fermeting in a 15.5 gal keg

[Quin]

Yes they should be disassembled, cleaned, sanitized, and reassembled each time if you are using them intact.

[dstar26t]

The valve/stem in the fermenter set-up I've pictured is only 2" long, it doesn't touch beer, just helps seal the coupler probe. That being said, it still gets removed disassembled and cleaned each time, same with my serving kegs. The new fermenter arrangement I'm piecing together eliminates the valve/stem.
I also use a sump pump set-up to clean the sanke fermenters. Hot water then caustic and then saniclean. I use a long handle angled head toilet brush (virgin of course) after the hot water and caustic to scrub because carboy brushes suck.

[ggltd]

I really am struggling with the modification to the 2 stainless tailpieces. Drilling and tapping these parts has been a failure and I ruined the first set of parts. I just can’t seem to be able to clamp these without chewing them up. Any guidance please? thanks, Gary

[dstar26t]

I used an angle grinder to cut the barb off using a cut-off wheel and then a flapper wheel to clean it up. Then I took (2) 3/16" thick x 1 1/4" wide aluminum flats I had laying around and used them as a jig. They sandwiched the tailpiece and I used c-clamps to clamp them to the drill press base, after aligning everything. I even lightly scored the inside parts of the aluminum that touch the tail piece with the cut-off wheel to make more friction. I drilled a hole in the top aluminum piece so I could see the tail piece and align it with the drill bit. After drilling the hole, I put the tap in the chuck and manualy turned it to tap the hole. It wasn't easy but once I did the first one the others were easier.
I'm working on a new design that doesn't use those tail pieces so if you continue to have an issue, I can send mine to you.

[ggltd]

Thanks for the reply. Maybe your new design would also work for me? What pieces are you switching out? I got everything working except the tail pieces...but your fabrication makes sense to me.

[dstar26t]

Yeah, it would work, stay tuned. I'm brewing on Saturday and using the new design.

[dstar26t]

Brewed up 12 gallons of Munich Dunkel on Saturday and transferred to a half barrel with the new spunding/racking/thermowell attachment. Derrin at brewers hardware took a 2" Tri Clover x 1/2" MPT and welded in a thermowell. I put a 3-way valve (T-port) on it with a compression tube fitting on the top and a 1" tri clover on the side to attach the original spunding valve set-up to. Much easier to use than the modified keg coupler.











I chilled the Dunkel from boiling to 44F (cfc) and let it sit for 6 hours to let the cold break settle and compact. Then tried racking the cold break out from under the wort with the racking tube inserted all the way to the bottom. About 1 cup of cold break came out and then it ran clear. I'm sure there's much more left so I don't think that procedure was very successful. Maybe if I waited and racked again, more would come out but I wanted to get the yeast in there.

[ggltd]

WOW Very cool.

Is brewer’s hardware going to sell 2" Tri Clover x 1/2" MPT with the welded in thermowell? My order is pending. This would solve my connection problem with the tailpieces. Also if you still would like to send them to me then I could use these in the secondary transfer keg setup. Here is my email: gary.johnson@electrolux.com

Excellent engineering on your part…