• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

Added a brew-kettle port - Now have questions.

T

therobot

I just recently added a spigot to my brew kettle, with a copper pickup tube inside.  The copper did fine, but the solder that I used (which came in a tube, as a lead-free easy solder kit) turned a blue-green by the end of the brew when I was cleaning.  I've heard that this is a problem on copper, and can be toxic.  Has anyone had this happen on their pickup tube solder joints but not on the actual tubing itself?  Just trying to figure out if I should go for a different soldering material, or maybe compression fittings.

Also, I don't have a false bottom, so I put a piece of steel wool around the pickup tube to filter out the hops (I don't put them in bags.)  Anyone have any other suggestions that might work to ensure a good flow through the tube, with minimal trub in my primary?
 
therobot said:
...........I put a piece of steel wool around the pickup tube to filter out the hops (I don't put them in bags.) 

I used a s/s scrubby for the 2nd time yesterday and it was great.  I find it a great filter and doesn't slow the flow too much.  I was right at the batch volume and tilted the boiler slightly to reach the line in the carboy.  I do sanitize the nozzle and then let about 3-4 oz of wort drain into a cup before attaching the drain hose.  I just push the scrubby over the 1/2 inch coupler inside the boiler. 

On the other end, I use a siphon sprayer tip inside a fine mesh bag that is suspended down inside the carboy, but it hardly catches any hop bits now with the scrubby in place.  It's more for additional aeration on the transfer.
 
I think I'd forgo the port on my boil kettle if I did it over and just siphon.  I have 1/2" cu that Tees to female threads to brass barbs to ss mesh like in my MT.  This setup looks good, but sucks for pellet hops (which I only use out of occasional neccesity. 

I use lead free solder and sweat all my fittings.  I'm also thinking about pulling the barbs and going to Preston's hop system.
 
Back
Top