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What are you guys using/where did you get it? And do you use one in your kettle and mash tun?

The reason I ask is because I am in the process of building a single tier, 3 keg setup and I am trying to figure out what to put in each keg. I figured I would bypass experimenting on my own and going with what others with experience have already done

I have gone with a number of versions, but it really depends on what you want to use for hops/chiller. I built a hybrid that is perfect for my electric set-up. I'll try to get some pics when I get back home.

I'm guessing I will be going with either a counter flow or plate chiller and will use both whole leaf and pellet hops.

I'm thinking a folding false bottom for my mash tun, and maybe a ss mesh tube or something for the kettle. Anyone have any wiser advice?

The ss tubing with slots that liverdance and I use in the mash tun is ok, but can get blocked and/or run slow. In speaking with John G, he uses a SS braided tube with coiled wire inside to keep it from crushing, and he has great results. That sounds like a good way to go. In ou kettle, we have nothing, but are looking to put something in line.

Pellets are hell on mesh in the kettle. I did not have much success with that even when I was gravity cooling. With the pump for re-circing, it totally plugged a large surface area mesh hopstopper. BTW, I have lots of SS screen if you need any. My new design is something like the Blichmann model, except bigger and better.

http://www.blichmannengineering.com/hop ... ocker.html

Thanks for the info.

Is there a downside to using something like this for the kettle? Along with some type of ss mesh filter on the drain tube?

I've seen that design many times, and a lot of people swear by it. But occasionally, I hear from somebody who doesn't quite care for the design on really hoppy beers. Maybe Steve Trickett at NG....

Good to know...though I am not sure how many hoppy brews I will be doing!

You WILL be brewing hoppy beers. At least once.

mr x wrote:You WILL be brewing hoppy beers. At least once.

....possibly...

But really though, I don't want to be limited on what I can brew based on my filter choice.

I use a pick up tube. This one http://morebeer.com/view_product/10072/ ... oil_Kettle

Although, I've gone back to using hop socks tho' if I give it a good stir, the majority of the break material settles to the center. I'll probably experiment with a hose braid on the end of the pick up tube one of these days, but hop socks are cheap and its easier to get the spent hops out of the keggle afterwards.

Check out this thread, I love that the guy is using a keg top for the false bottom. I'm gonna rig one of these up for my system when I start using a keg for the mashtun. I'm still trying to figure out how I could use this idea in the kettle too. I knew I was hanging on to those tops for a reason

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cut-keg ... om-192413/

Yeah, if anybody wants 2 tops, just let me know.

LiverDance wrote:Check out this thread, I love that the guy is using a keg top for the false bottom. I'm gonna rig one of these up for my system when I start using a keg for the mashtun. I'm still trying to figure out how I could use this idea in the kettle too. I knew I was hanging on to those tops for a reason

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cut-keg ... om-192413/

Yeah, I browse those forums quite frequently and saw that..however, I planned on using my keg tops as lids by welding a few washers to the edges so they sit in place.

This place his fairly cheap false bottoms, I might end up ordering from them.
http://climaxhomebrew.com/index.php?mai ... ducts_id=2

When I built my single tier setup, I started with the false bottoms from Sabco for both my mash tun and kettle. Their bottom worked like a charm for the MT but I found too much trub and hot break material getting by it in the kettle during drain out.
I switched my Sabco false bottom in the kettle out with the Hop Blocker from Innovative Homebrew Solutions, link below, and it works wicked good.

http://www.brew-magic.com/ketl_acc_falsebtm.html

http://www.ihomebrewsolutions.com/index ... &Itemid=64

I think I may go with the hop blocker. I've seen a few posts on homebrewtalk.com from people who have used those and seem to be happy. It's good to hear from someone who has experience with both though!

I can get you the SS screen, ss tubing and 1/2" od fittings for that if you want to make one yourself.

mr x wrote:I can get you the SS screen, ss tubing and 1/2" od fittings for that if you want to make one yourself.

That would be wicked! I was actually just on this site checking out the DIY for one of these. I would definitely be interested in getting the materials for making one.

Edit: I will have a welded 1/2" coupler in my keg for the drain, so a male fitting for the drain would be perfect

http://www.homebrewchatter.com/board/sh ... -Pickup%29

That's the exact screen I made, and even bought the screen from WOP31 over at hombrewchatter.com. I'll bring that version up for you to look at too. Maybe next Sunday or Monday?

Where are you located? I live in Moncton from Sunday evening to Thursday at suppertime, and I am in Halifax the rest of the time.

I travel back and forth between Halifax and new Glasgow on odd days. But I am in town next Sunday if you want to swing by the house and take a look at what I have.

Sunday works for me. I will give you a shout on the weekend to setup a time.

453-9204 home
759 2122 cell
752 8461 ext 214 work

Rob - If you can spare it, I'd like to grab some of that screen from you as well. I'd like to make a back up unit.

I have enough ss screen for North America.

Plus, I also have some really neat double woven titanium mesh if anybody ever wants to experiment.