New Corney keg lids with thermowell

[schematix]

Seems like a good idea, although for what I expect this would cost i think there's a cheaper way to solve the problem and not add components.

 

[FunkedOut]

I never had an issue staying above the trub. I just bent the dip tube over to the side. I measured i'd leave about 600mL in the keg, most of which was slurry.

Same. Only I’m closer to 2L.
At 1.5L, I’d pick up slurry sometimes.

I bag my hops and leave almost all the break in the kettle.

 

[schematix]

Same. Only I’m closer to 2L.
At 1.5L, I’d pick up slurry sometimes.

I bag my hops and leave almost all the break in the kettle.

Good clarification. I don't rack more than a few tablespoons worth of trub from the BK. After BKO i chill and then let settle 30 minutes. I turn my BK dip tube to point up so i'm not in the sludge. I scrap the first few ounces from the BK. As the liquid level drops i turn the tube to stay submerged but above the trub line.

 

[Crysta Waston]

I'm going to buy a thermowell and had few doubt about this, but now It's clear due to you. Thanks.

 

[mcgimpkins]

If you are in a 10 gallon I may be able to make the thermowell a tad longer for you I just need to know the diameter of the keg is all.

Cheers
Jay

The 10 gallon corny kegs measure 13-1/8" W x 25-1/4" H. I regularly ferment 5.5-6 gallons in 10 gallon cornies with a spunding valve. I would be interested in a lid that had a thermowell going down about 12" to 14", if that is logistically feasible to fit into a keg that size.

 

[Jaybird]

here is what I would do if I was you to make sure. Since I don't have your keg or a keg like it here I would only be able to mock up a "SORT OF PLAN" But since you have the keg it should be easy. Take a 14" long stick and just hold it to the bottom of your lid and see if it will slid in the keg the way you have to hold the lid to insert it in the keg. Honestly I think being 13" Diameter you are not going to have any issues at all. But always better to take a look. PM if that doesn't make any sense and I will try and clarify.

Cheers
Jay

 

[MaCheFai]

@Jaybird I would love to see two posts built into the lid, so You can attach a coil to it and chill during fermentation! Due to the angle of opening/closing, maybe you could attach the coil with hoses and clamps to the posts?

 

[Jaybird]

@Jaybird I would love to see two posts built into the lid, so You can attach a coil to it and chill during fermentation! Due to the angle of opening/closing, maybe you could attach the coil with hoses and clamps to the posts?

We tried to go down that road a while back and 2 things stood in our way. A coil that would work. We don't personally make any. And real estate on the lid for everything needed to screw into it.

Cheers
Jay

 

[MaCheFai]

We tried to go down that road a while back and 2 things stood in our way. A coil that would work. We don't personally make any. And real estate on the lid for everything needed to screw into it.

Cheers
Jay

Yeah, real estate is hard to come by on there, totally get it. However, I coiled up a decent double run chiller with just under 50' that works pretty darn well: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUshRmxAO5k/ I based it off of the corny pillar by jaded:https://jadedbrewing.com/products/the-cornypillar

Now if I just had a couple posts on a lid! :/

 

[Thorrak]

@Jaybird - Do you think one of these could be created where the thermowell was attached to a (tiny) piece of silicone tubing to allow the thermowell to be angled slightly upon insertion into a keg? I’m thinking an inch or two of tubing welded onto the corney lid, clamped to an inch or so of silicone tubing, clamped to a long thermowell.

My thought is that something like this could be used for 2.5 gallon Zymatic ferments where the liquid level is more than halfway down a 5 gallon keg, thus requiring a long thermowell to get an accurate reading. The only remaining issue would be adding the same alongside some kind of solution for an airlock (though if silicone tubing and a clamp can hold a few PSI of pressure, I suppose a spunding valve could possibly work for that!)

 

[Jaybird]

@Jaybird - Do you think one of these could be created where the thermowell was attached to a (tiny) piece of silicone tubing to allow the thermowell to be angled slightly upon insertion into a keg? I’m thinking an inch or two of tubing welded onto the corney lid, clamped to an inch or so of silicone tubing, clamped to a long thermowell.

