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Author Topic: Pickup tube in boil kettle  (Read 12317 times)

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Pickup tube in boil kettle
« on: March 21, 2012, 11:05:56 am »
I have a converted sankey keg as my boil kettle. I currently use a sure screen and hop spider to help keep things clean going into the chiller and carboy.

I am thinking about putting a pickup tube on the kettle so I dont find myself trying to fill the carboy with one arm and tilt the keg with the other to get that gallon plus of wort out of there.(also in the HLT but thats easy). I run kettle to chiller to pump back to kettle or into carboy.

My question is, do any of you have experience with using a pickup tube on the kettle? Can you filter it somehow before it exits the kettle. Is this even an issue with the break material at the bottom? Can you cut the pickup tube somehow to avoid the break material?
Thanks!
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline beer_crafter

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2012, 04:08:21 pm »
I use a pickup tube that goes to the edge of the kettle.  I only use pellet hops and when I am done chilling, I do a 15-20 minute whirlpool to get all of the trub to the center of the kettle.  Works great.  I have never tried this with leaf hops, but if I had to, I'd put 'em in a bag.

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2012, 10:06:50 am »
I use a pickup tube that goes to the edge of the kettle.  I only use pellet hops and when I am done chilling, I do a 15-20 minute whirlpool to get all of the trub to the center of the kettle.  Works great.  I have never tried this with leaf hops, but if I had to, I'd put 'em in a bag.

So your actually running the tube to the side of the kettle and not right in the center correct? Care to take a pic on how you do this?
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline PSUhomebrewer

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2012, 10:13:17 am »
I also have the tube to the side, about 1/4 inch below the bottom weld. I picked up a L shaped copper pipe at home depot an cut the close end and tube barb off and flared the shorter end to attach it the the kettle. Works great if you whirl pool since the trub will be in the middle and not to the outside, though I do leave about 1/2 gallon behind.

Offline dcbc

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2012, 08:54:20 pm »
I got mine at bargain fittings and bent it over my knee until it curved correctly.  Have it hooked up to a stainless street elbow that hooks up to the weldless female fitting.

I've consumed all of my home brew and still can't relax!  Now what!

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2012, 09:38:46 pm »
sweet thanks!
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline euge

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2012, 01:38:22 am »
I got mine at bargain fittings and bent it over my knee until it curved correctly.  Have it hooked up to a stainless street elbow that hooks up to the weldless female fitting.



I like this. Mine goes straight down but have been wanting to do something like you've done.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline jeffy

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2012, 05:45:21 am »
That would also be optimal if you whirlpool in a clockwise direction.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
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Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2012, 08:26:10 am »
I do whirlpool in a counter clockwise direction. So I'm gonna want the pickup tube to go clockwise Id reckon to pull the best whirlpool.
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline Hokerer

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2012, 09:18:49 am »
I do whirlpool in a counter clockwise direction. So I'm gonna want the pickup tube to go clockwise Id reckon to pull the best whirlpool.

Naw, you want you pickup tube to go in the same direction as your whirlpool.  The purpose of the whirlpool is to get all the trub and such to settle into the center of the kettle.  Once it's settle in the middle, then you can drain the kettle.  If the pickup tube and whirlpool go in opposite directions, then, as you're whirlpooling, you're forcing trub and such up into the pickup tube.
Joe

Offline bo

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2012, 09:38:08 am »
I do whirlpool in a counter clockwise direction. So I'm gonna want the pickup tube to go clockwise Id reckon to pull the best whirlpool.

Naw, you want you pickup tube to go in the same direction as your whirlpool.  The purpose of the whirlpool is to get all the trub and such to settle into the center of the kettle.  Once it's settle in the middle, then you can drain the kettle.  If the pickup tube and whirlpool go in opposite directions, then, as you're whirlpooling, you're forcing trub and such up into the pickup tube.

I agree.

Offline dcbc

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2012, 04:47:39 pm »
My return tube goes in the opposite direction.  So it pulls to make things go counterclockwise and returns in the same direction.  Works like a charm.

<--------Pickup Pulls from this direction.

Return pushes this direction ---------->
I've consumed all of my home brew and still can't relax!  Now what!

Offline tom

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2012, 07:06:33 pm »
I got mine at bargain fittings and bent it over my knee until it curved correctly.  Have it hooked up to a stainless street elbow that hooks up to the weldless female fitting.


Mine is like this except I use a bazooka screen.
Brew on

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: Pickup tube in boil kettle
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2012, 08:27:56 am »
My return tube goes in the opposite direction.  So it pulls to make things go counterclockwise and returns in the same direction.  Works like a charm.

<--------Pickup Pulls from this direction.

Return pushes this direction ---------->

This is what I meant! Sorry, that seems right.
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.