Optimal height

[Layne]

What would you consider the optimal height of the top of your kettles, if you were building a new brew stand?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Gravity or pump?

How tall are you?

How many kettles?

What fermenters?

Siphon or bottom drain?

What kind of kettles?

 

[wildwest450]

Gravity or pump?

How tall are you?

How many kettles?

What fermenters?

Siphon or bottom drain?

What kind of kettles?

Talk about answering a question with a question.

 

[arturo7]

^^^^
what they said

 

[Layne]

Pump(s)
6'1"
Ferment in cornys
3 kettles (maybe 2)
No bottom drain, standard valves and pick up tubes
15 g blichmanns

 

[cruelkix]

i put the bottom of my boil kettle a few inches higher than the top of my fermenters. I'm 6 foot. Works great.

 

[jtrainer]

How about looking at it from a different perspective... Top of the keggles just below ye ol arm pits...

You can reach in and grab your dip tube.... then again don't let the neighbors see that action either....

 

[Layne]

OK, kettles top just below arm pit is the highest.
Using a pump to transfer from BK to fermenter, so what would you consider lowest level and why?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

My pint is it all depends on how much gravity you plan to use in transfers. If you use pumps then you can go lateral and set the height to a bare minimum. For example whatever clearance you need above ground for burners, etc...

The lower the better in my opinion as it makes cleaning MUCH easier without having to move a vessel.

 

[Bensiff]

I have adjustable legs on my setup and I prefer to keep it low. Roughly the height is high enough that I can stir without bending over and low enough that I can bend my arms at the elbow to stir without shrugging.

 

[Randar]

My pint is it all depends on how much gravity you plan to use in transfers. If you use pumps then you can go lateral and set the height to a bare minimum. For example whatever clearance you need above ground for burners, etc...

The lower the better in my opinion as it makes cleaning MUCH easier without having to move a vessel.

Agree with all of this. And as someone who recently splashed boiling wort on my shoulder while stirring at shoulder height, lower is better! Allows you to better observe and doing things like stirring at a comfortable height will reduce the risk of accidental splashing/spilling.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

I think you want them low enough so you can reach the bottom of the kettles for cleaning without climbing on anything.

The only disadvantage to a low stand is bending over to adjust valves.