To drill or not to drill...?

[Funk then Funk1]

Ok so my next purchase in my BIAB gear set up mission. At another garage sale on the weekend and he had a 50L ally pot with lid for $25, I offered him $20 and he snapped it up. Pretty pleased with the purchase, it is nice and solid with good strong handles.

What are the methods people use for emptying their pots during the BIAB process...should I drill out a hole and install a ball lock tap, or would a siphon work just as well, there are those jiggle siphons I've seen for $10-15.
I'm just weighing up my options before I drill a dirty big hole in the bottom of a perfectly good pot.

 

[gordo_t]

Ok so my next purchase in my BIAB gear set up mission. At another garage sale on the weekend and he had a 50L ally pot with lid for $25, I offered him $20 and he snapped it up. Pretty pleased with the purchase, it is nice and solid with good strong handles.

IMG00675-20140504-2018.jpg
What are the methods people use for emptying their pots during the BIAB process...should I drill out a hole and install a ball lock tap, or would a siphon work just as well, there are those jiggle siphons I've seen for $10-15.
I'm just weighing up my options before I drill a dirty big hole in the bottom of a perfectly good pot.

Drill it and use a weldless ball lock valve, that way you can transfer boiling liquid (i.e. for no chill into cubes) if need be.

 

[jaypes]

Ball valve is the go - no jiggle

Bear in mind that the liquid coming out will be around scalding temps (if you no chill) and you want this done as easy as possible, if you are like me I indulge in a few whilst brewing sometimes common sense does not prevail

 

[GalBrew]

Drill. Get a descent hole saw and it's easy. I got mine from keg king, but they are pretty common.

 

[Funk then Funk1]

Yeah I thought the general consensus would be to drill. I'm most likely to use the slow chill, cube in the swimming pool method, so I will be transfering hot wort.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[pk.sax]

If you can spare the dosh, use a pump and pump it out rather than drilling and valve. Less cleaning of fiddly bits, pump you're gonna end up getting eventually anyway....

It's an option, anyway.

 

[TheWiggman]

If you can spare the dosh, use a pump and pump it out rather than drilling and valve. Less cleaning of fiddly bits, pump you're gonna end up getting eventually anyway....

It's an option, anyway.

Do you have examples of anyone who does this? Pumping from the top will be a chore with a centrifugal / mag drive pump because the suction line will need to be primed.

 

[pk.sax]

Which is so true.

No, no examples just my thoughts escaping the head. Could just pre-prime with water though... Same as a siphon.

 

[GalBrew]

You would need a peristaltic pump. I prefer my ball valves.

 

[wombil]

syphon works well and is safe.why put a hole in a perfectly good pot.
when taking the hot wort out just fill the syphon with water,hold your finger over one end and put the other end inthe wort.
Discard the first run till the wort comes ,maybe half a cup, and empty pot to whatever you put it in.
Forgot to mention,take your finger off the lower end and it will run.

 

[StalkingWilbur]

Drill and weldless ball valve really does seem like the easiest option to me.

 

[manson81]

A step bit from bunnings is the way to go. Drill up to the size of the ball valve you get.
That's what I did through an old 50L keg. Slow speed, lots of wd40 or silicon spray or something and it went through like butter.
I paid about 12 bucks for the bit.

 

[Funk then Funk1]

Thanks everyone, I might try the siphon for a couple of goes and decide from there, if it's too much of a PITA, then the drill will be out with the step bit.
I'm still finalising my gear (still need an adjustable LPG regulator) and have some extract to use up, then it will be all systems go!

 

[RelaxedBrewer]

I siphon into a cube from my 32L pot when doing stove top batches. Never been an issue before.

 

[jyo]

I've been using one of these and silicon hose for transfer to cubes for years. http://onlinebrewingsupplies.com/product_info.php?cPath=61&products_id=348

I don't think I've ever burnt myself.

 

[Funk then Funk1]

I've been using one of these and silicon hose for transfer to cubes for years. http://onlinebrewingsupplies.com/product_info.php?cPath=61&products_id=348

I don't think I've ever burnt myself.

Yeah that's the same sort of jiggle siphon thing I meant. Good to know others use them.

 

[MastersBrewery]

I never liked the idea of siphoning, I'm a drill first ask questions later kinda brewer. Ball valve and pick up isn't too hard to install for an initial setup, though as the brewery grows it seems so do the number of holes to be drilled.