Completed new Keggle - tips for running off needed

[ApresSkiBrewer]

Hey Army.

Went to a Keggle, so I could economically go to 10 gallon batches. Went a little on the cheap... the three piece ball valve, thru wall, and boil screen and the keg (acquired legally) all set me back about 85-90$ total. (not including the stainless grinder wheels that we went through.) I am super happy w/ the end product.... but....

I have a 1/2" barb and 1/2" three piece ball valve, and was planning on running off the wort into my carboys on gravity alone, using 1/2" ID hose.

Needless to say on the first brew day, (belgain pale, 1.060, total 3oz hops for 10 gal) I had many issues with my economical boil screen clogging up w/ break and/or hop material. Does anyone else run off from a keggle w/ gravity alone and have any tips for me? I whirlpooled... and let it sit for about 25-30.... should I just wait a little longer and hope the trub compacts more and stays on the bottom? I'll definitely get a false bottom, or another filtering screen if there is a better one out there... but the screen I have clogged up so fast with the gummy break, I don't see this working w/o a pump.

I ended up having to constantly scrape at the screen to keep a flow going, and I still got a ton of trub etc into the fermentor, which I was hoping the larger kettle would remedy (another issue of mine in the past).

Anyway, and tips on successfully running off of a keggle just with gravity would be much apprecaited! And if its just a shitty idea, I'll buck up and get a pump if necessary.

Thanks 's.



Shitty photos of the keggle from *whispers*.....

[Whitebeard_Brewer]

Not sure how much help I'll be, but I use a false bottom in mine, and have never had a stuck run off.....but I am also using a pump,, never tried gravity....but I would vote for the pump option, plus it can be used to move strike water, and/or wort to the boil kettle.

[ApresSkiBrewer]

Thanks for the tip whitebeard, I know a pump is prob going to be the way to pull it through the muck/screen the best.... was hoping grav. would do the trick though.

btw - Just to clarify, this is running off that's getting stuck is post boil going to the fermentor. Its the trub/break material thats clogging my screen.

I have a bazooka T in my converted keg mashtun and (knock on wood) haven't had a stuck mash yet pulling off just w/ gravity. (good chance for my first one tomorrow w/ a Bavarian Weizen w/ 57% wheat malt)

[Lars]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllll, I've been using a keggle for years, and have rarely had a stuck runoff. My advice is to get rid of the bazooka screen and run a simple elbow pickup off to the side of the keggle. Right now whirlpooling does you no good as you are still picking up wort from the center of the keg.

[ApresSkiBrewer]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllll, I've been using a keggle for years, and have rarely had a stuck runoff. My advice is to get rid of the bazooka screen and run a simple elbow pickup off to the side of the keggle. Right now whirlpooling does you no good as you are still picking up wort from the center of the keg.

Ah ha. I like this, and can probably build it today. I figured as much w/ the whirlpool... I pretty much kept it in my process because, well, it was part of my routine. Lars, do you run off just w/ gravity, or with a pump?

[Lars]

I have used both, but usually use gravity. My Brutus is high enough to drain right into my 15 gallon fermenter.