I have brewed 40 gallons of lagers with this method and I'm very happy with the results, that said the points made above I also believe are key, so go for it and good luck.
I went through the exact same thing as the OP. I switched to Accuflex Bev-Seal Ultra beer line and have never looked back, it really works great. I believe I ordered mine from farmhouse brewing but you can probably find it anywhere. There are a few posts on here about it if you try a search for...
I did almost the same thing as you, I had npt couplers and the elements threaded in very hard so I ended up ordering a weldless nps set up and the element treads easily into it and then just snug it down onto the seal. Hope this helps
Water heater elements are a straight thread and your npt coupler has tapered threads so they will go together hard, so if you are having your fittings welded on I would try to find a straight threaded coupler I believe they are referred to as nps
Totally agree with the foreign companies gutting the economy, and sadly it's happening every day, I didn't really look at it that way. Hope all the best for the employees.
I say wait and see what happens to the quality before you automatically shun the brand. They make some good beers and they said the same brew staff will remain on and they seemed optimistic about the future of the brand. My wife and I meet one of the proprietors and his wife one night at a...
Well the Hoppy Homestead APA turned out really well, much less bitter than I accepted based off the AA% I guesstimated off of when I made the recipe so it came out very balanced with a nice aroma that the fresh hops had when rubbed in my hand and the flavor is exactly like the smell. The hop...
Welcome to the hobby from south central Washington (Goldendale), and best of luck. You've come to the right place for a wealth of information, it has been invaluable for me and I'm sure it will be for you as well. Cheers🍻