Design Question

[jtp137]

Thinking of building a 3 gallon test system with a 1500 w element decided on 3 gallon because I dont think I will be able to boil 5 gallons on 1500 w. Anyway want to buy concord pot with strainer basket. How do you keep the strainer basket from touching the element?

 

[Weezy]

I'm assuming you're going to do BIAB if your planning on using the basket? If so, and you're handy, you can cut off the bottom few inches of the basket and invert it in the pot to keep the bag of the bottom and out of the drain valve.

You could consider an induction cooker as well.

 

[McKnuckle]

The Avantco 3500W induction unit rocks. That's my main rig for indoor brewing. I brew 2.5 or 3 gallon batches on it, boiling between 4-5 gallons. No elements to fuss with, avoid from scorching bags, or break. I have brewed 5 gallon batches on it a couple of times, no problem.

I use BIAB with a recirculating mash, using a pickup tube and pumping back up through the lid of my kettle. I keep the bag off the bottom and out of the pickup tube with an inexpensive stainless rack from Amazon.

The Avantco is cool because it has a variety of temp and wattage settings. It's not super precise temp control, but it does let you maintain a mash temp with only minor babysitting. After using propane burner and 110V heat sticks, it's by far the best brewing experience I've had.

 

[TexasWine]

Thinking of building a 3 gallon test system with a 1500 w element decided on 3 gallon because I dont think I will be able to boil 5 gallons on 1500 w. Anyway want to buy concord pot with strainer basket. How do you keep the strainer basket from touching the element?

FWIW, I just helped a buddy make a 6 gallon batch (into fermenter) with a single 1500 watt element. Worked just fine. Insulated the kettle with a sleeping bag to minimize heat losses.

And there's no need to keep the bag off the element if you don't turn the element on during the mash! With a batch size as small as you describe, I would just put it in a warm oven to hold temps. I've done that plenty of times in the past.

However, if you're planning on going the route of a recirculating eBIAB system with a controller, pump and all that jazz, I think the easiest thing to do is get one of those nifty BIAB false bottoms from Brew Hardware. If you don't want to do that, then put some bolts through the bottom of steamer basket, hold them in place with some nuts and washers, and they'll function like legs.

Random question, but what is the height:diameter ratio if that Concord pot you're looking at? That was my one beef with some of their offerings. Many were short and fat, but I wanted tall and skinny.

 

[waverz]

I'm assuming you're going to do BIAB if your planning on using the basket? If so, and you're handy, you can cut off the bottom few inches of the basket and invert it in the pot to keep the bag of the bottom and out of the drain valve.

You could consider an induction cooker as well.

I like this idea. I really want to have the return from my pump go into the side of the kettle so I was thinking about ditching the basket and getting a false bottom. It turns out I already have the false bottom, it just needs to be cut off the bottom of the basket. :rockin:

I like the idea of having the basket to help remove the bag but for small batches it probably isn't worth having.

 

[Bailey_Brew]

Take a look at this thread and the referenced thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=544797&page=2

The approach is to put feet on the basket and trim the top so it fits. I don't have access to a machine ship, so I used SS bolts for the feet. I do see a little contact corrosion. Concord kettles and over-the-counter SS bolts must not be made from the same stuff.

 

[waverz]

Take a look at this thread and the referenced thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=544797&page=2

The approach is to put feet on the basket and trim the top so it fits. I don't have access to a machine ship, so I used SS bolts for the feet. I do see a little contact corrosion. Concord kettles and over-the-counter SS bolts must not be made from the same stuff.

I've already modified the handle of the basket so the lid will now fit with the basket resting above the element. I was going to use stainless screws as legs. The only problem I see is by using the basket I am forced to have the return from the pump go through the lid instead of the side of the kettle.

Ideally I would like to keep the lid free of plumbing so it's not tethered to the pump. Now that I think about it I could build a plumbing fixture that hangs over the edge of the pot and just notch out the lid where the plumbing hangs.

That way the lid is untethered and I could just remove the piece that goes over the top when I need to pull the basket.