Advice for converting to outdoor propane brewing

Right now I'm a stove top partial mash brewer. I have a 4 gallon pot that I use as my HLT, a 5 gallon igloo cooler as my mash tun and a 7.5 gallon Polarware kettle. We are moving out of our apartment and buying a house and I will finally have the opportunity to brew outside and do full boils and start transitioning to All-Grain brewing. Our house only has a car port instead of a garage, but I …
Category: Mac

What is the ideal boil pH?

What is the ideal boil pH? You hear a lot about mash pH, but if you've maximized your mash efficiency and conversion what is the best pH for the kettle? Pre boil? Post boil?
Category: Mac

Cleaner wort out of the Kettle

What are the benefits of completely seperating hot debris, hot break and cold break from the wort? Getting these things out of the wort and putting nothing but clean and clear wort in the fermentor has a rewarding feel to it, but achieving that nirvana can be somewhat challenging depending upon one's equipment (and patience). Does the resultant beer improve when there is no hop debris? Is the beer clearer after removing break material? Before someone considers taking this extra …
Category: Mac

Is using brass ball valves safe?

I heard the other day that using brass in your brewery set-up is a bad idea?! Well I have brass ball valves from the hardware store on all my kettles. I know that typical brass has lead in it but is this type of brass the same? Is it dangerous? If so, how?
Category: Mac

True induction kettle

I'm in the process of searching for a new kettle and began looking into induction. What I have discovered in both the brewing and culinary market is that there is no surprise that induction hasn't really taken off since the proper pots are rarely available. The best I have found are pots with a cladded bottom containing an inner layer of 400 grade stainless (ferritic steel). This is probably more efficient than a propane burner but doesn't contribute to a …
Category: Mac

Temperature Probe placement on brew kettle

I have the opportunity to get some hardware for my Keggle and I am looking at a weldless sight glass with a T shape that will allow me to screw on a thermo probe compression fitting. If I buy it I will be installing it at the same height as my welded fitting with the ball valve. My question is Where is the best place to install a thermometer on a brew kettle and would there be any issues with …
Category: Mac

Cooler Mash tun or Keggle with The Brew Bag

I currently have a turkey fryer 8.5 gallon turkey fryer kettle and I have a Home Depot Rubbermade diy mash tun with a stainless steel worm for sparging. My mash tun will need the worm replaced soon. I do need a brew kettle. 1 Keggle w/ brass ball valve (made from 15.5 used kegs) at AIH are $133.77 shipped to me. I can also get the The Brew Bag for about $35 shipped. I'm seeing a lot of benefits timewise …
Category: Mac

Fix a leak on my weld-less valve

Just picked up a new kettle. Assembled it and ran a water test on it. It came with some teflon tape, and I put that on. But it has a consistent dripping leak. Should I just load some more teflon tape on it? Or does anyone have some good solutions?
Category: Mac

What is the benefit of a Fermentap kettle

I've seen a number of kettle add-ons and am just wondering what the benefits are? I saw a Hot Liquor Tank, false bottoms, etc.. I'm just interested in learning all I can. I currently just have a basic 8 gallon pot. In particular something like this.
Category: Mac

Frying a Turkey in a Brew Kettle

Family wants me to fry a turkey in my 14 gallon brew kettle. I'm all for fried turkey but worried about lasting effects on my kettle. Anyone have experience with something like this? Also open to suggestions on frying a turkey.
Category: Mac

How low should the hole for a spigot on a kettle be drilled?

I am trying to determine how low I can drill a hole in my kettle for a spigot. I've read as few as 1.5 to as much as 3.0 inches. What's a good point that will clear the kettle trub for most if not all beers, taking into account higher OG beers/hops beers, without clearing it too much? If it matters, I'll be brewing on an induction cooktop, so I won't have to worry about the heat from a propane …
Category: Mac

Using a Induction cooktop

I have been brewing in my kitchen using a giant stockpot. My brother (my brewing partner) was thinking about picking up propane top and moving it outside. I think that it would be better to use an induction cooktop instead. He had heard from someone however that induction wasn't good for brewing, but we have no evidence of this. Are there any opinions on using induction cooktops for brewing?
Category: Mac

Best position to install a bi-metal thermometer

Of course I'm asking about the height. How to calculate the best height to install a bi-metal thermometer like this: Dial Thermometer - MoreBeer ? Usually, we can see it installed in the middle of wort, approximately. But if we mash several volumes, should we calculate the middle of the smallest one ? This wouldn't harm the thermal reading of the largest wort volume ?
Category: Mac

How to read volume from a sight gauge

I have a 15 gallon kettle and am looking to add a sight gauge to it. I have been looking around and have come across a couple that I like. I would rather get a sight gauge that is encased in metal like the one here. However, I have not read in the description of this gauge or any like it (with the encasing) that include some kind of calibration labels. The only sight gauge I can find that include …
Category: Mac

Marking your brew pot?

I have a new stainless steel brew pot and it doesn't have any quantity markings. How do you recommend marking each gallon? I tried to make an indent but it's not very noticeable, any ideas?
Category: Mac

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