How Big A Sink?

[br33zy]

Hi All,

I'm fitting out my new brewspace and am chasing a sink at the moment.

Ideally I'm after a 2nd hand commercial jobby combined with a bench. I'm trying to get one with a bowl longer than 650mm so that I can lay my (future) corny kegs down in it to soak them if necessary.

Having done a lap of the salvage yards and kitchen machinery yards today I know know that there aren't many sinks with bowls that big.

What do you think? For those of you with kegs - is it worth me persisting to try and get a sink big enough to lay them down in?

Cheers

Breezy

 

[brad81]

If the length is only for your kegs and you have plenty of space, why not try find a smallish second hand bath tub? Aesthetics aside, might work out.

 

[raven19]

You'd be using a heap of water just to wash a corny this way, if you went a massive sink that size.

A laundry sink works fine imo - just set your tap spout high enough so you can stand the corny upright in the sink and still be able to swivel the spout over the open keg - that would be my recommendation.

Stubborn corny stains can be removed with a good soak of pbw or similar if that is your concern?

 

[Bizier]

My input is that if you can get a big arse sink (even if it is just a deep one), go for it. That is the sort of stuff that absolutely ***** me dealing with beer at home.

If you have a big sink, also get a good hand held trigger hose there.

A good idea is to have a reservoir with a recirculating pump onto a manifold with at least 2 ball lock posts, and the main outlet spraying either straight up (to just distribute down the sides of the keg) or, if your pump has enough pressure, a small spray ball.

I rent, so I have not got any of these kinds of things, but I would probably brew 10x more if I did.

 

[mikec]

I got a $99 mixer tap from Bunnings for the laundry sink, with an extendable sprayer.
Means you can sit the keg next to the sink, drag the tap over into the keg, and spray it from the inside.

Here

 

[Amber Fluid]

no need to lay cornys down in a sink, I make do with the laudry sink and tap... could also use something like this

If I were in a position to create a new brew area, I'd rather have a wet area like a hose in the corner with a drain.

 

[woodwormm]

my 3 cents,

cornies only need outside cleaning once in a blue moon. so no need to lay em down. I soak mine standing upright as if they had beer in just a bit fuller..

if i were setting up a new room with grand plans a few dollars i'd be doing this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WaterMark-WELS-...=item1c2d37dc70

and this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1700-x-600mm-NE...=item51a5baccdd

bearing in mind these were the first links i grabbed, personally i'm a scrooge and would find em cheaper at salvage auctions etc...

as an idea, drop into a U-brew It type place and check out how they clean cornies etc.. They wash a lot of kegs and will most likely give you some ideas....

 

[mwd]

I got a $99 mixer tap from Bunnings for the laundry sink, with an extendable sprayer.
Means you can sit the keg next to the sink, drag the tap over into the keg, and spray it from the inside.

Here

+1 on those taps I have one on my kitchen sink and it works great. They come with about one metre of retractable hose so can reach quite a distance, spray or constant flow head.

 

[br33zy]

Excellent - thanks for all the advice guys.

I like the idea of washing them upright with the use of a flexi hose - will go with that.

Will post some photos when I'm done - still can't quite believe that I have a brew space to fit out!

Cheers

Breezy

 

[stux]

big enough for a fermenter to sit in, flat on the bottom.

and not just the fermenters you have now... but perhaps the 25L pails, or a 60L jobbie.

gee... I wish my laundry tub was big enough to have two kegs in it side by side flat... would prevent me having to work out how to make a keg washer

be great for the occasional soak. actually... those 60L storage tubs...

 

[br33zy]

Thanks Stux - yes, I've a mix of 30L and 60L fermenters so sink will definitely be big enough for them.

 

[ratchie]

I use a plastic 44 gal drum cut in half lengthways with a rack on top for draining kegs and fermenters.

 

[bullsneck]

no need to lay cornys down in a sink, I make do with the laudry sink and tap... could also use something like this [img=[URL="http://www.bathshop321.com/images/photos/3994/large-pull-out-spray-kitchen-sink-mixer-tap_MA.jpg%5DIf"]http://www.bathshop321.com/images/photos/3994/large-pull-out-spray-kitchen-sink-mixer-tap_MA.jpg]If[/URL] I were in a position to create a new brew area, I'd rather have a wet area like a hose in the corner with a drain.

I have one of these, except a little more ghetto. It's just a silicone hose clamped onto the tap. Works a treat. Squeeze the end to make it spray.

 

[big78sam]

i just put a laundry trough in my garage for this very purpose. I placed the tap fairly high so I can fit a keg/cube underneath.

I screwed on a garden hose male fitting on the end of the tap. I bought 2m of garden hose and cut it into one 50 cm length and one 1.5m long length. I can clip the different hose lengths on and off as i please with the female fittings attached to each hose. The shorter is for use inside the trough, like the flexible tap shown above (just not so blingy). I can put another adaptor on the other end of the longer hose and clip straight onto my immersion chiller or have a hose long enough to use outside the trough. It's ghetto but is really effective.

 

[Robbo2234]

Whats wrong with the garden hose and clean it out side? I have mine on a retractable reel. drag it out and fill it up easy! tip it out on the lawn and your water recycling!

 

[big78sam]

I should have also said that I have the waste pipe cut off and have an old fermentor sitting in the cupboard underneath. This way I use the water in the garden when it gets to about 20L or so. I may connect the waste up if I find the fermentor method doesn't work as I expect,

 

[woodwormm]

Whats wrong with the garden hose and clean it out side? I have mine on a retractable reel. drag it out and fill it up easy! tip it out on the lawn and your water recycling!

mine drains outside the shed, I should collect it an re-use it somewhere on the garden... but i'm dubious on the effects of trub on my vegies!