Keggle Help for Newbie

[clw2112]

Ok im brand new to this. Ive been wanting to get into brewing my own beer for a while now and just got a deluxe brewing kit for my birthday. I also have had an empty keg sitting in my shed for a couple of years now that i want to convert into my brew kettle since i really dont have one.

Im planning on buying a propane burner but not sure exactly what else i need. Ive read a lot of threads and instructions on how to go about the conversion but am still slightly confused.

It seems like everything i read shows installing a ball valve and sometimes a thermometer and sight gauge. What is really necessary? Do i need a false bottom or are the screens around the drain tube good enough?

Now im assuming that once the wort is cooled to the appropriate temperature i would use the ball valve to drain the kettle into my fermenter, right? If so shouldnt i hook some plastic tubing to the ball valve and how would i do this?

Does anyone sell a good, reasonably priced kit that would include everything i am going to need? I have looked around for a parts list or diagram showing all the parts and pieces but havent really had any luck.

Any help with this project or any information that would be good for a first time brewer to read that someone could direct me to would be greatly appreciated cause i am really excited to brew my first batch of beer.

 

[Dave258]

Go here.
He has everything you need. If you are using the keg as a boil kettle only, I would recommend atleast a ball valve with a hose barb, a dip tube to drain everything, and some silicone tubing.

Edit: A sight glass and thermometer aren't necessary, but you can use them if you like.

 

[ThreeRatBastards]

bargainfittings.com/has some good stuff for you should you choose to go weldless.
All I have in my keggle is a ball valve and a dip tube, i get by without any problems. from the ball valve I connect a piece of tubing that runs into my counterflow wort chiller.

 

[clw2112]

Ok so basically i need the Keg Weldless Bulkhead Kit including the ball valve and hose barb. That will get me through the keg wall and to a piece of tubing.

What do i want to connect to the bulkhead inside the keg, the drain tube? Whats kind should i go with, the center or side draw?

What keeps the sediment from clogging the tube? Ive read about different people using bazooka tubes or something or have their drain tube covered with wire mess. Is that for a different application?

Then if i want the sight glass and thermometer i would need a seperate hole through the keg wall to install that right? Also does the stem length of the thermometer make that much difference? What would you guys suggest?

 

[Dave258]

The dip tube is up to you. On my boil kettle I have a side draw. I try to whirlpool so all the hop junk collects in the middle, and drain from the side. I don't whirlpool that good, so I end up straining the wort into the bucket if it is a large hop bill. Some people use stainless steel scrubby pads to filter, but I have heard of those clogging too.
If you want a sight glass and thermo, you will need to drill a second hole. I bought the sight glass/thermo kit. I don't think the thermo stem length matters, as long as it is sitting in the wort. I have the 6 inch stem.

 

[klyph]

Do you use whole hops or pellet? The center dip tube with a scrubby works great for whole hops, but you'll want to whirlpool and use a side draw dip tube for pellet hops.

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

The length of the thermo stem really is dependent upon your brewing practice. In my case, shorter is better since I'm a haphazard, reckless stirrer and am constantly banging the brew spoon into the stem when stirring in my random adjuncts...

 

[Dave258]

The length of the thermo stem really is dependent upon your brewing practice. In my case, shorter is better since I'm a haphazard, reckless stirrer and am constantly banging the brew spoon into the stem when stirring in my random adjuncts...

I use a 1/2" copper pipe piece with a male threaded coupling to protect my thermo stem.

 

[buzzkill]

I have been brewing 10 gal at a time in my keggle for well over a year and I still dont have a ball valve installed. one day. I just use the auto siphon. to start all you need is to cut the top off,put on a burner and light it up. the rest can all be done later.

 

[clw2112]

Do you use whole hops or pellet? The center dip tube with a scrubby works great for whole hops, but you'll want to whirlpool and use a side draw dip tube for pellet hops.

What exactly do you mean by a scrubby? Where can i get one?

