Online Distributers

[triple-oh_six]

I'm planning to place an order soon for these items, maybe more.
I've gone through Northenbrewer in the past b/c they've had everything I was looking for in one place.
My ? is if anyone can recomend a cheaper distributor, or one w/ a sale, or free shipping.

Chrome faucet $15.50
4" shank, tail, beer nut, neo washer $19.20
Tap handle insert $1.70
Stinless T (to split co2 for 2 kegs) $2.75
weldless bulhead for Sanke $17.99
*False bottom for sanke* $50.99

*should I spend $50 on a false bottom or would I be just as good w/ a braided hose.
I have 2 - 15 gal kegs, one of which is already converted as my brewpot with a bazooka-t.

Any advice or insight is welcome,
Prost,
James

[yeastmeister]

morebeer. I've ordered everything you asked for in the past from them, and I can tell you the quality is top rate on everything I got from them. My understanding is that they also manufacture a lot of their own stuff.

A quick perusal of the website shows that they have everything you list slightly cheaper than you quoted, and they have free shipping if you spend at least 59 bucks, which it looks like you are planning on.

I'd highly recommend not going with a standard chrome faucet, I've got 2 that are sitting on a shelf. Spend a few extra bucks and go with any of the forward sealing models, your taste buds will appreciate it.

Dunno, I've done it both ways, with braid, and with a false bottom. I have a igloo tun for 5 gallon batches, and switched to the keg for 10 gallons. I can't say either one performed better, but I went with a false bottom in the keg cause I was worried about crushing the braid. 30 lbs of wet grain is awful heavy. Braid works fine in my rectangular cooler, but it does deform a little if I dump 18 lbs of grain in there.

[redtail28]

ss braid or false bottom thats a good question. How big is the false bottom?
Will it give you a snug fit side to side? Steve use a false bottom with a ss screen works great. Plus a add feature it keeps the grain bed off the bottom so you can add heat and not scrouch.
I' m trying ss braid.
I made a order from morebeer because they had all the thing i need
and a little cheaper then
Northern brewers, its due to arrive today.

I have a 10 inch ss false bottom if you want to try it first

[aleguy]

what about a slotted-pipe manifold for a picnic cooler? Does anyone have any experience with that? I'm trying to build one right now and any tips or advice would be appreciated. also, what's the best way to seal around the outflow pipe? I sure don't want any leaks.

[GuitarLord5000]

what's the best way to seal around the outflow pipe?

I used SS mesh, so I have no advice for the slotted copper manifold. However, the way I sealed around the outflow pipe was this:

I used a 4" long fully threaded piece of piping (the largest width that would fit the hole in the cooler I was modifying, sorry, I dont remember off hand). I used a generous amount of teflon tape on the area where the bolts would be.

I placed a rubber gasket on one end, and inserted the piping into the outflow hole. I then placed the other rubber gasket on the other end (this is essentially the most important part of your bulkhead). I used a valve on the outside (instead of a bolt) to snug that gasket. Inside, I used a barbed hose fitting (instead of a bolt) to snug THAT gasket. The gaskets I used are not flat, so initially, I had leaks due to my fittings being too tight. I loosened them a bit, and havent had any problems since. If you use flat gaskets, I imagine you could tighten the hell out of them without worry.

When I get home, I'll post a picture of the inside of my mash tun, if none of that made much sense. I have some more rubber gaskets if you need them, but as I said before, these are not flat gaskets, and overtightening your fittings will cause leaks.

In a few months, I will be switching from my water cooler, to a larger ice chest. So, any advice you get for the slotted pipe manifold, please pass on to me!

Cheers
Dave

[aleguy]

Thanks for the info. Because the existing hole in my cooler is too high to make a good fit with the manifold, I was planning on drilling a new hole further down. But then I thought maybe it would draw the gyle more evenly if I connected the outflow to the center of the manifold instead of at the end. that would give me more play in the pipe and I might be able to use the existing hole. for sealing I was just thinking of glueing it in with either epoxy or silicone (food-grade of course).
If you are planning on building one in the future, be advised it is a hell of a lot more work than you would think to cut all those damn slots. Also, don't use a hacksaw to cut them, the kerf is too wide. I found a mini backsaw blade with the x-acto type blades at Hobby Lobby that gives me a kerf of just .018 inches, I measured the holes in some forty-mesh stainless screening and came up with .017. that measurement may be off by .001 or so because of the nature of the material, but even so the little saw should give me efficiencies approaching those that Igor gets with his false bottom covered in forty mesh.
According to BYO article (Dec.-Jan) lautering efficiency, a well-designed slotted-pipe manifold is only .7% less efficient than a false bottom. I can live with that.

[Smurfe]

what about a slotted-pipe manifold for a picnic cooler? Does anyone have any experience with that? I'm trying to build one right now and any tips or advice would be appreciated. also, what's the best way to seal around the outflow pipe? I sure don't want any leaks.

Hello from Gonzales over by BR. First post here. Just found this forum.

In regards to the manifold, I use one I made from PVC in my cooler. It works pretty good. I keep saying I am going to make one from copper but have never got around to it. I had the PVC laying around and just put it together one day.

In regards to the SS braid, I have actually thought about making one up with a piece of slotted copper or PVC inside the braid to keep it from collapsing from the weight of the grain, particularly when I batch sparge. If I batch sparge I get a bit of solids with the current manifold. When I fly sparge my current set-up works great.

[aleguy]

I'm building mine from copper pipe. I thought about using CPVC, but I've always had better luck working with metal than plastic. once the blisters from all the slot cutting heal I think I'll end up with a more durable piece. Also, my manifold is oriented in the other direction. (90 degree rotation) I would like to know if any of you fluid mechanics guys out there could tell me if there will be any significant difference between pulling the gyle from the center of the manifold as opposed to the end.

[aleguy]

I have searched the net and all the local plumbing supply stores and I can't find threaded pipe in a metal that is safe to have in contact with wort. Guitar Lord, where did you get your MPT pipe?

[yeastmeister]

morebeer.com has lots of stainless threaded pipe parts....thats where I got all mine. Look in the all grain and hardware section.

[yeastmeister]

Just rediscovered a supplier that I had forgotten about. I was searching everywhere for the vented silicone bungs that I like to use on my carboys. Noone has had them for months, till I just ran across http://www.midwestsupplies.com

Prices seem to be on par with morebeers, alas, no free shipping, but free shipping doesn't do me any good when the product isn't in stock.

[aleguy]

Thanks for the tip. I was about to break down and buy a through bulkhead fitting. I'll see whatever's cheaper and run (brew) with it.