The other alternative is to tip the kettle forward permanently and put the bottom drain as close to the front edge.
Kettles without Tri-clad for bottom drains?
- Thread starter BrunDog
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Anyone ever use a bottom draining kettle for eBIAB? I'm on the hunt for a new kettle that has all the features I want and just wondering if a kettle with a bottom drain makes sense/is practical for eBIAB.
OP
OP
It is IMO, but same supply constraints exist.
Would you pull from the bottom for recirculating and whirlpooling? Or would that possibly cause cavitation under the basket?
If you didn't pull from the bottom during recirculation and whirlpooling, you'd have some wort at the bottom that might not be getting mixed well.
How would you keep the basket in place with a sloped bottom?
Could you heat with an element?
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
no need for a basket vs a bag but they dont touch the bottom anyway so not sure how it would matter same deal with an element... should have no bearing on the bottom.
also you want the center area of the bottom to not have wort being pulled from it. Thats how whirlpooling normally works... the solids should be able to collect there in a cone. away from the offset drain near the edge where you collect the wort after the whirlpool to go into the fermenter.
OP
OP
Yes, that's true... for mashing the port should be in the middle, but for boiling/whirlpooling, you want it along the edge.
Do you know what the typical bottom slope is on these types of kettles? Will a basket with legs be stable?
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
the basket hangs from the top or from supports around the outside perimeter of the bottom as far as I know. the slopped bottom makes zero difference. Where is the basket going to go?
For full volume mashing, there is no difference between center and edge drains. The only reason it would be of any consequence is in a fly sparged mash tun. The false bottom still needs to keep the bag off the element so you'll have perfect flow for recirculation if you feel the need for it. I personally don't think it's important unless you're in the 15 gallon batch range, if the kettle is tall and skinny, or if you're in a cold and/or windy ambient environment.
My basket has legs to keep it off the element in a flat bottom kettle.
If the bottom of the kettle is sloped in a conical shape, the basket could get off kilter and end up resting on the element.
Think it would hurt anything to use a conical fermenter as a boil kettle? Spikes cf15 for instance. keep the bottom port as cleanout, port in the middle of the cone as heating element, temp probe where its at. Port where the sample valve goes as transfer port ( probably would need some sore of extended pickup tube.
OP
OP
Would be ok I guess! If mashing in it, there would be deadspace under if using a flat bottomed basket.
