wouldn't cause huge fluctuations in temperature but I'm happy with #1.

 

[trav77]

On the port through the side option... I think that would be the least favourable as you'd have to wrangle the bag below it. Depending on your setup getting it out might be tricky.

Regardless of the position, I'd also highly recommend one of the BIAB false bottoms like pictured in #3. I got mine from BrewHardware. It helps a) support the mash against the suction caused by recircing and b) keeps it off the element (if you intend to fire the element with a controller to maintain mash temp).

 

[mj1angier]

My 10 gal pot that I got used came with a port at the top and an over the rim set up. When I mash I use the over the rim set-up. when I boil, I move it to the top port to whirlpool.

So if that works for you, get the top port ant the the over the rim setup

 

[Nmnbrewer]

I’m a recirculation tube over the top of the kettle and sitting on the top of the mash guy. Easy peazy and allowed me to maximize the diameter of the basket I had made. This allows me to easily do 5 gallon batches in my 20 gallon kettle without concern about mash consistency.View attachment 565883

 

[wilserbrewer]

On the port through the side option... I think that would be the least favourable as you'd have to wrangle the bag below it. Depending on your setup getting it out might be tricky.

).

I’ve actually made quite a few bags with the side seam left open for a distance to accommodate side ports.

The opening is cinched up under the port, then the bag is secured over the kettle rim with the drawstring and cord lock.

Works pretty well, reports from users have been favorable.

 

[ingchr1]

I have mine in the lid. Switch to the whirlpool port after mash. Here's my build thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...11-gallon-bayou-classic-with-boilcoil.643196/

Wanted to share the build I just completed. It's a 11 gallon (44 quart) Bayou Classic with BoilCoil. I'm using a 13" Brewhardware (@Bobby_M) false bottom. It's a tight fit to get it past the top rib on the kettle, but it does fit. To clear the BoilCoil I used 120mm long bolts along with mounting them using nuts and washers. This places the false bottom at ~ the 3 gallon mark. I also mounted it upside down so I can utilize the center nut to lift it in/out. I'll need to remove it for the immersion chiller. If I didn't already have the BoilCoil I would have gone with a TC element.

For control I'm using a Brew Boss that I rebuilt into a panel. The thread on that is here: Brew Boss Rebuild. The temperature probe is under the false bottom, above the element.

I also utilized a Spincycle submerged whirlpool from Brewhardware. I'll connect to this port following mash recirc. This is also under the false bottom. Everything being below the false bottom allows me to easily lift it in/out.

I have a weldless TC port in the lid. This is for mash recirc, then steam condensing during the boil. The steam condenser is covered in the Boil Kettle Condenser thread in this post: Condenser Post. Thanks @BrunDog for coming up with the idea.

I haven't brewed a batch yet, but the wet run went very well.

Here's the recirc. The temperature probe in the tee is for indication only, no control. It's parts that I already had. During my test run it read ~1 degree lower than the control probe in the kettle.
View attachment 552856 View attachment 552855 View attachment 552858

Here's inside the kettle. The pickup is a street that I cut the threads off of.
View attachment 552852 View attachment 552853 View attachment 552851

The bag is from Wilser (@wilserbrewer).
View attachment 552854

Condenser Setup
View attachment 552857

Control Panel
View attachment 552849

 

[h22lude]

I had mine welded like option 2. I bought this (https://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/Tri-Clover-Straight-Tube-Connect-1.5-x-1.5-x-.5.html) for mashing. I attach tubing to it and use locline. I created a mash cap using a SS pizza pan. The locline is underneath and it rests on top of the wort. I put my bag around it like the 5th picture.

Before that I had it in my lid and hated it. I would get wort everywhere when I took the lid off. I would highly recommend side welded and not in the lid.

 

[NTexBrewer]

Here are some pictures of my system. I go over the top. My first brew pot was an aluminum turkey fryer that is the same diameter. I drilled a notch into the aluminum lid to fit around the loc line. Like others have pointed out I also have a whirlpool arm that I switch the recirculating pump to during the boil. You can see the port in the first picture. Many 3 vessel recirculating mash tuns just use a tube either through a port or clamped to the side. I’ve seen some with a cork float. My friend uses a soup ladle that he recirculates into so it evenly spills over the sides. Think of a hop spider but instead of the hop bag he has the soup ladle.

I like using the loc line because it is easy to adjust the height since I brew different size batches and water and grain volumes always vary based on grain bill, boil length etc.

 

[Dr.Peanuts]

excellent！

 

[NTexBrewer]

https://www.exchilerator.com/product/the-hangover/

Just saw this in BYO magazine.

May be an option

 

[dqbco89]

Thanks for all the feedback! Based on the responses, I'm leaning toward going over the top--it seems to be the cheapest/easiest option, and it also avoids the spilling problem of going through the lid and the potential bag/basket interference issue of going through the side. Are there any drawbacks to just going over the top that I'm missing?

 

[Nmnbrewer]

Thanks for all the feedback! Based on the responses, I'm leaning toward going over the top--it seems to be the cheapest/easiest option, and it also avoids the spilling problem of going through the lid and the potential bag/basket interference issue of going through the side. Are there any drawbacks to just going over the top that I'm missing?

Not that I have found. My overall efficiency has always held steady and I can run the pump flat out keeping temps consistent throughout the mash. Easy cleanup and less equipment are definitely nice.

 

[h22lude]

Thanks for all the feedback! Based on the responses, I'm leaning toward going over the top--it seems to be the cheapest/easiest option, and it also avoids the spilling problem of going through the lid and the potential bag/basket interference issue of going through the side. Are there any drawbacks to just going over the top that I'm missing?

Only problem is the lid won't fully close. Not a huge issue but that will let out some heat. Not a huge issue if you recirculate.

 

[mj1angier]

It's a bit of a pain to take off the triclamps when they are warm/hot but other than that it works ok