Im not sure what im gonna be working with, im trying to get ready for my first batch. I have a recipe kit and will probably be using recipe kits for a little while until i get the hang of this whole thing.

Also about how far off the bottom of the keg should the center of the bulkhead be? What about for the thermometer? I will probably be brewing 5gal batches for a while.

 

[klyph]

What exactly do you mean by a scrubby? Where can i get one?

I use one like this:

I just stick it over the end of my diptube which is in the center, but I use whole hops.

They also make them in stainless steel

They're called scouring pads.

Also about how far off the bottom of the keg should the center of the bulkhead be?

The outermost part of the bulkhead should be right where the bottom of the keg starts to curve. This will probably be the washer, so put it just high enough so that the whole thing can sit flat on the side, but as low as possible.

What about for the thermometer? I will probably be brewing 5gal batches for a while.

Same thing, as low as possible. Don't put anything above the holes in the skirt, as heat blasts up through them and will melt ball valve handles/thermometers.

 

[clw2112]

Would a bazooka tube be another option instead of the scrubby?

 

[juslod]

Would a bazooka tube be another option instead of the scrubby?

You could use a bazooka tube as well, but it may still get clogged up with hop pellets pretty bad.. A dip tube to the side and whirlpooling will do wonders, if you get a little bit of hop particle in the fermenter when draining it wouldn't hurt anything anyway

 

[Bobby_M]

Many ways to skin a cat. If you put most of your hops in a mesh bag, you really reduce a lot of sludge. If you use pellets, the odds of clogging the 1/2" siphon tube is very unlikely even if you don't bag any of them. If you want to use leaf hops, bag em. Don't worry about hops leaving the kettle unless you use a CFC or plate chiller.

 

[megalomani]

the mesh bags i have seen at the LHBS are available in two sizes and are about a dollar each. I would like a cheaper solution and larger variety of sizes.

It looks like tube gauze that just has been cut to length and sewn shut on one end. If available in large rolls could just tie each end shut with each desired length.

anyone know where to get this stuff in bulk for a reasonable price?

 

[itsme6582]

CLW: I'm right where you are. Maybe what I've come up with can help you. Bargain fittings seems to be unbeatable with pricing. I've decided no to go with a false bottom, sight glass, or thermometer. The false bottom only seems to be effective with whole hops, they are expensive, and there are other simple methods that will accomplish a similar result. I just don't really see the need for a sight glass. A thermometer isn't going to tell me much either. Who knows though. After using it a few times I might find the need for one or the other.

I'm going to use the Welded keg bulkhead kit, with a 2-piece ball valve, and barb fitting. I'm also going to pick up a few feet of the silicone tubing to help me direct flow to my fermentor and away from my driveway. I'm going to solder the the coupling rather than weld it or use a weldless kit.

Inside, I'm going to use the side pickup tube. Whirlpooling should be able to keep most of the hops and break out of my fermentor.

I've found a few really nice videos on Youtube to guide me with the build. I've got a [ame="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=40264571DF6C6DD1"]playlist of the keggle videos[/ame] I found to be the most helpful. There's info on where to drill your hole, how to cut off the top, and how to create a dimple and then solder the coupler to the wall. There's tons more info here, on HBT, about all of these techniques.

One video is from Bobby M, who has already chimed in I see, there series is from Yuri, and I bet the last video is from another HBT member.

 

[tippetsnapper]

Doesn't he need to drill holes in the keg rim for safety?

 

[itsme6582]

I forgot about the exploding keg. I wonder if I can pull up that video.

...can't find the video but here's a thread on it. Maybe there's a link to the video somewhere in the thread.

Make sure there are holes in the skirt of your keg. If there are no holes, drill some of your own.

 

[megalomani]

I have only done 1 batch so far with my keggle and now understand why people add thermometers and sight glass. 7 gallons of wort in 15 gallon keg leaves a lot of head space full of steam. Couldn't tell when it was boiling much less when I hit my target volume.

Yes you do need to drill holes in the tube part of the skirt. See the sticky about exploding kegs.