My thought is that something like this could be used for 2.5 gallon Zymatic ferments where the liquid level is more than halfway down a 5 gallon keg, thus requiring a long thermowell to get an accurate reading. The only remaining issue would be adding the same alongside some kind of solution for an airlock (though if silicone tubing and a clamp can hold a few PSI of pressure, I suppose a spunding valve could possibly work for that!)

Should work. Shoot me a "hand CAD" picture as a PM lets take a look.

Cheers
Jay

 

[leesmith]

Yeah, real estate is hard to come by on there, totally get it. However, I coiled up a decent double run chiller with just under 50' that works pretty darn well: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUshRmxAO5k/ I based it off of the corny pillar by jaded:https://jadedbrewing.com/products/the-cornypillar

Now if I just had a couple posts on a lid! :/

Any more progress on this chiller idea?

 

[MaCheFai]

Any more progress on this chiller idea?

Nah, unfortunately not. I ended up buying an SS Brewbucket, and drop it into a fridge with an inkbird. Working pretty well, with less clean up or anything touching my wort.

For the corny though, as I continued to explore options, it was a bit of a rabbit hole. Aside from the lid issue, I then had to come up with a cold water reservoir solution that kept the water continuously cold enough to regulate the wort temps. And I figured between the cost, potential leak issues and headache, a fridge was a simpler and better solution. Sorry, hope you're able to get it figured out. If it's any help, I ended up using my wine fridge, pictured in the back of the insta pic above. It's a dual temp fridge and I could fit a corny into each side with a blow off. Could get it down to the 30's on one side and high 60's on the other. Worked really well. Unfortunately, my brew bucket doesn't fit in it :/ Good luck!

 

[leesmith]

Nah, unfortunately not. I ended up buying an SS Brewbucket, and drop it into a fridge with an inkbird. Working pretty well, with less clean up or anything touching my wort.

For the corny though, as I continued to explore options, it was a bit of a rabbit hole. Aside from the lid issue, I then had to come up with a cold water reservoir solution that kept the water continuously cold enough to regulate the wort temps. And I figured between the cost, potential leak issues and headache, a fridge was a simpler and better solution. Sorry, hope you're able to get it figured out. If it's any help, I ended up using my wine fridge, pictured in the back of the insta pic above. It's a dual temp fridge and I could fit a corny into each side with a blow off. Could get it down to the 30's on one side and high 60's on the other. Worked really well. Unfortunately, my brew bucket doesn't fit in it :/ Good luck!

Would you mind sharing how you bent such a tight radius in the copper tubing? Did you fill it with sand to help prevent deforming the tubing? What size tubing did you use?

 

[MaCheFai]

Would you mind sharing how you bent such a tight radius in the copper tubing? Did you fill it with sand to help prevent deforming the tubing? What size tubing did you use?

No sand or water or anything. I just added a screw in a the top and threaded the pipe around it and twisted the pvc pipe round and round. When I got to the bottom, I just wound it back up on itself. I don't recall the size of the pipe, but it was likely 1.5". Was actually much easier than I thought it was going to be. Looking back, I wish I would have left more room between the pipes.

 

[Thorrak]

@Jaybird really delivered on the request I had for a custom “flexi-thermowell” for fermenting 2.5 gallon batches. Looking forward to testing it out!

 

[Jaybird]

Well how did it fit? Was it what you had visioned? Great picture!

Cheers
Jay

 

[Thorrak]

Well how did it fit? Was it what you had visioned? Great picture!

Cheers
Jay

It fit perfectly and was exactly what I envisioned. It's a good thing the IPA I brewed a few weeks back was a bust - I have an excuse to brew again soon and try it out!

 

[joeybeer]

That really is a great idea

 

[Murphys_Law]

I may have to order one of those custom flexi thingies! I am moving toward 3G batches and playing around with fermenting in the keg.

 

[steelbrew38]

@Jaybird: can you let me know how/if I can purchase the flexible thermowell corny keg lid? Have a 1.75 gallon keg and this would be perfect for fermentation temp control. I can’t seem to find ordering info...or if I can order at all!

 

[Jaybird]

@Jaybird: can you let me know how/if I can purchase the flexible thermowell corny keg lid? Have a 1.75 gallon keg and this would be perfect for fermentation temp control. I can’t seem to find ordering info...or if I can order at all!

Yeah that was a custom part. I can make you one too. I'll shoot you a PM on how to order here in a bit.

Cheers
Jay