False bottom on sanke keg?

[luv2brw]

I have a converted sanke keg and am finding that whirlpooling isn't working well for me. I have a march pump I use to recirculate the last 15 minutes of the boil and am using an immersion chiller to cool. After I hit my pitch temp I have been pulling the IC out and continue to let the march pump circulate for about 5 minutes to create the whirlpool without the obstruction of the IC. I'll turn off the March pump and let sit for 15 minutes but still there's really not a good cone. I have even by hand created the whirlpool so that it would be faster than what the march pump can do and still not a good cone. I'm thinking I should get a good false bottom but am not too sure how well they work in the boil kettle. I always use pellet hops and get a pretty good cold break (with my IC chilling takes about 13 minutes) and also use whirflock tablets, so there is quite a bit of trub. Will all that trub clog a good false bottom with the march pump pulling it to the fermenter? I was looking at this false bottom http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/abt-large-hole-false-bottom-1-2-hole-no-elbow.html By the way I do 5 gallon batches. Thanks for any help/suggestions.

 

[IrregularPulse]

A much cheaper solution if to use a center pickup tube with a SS Scrubbie around it. Just in case you hadn't though of it yet. That what i do in my keggle. The SS Scrubbie filters all hop material even from pellet hops.

 

[azscoob]

I moved my pickup tube from the center to the side of the keggle, I also use a SS scrubbie that I clamp on the tube with a SS clamp. It works great for filtering out the trub and a good bit of the break material as well. I found that the scrubbie plugged up when I had it in the center, but only when doing 10 gal batches. no issues anymore since moving to the side though.

 

[Desert_Sky]

and thats another reason I cant stand brewing with keggles.

 

[agroff383]

I just put a commerical kitchen strainer in my fermenter bucket, sanitized of course, put the keggle on some blocks and open the spout. The strainer strains out hops and break and helps to aerate the wort as it goes into the fermenter bucket. Pitch my yeast and done. But I just put the hops right in the keggle I don't use another bag.

 

[1brAPTbrewer]

hey azscoob, do you have any pictures of your pickup tube on the side? I have a keg I am getting ready to convert and I am checking out my options. thanks

 

[azscoob]

hey azscoob, do you have any pictures of your pickup tube on the side? I have a keg I am getting ready to convert and I am checking out my options. thanks

I have a few pics on the computer at home, I can PM them to you tonight if you like.

 

[1brAPTbrewer]

That would be great. My brother is a welder so the fabrication would be the easy part. Just trying to figure out which route to go seems to be the difficult part.