Keggle Hot Break

[Morkin]

I've been All Grain brewing for about 2 years now. I just went to all keggle setup (nearly) and had a quick question.

I just used a step drill to drill a drain in my keggle. I used to transfer the cooled wort via pitcher to my fermentor (Don Osborn way) or just siphon to my fermentor.

Anyways, just installed a ball valve on my keggle so that I can drain my wort into the fermenters with ease. But this got me thinking, won't this illuminate the benifits of the hot break? Since all of this material sinks to the bottom of the boil kettle when cooled, and I'm draining from the bottom, what is the point of the ball valve? Or am I overthinking this? I surely don't want the hot break in my fermenter.... Would a screen help?

 

[Ace_Club]

Where did you locate the ball valve?

Most of the time, the ball valve is located as low as possible on the side wall of the keg. This means it still is above the concave bottom. Most people add a pickup tube of some sort to aid in creating a siphon. However, for the kettle, since you want to leave behind the trub and stuff, you would use a side pickup and have it located such that it is above the trub level. You can also install a screen on the end to help filter out the material.

 

[Morkin]

It's located near the bottom, probably leaves in about half gallon of wort or water before it drains into the valve. I guess a false bottom would probably be best for this and install it above the valve?

 

[Ace_Club]

It's located near the bottom, probably leaves in about half gallon of wort or water before it drains into the valve. I guess a false bottom would probably be best for this and install it above the valve?

I think a side pickup tube would be the best. I have one in my keggle, and that in conjunction with a hop spider result in almost zero pickup of the trub and cold break material.

If you get a pickup tube and still find a lot of transfer to the fermenters, you can always add a stainless scrubbie to the end of the pickup tube to aid in filtering of the wort.

 

[Catt22]

It's located near the bottom, probably leaves in about half gallon of wort or water before it drains into the valve. I guess a false bottom would probably be best for this and install it above the valve?

I use a center mounted dip tube with a FB in my BK. Very little debris makes it to the fermenter. The center pickup has in no way been a problem.