Valve on a BIAB kettle with basket

[jjwild44]

Homebrewers,

I have just made the jump from extract to BIAB and looking to add a ball valve to my new kettle. This one to be exact Since I have the basket, there isn't much room between the kettle wall and basket, maybe 1.5" to 2". I also don't have much room from the top of the basket to where the lid sits, so i can't add feet to the basket. Based off my last batch, a nice Terrapin Rye clone, there was a ton of grain that got through my double lined 5-gal paint strainers. So next batch I'll try whirlpooling.

My question is, what would be the best coupling to fit my size limitations, but also help keep out all that gunk? (I do use a hop bag so that helps)

Valve:

I'm thinking either this or this.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Ahhh-smooth]

Why not just eliminate the basket to make more room? The right grain bag is very strong and basket is not much additional help. Maybe in lifting, but you can rig something to lift the bag directly if that is the issue.

 

[newnick]

Are you going to use the bulkhead kit?

 

[Foosier]

+1 on getting rid of the basket and getting a bag made of polyester voile fabric.

 

[jjwild44]

+1 on getting rid of the basket and getting a bag made of polyester voile fabric.

I'll probably just do that and get one of these awesome bags. http://biabbags.webs.com/ After seeing the strength test he showed holding 120 pounds of weight, that made the decision much easier.

Would there be any concerns with scorching the bag since it will be sitting on the bottom of the pot?

 

[jtratcliff]

I direct fire my kettle/mash tun regularly to bump the temp up if I lose heat too fast. Never had a scorching issue.

I do stove top BIAB, so I don't know if using 50,000 BTU burner has a different outcome.

But if you stir and only fire for brief periods, you should be ok.

 

[jjwild44]

Are you going to use the bulkhead kit?

Yes, I'll go with the bulkhead above with a 45* and side pickup like so

And when I get some more money, get it set up like this

 

[newnick]

You should be good to go. That type of setup allows you to adjust how high off the bottom of the pot your picking up from and allows your hole to be placed lower in the pot as well. I use a pot with a basket, but I have a simple 90 facing down just off the bottom of the pot. I use the basket and love it.

 

[jjwild44]

Say later on down the road, I might look into going electric. What could I use to prevent the heating elements from burning the bag?

 

[newnick]

A basket.

 

[wilserbrewer]

A false bottom.

Or nothing at all, just insulate the kettle and don't fire the element during the mash. Or constant stirring when the element is powered if you need to adjust mash temp a couple few degrees.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[RM-MN]

A false bottom.

Or nothing at all, just insulate the kettle and don't fire the element during the mash. Or constant stirring when the element is powered if you need to adjust mash temp a couple few degrees.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

This. I just did a 30 minute mash with only a towel wrapped around the pot (in my kitchen so it isn't out in the cold) and the temperature dropped 0.4 degrees F.

 

[calvey]

Don't forget that when you add a bulkhead the kettle will naturally only want to drain down to that level - even with a pickup tube - without help. A pump, of course, eliminates this if that is what you are going for. Otherwise, be sure to create your recipe and water amounts with that much 'dead space' in mind. I have a nice keg with pickup bulkhead and end up not using that most of the time when I do BIAB because I don't want to mess with the pump and don't want the 1.5 gallons or so of trub/wort left behind.

 

[newnick]

Don't forget that when you add a bulkhead the kettle will naturally only want to drain down to that level - even with a pickup tube - without help. A pump, of course, eliminates this if that is what you are going for. Otherwise, be sure to create your recipe and water amounts with that much 'dead space' in mind. I have a nice keg with pickup bulkhead and end up not using that most of the time when I do BIAB because I don't want to mess with the pump and don't want the 1.5 gallons or so of trub/wort left behind.

You might have an air leak. I can drag right down to the bottom of the kettle and bottling bucket with a 90 attached the spicket so it's about 1/16" off the bottom of either.