New Brew Kettle

[Brew Engineer]

I put a weldless valve on my turkey cooker (aluminum) I used a step bit on my drill and it was very easy.

Brewby, did you do anything special to clean up the hole after you drilled? File, etc?


(Asshat time): I said "clean up the hole" hehehe

[Brew Engineer]

So, I used my new brew kettle last weekend, and I've got another batch ready for Sunday. I also got a ball valve and installed it. Full Boil like a champ!!!




How do I clean/sanitize the valve? Can I just run StarSan through it to clean it, and will the heat of the hour + boil sanitize?

[Burners]

I sanitize, just in case, then boil the shit out of it.

Nice find - I have the exact same turkey roaster - bloody thing cost me over $100 becasue of the crappy Aus dollar + shipping from US.

Anyway, Im going to move onto a 50L Keg/kettle.
I "found" 3 kegs the other day, so good times.

[beer_bear]

When I got mine assembled, I just boiled water and dish soap for about 10 min. When I rinsed that out, I boiled regular water for about an hour. I did it on a gas stove at work so as not to waste propane. I figured that if anything was going to come off of the valve or fittings, it would have done it during the long boil and not in my beer.

[johnc66]

So, I used my new brew kettle last weekend, and I've got another batch ready for Sunday. I also got a ball valve and installed it. Full Boil like a champ!!!

Glad to see this, did you have any issues with leaks because of the aluminum?

JC

[Brew Engineer]

Well, first I brewed in the new pot. Then, after I cleaned up, I installed the ball valve, so I haven't brewed with the valve. I did boil water for 1/2 hour and didn't see any leaks. The real test will be this weekend (if I can make time to brew Sunday).

My real question involves cleaning between batches. What do I need to do to the valve to clean & sanitize after brewing? The valve doesn't disassemble. Will running cleaning solution through the valve be sufficient to clean out the wort and crap?


While I'm here typing: I want to convert my old partial boil kettle to a HLT (5 ga) and buy a cooler for a mash tun and go all grain (eventually building a sculpture in the garage). For batch sparging, which works better (is there a difference) between a full false bottom screen and a braided tube? Preferences?? Cooler preferences? What's the benefit of cooler shape for batch sparging?

Thanks guys!!!

[DannyW]

What's the benefit of cooler shape for batch sparging?

A wider, shallower cooler is easier to stir when batch sparging, and less likely to compact when draining the bed dry.

Manifolds and SS braids seem to work equally as well. False bottom probably would too, if you could find a rectangular one.

[bub]

For batch sparge minimal to no difference... for fly the false bottom is better to prevent channeling.
BUB