Brewing Equipment

From KestrelShrike

[edit] Chemicals

I have found no reference to this anywhere on the internet. Niether, do any of the brew shop owners know of a product called "Beer Brite" or "B.Brite". So I have posted it here in hopes of clearing up some confusion.

Beer Brite

There is a product sold in the U.S. under the name Beer Brite by American Brewmaster -- http://www.americanbrewmaster.com/padts.htm that is listed as "Contains Sodium Corbonate and Sodium Silicate." It is a white granular powder that is listed as use 1 Tablespoon per Gallon of water and rinse 3 times, once with hot and once with cold water.

B-Brite

Here is another(?) product that is labeled B-Brite Cleanser. http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/b-brite.jpg It is made by Crosby and Baker Ltd, Westport, MA.

The Following information makes it look like American Brewmaster's Beer Brite and B-Brite are the same product:

B-Brite is very effective in cleaning and sanitizing, but it does cost more than TSP and bleach. B-Brite has the active ingredient, Sodium Percarbonate. This is a mixture of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. The sodium carbonate is for cleaning and the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) provides the sanitization. The sanitizing time for B-Brite is 15 minutes. B-Brite is also very effective at reducing odors and is not environmentally damaging. Use as directed. Copied from http://www.stoutbillys.com/stout/infonsf/Library/CBA9A900.htm

B.Brite

There is a product sold in Canada labeled B.Brite Cleaner and Sanitizer. It is pink, and I suspect it to be Chlorinated Tri Sodium Phosphate (TSP). There is a warning on the front not to use it on stainless steel, nor to mix it with any Acids, Aimens, or Ammonia.

B.Brite package

Here is a link that indicates that Chlorinated TSP is sold as "Pink Stuff" in Canada. It also has good information on how to use it as a sanitizer. http://www.brewerylane.com/faq.html

Five Star

Five star produces PBW and StarSan (acid based sanitzer) http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/

National Chemicals

produces BTF Iodaphore and BLC (Beer Line Cleaner) https://www.nationalchemicals.com/

[edit] Gadgets

http://hbd.org/brewniversity/engineering/conical/

[edit] Software

http://www.rooftopbrew.net/abv_calculator.php

[edit] How to Clean a Sankey Key

So, you Live somewhere where getting Corny kegs is expensive or difficult? (AHem, Ontario?) The stupid things are still in use by Pepsi here and they're still $75 each locally!

Opening a Sankey Keg is not as easy as popping the lever on top of the Corny, but it's not too bad either.

1. Bleed ALL of the pressure out of the keg by pressing down on the ball in the top. Also, if you have a tap handy, just tap the keg and leave the valve open until no more air / beer escapes.
2. Cut a hook tool to pull the ring out of the keg neck. A Putty knife seems to be perfect. I used a file to cut a notch in the side in about 3 minutes.
   

   

   Putty knife with a notch for grabbing the retainer ring
   .
3. Use Needle nose pliers to pull the retaining ring out the rest of the way.
4. MAKE SURE THAT THE PRESSURE IS ALL GONE!
5. MAKE SURE THAT THE PRESSURE IS ALL GONE!
6. Twist the top of the "spear" until the tabs line up with the slots and it should come out easily. I used a 15MM open end bicycle pedal wrench to turn the tabs. It fit nicely and I had it laying on the workbench at the time. I also held it gingerly, while hiding below the top of the keg, in case there was still pressure in the keg and the spear launched itself out at me.
   

   

   15 mm Bicycle wrench
7. Now, you can clean the keg as per normal. I use some cleaner (PBW, Oxiclean, BeerBrite(Not the TSP version), whatever is handy), Very hot water at very high pressure, and the carboy brush if needed.

[edit] How to solder a spigot into a kettle

I don't have the tools or know how to weld stainless, much less make a sanitary weld.

I discovered at a very bad time (while boiling wort) that weldless fittings suck.

I soldered the ball valve into the kettle plumbing style.

Here are pictures with descriptions: http://www.kestrelshrike.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1688

Parts: 1/2" sweat to 1/2" NPT male copper fitting. - $1.11 Oatay Plumbing soler kit with Tinning Flux Paste #95 $11.98

I have soldered a 1/2" copper threaded fitting into the side of my Stainless Steel kettle. To do so: Drill a hole that will allow the fitting to be threaded into the hole from the inside, but no big enough that there is any play. The solder is not very strong and the fitting must support itself. Sand the pot inside and out to remove the surface oxides. Sand / wire brush the copper fitting. wipe both clean with a rag. Insert the fitting, threads out - but not all the way. The ball valve is not as deep as the NPT portion of the male fitting. Apply flux paste fairly thickly to the fitting and pot. You want enough coverage for a strong joint.

Using the smallest flame your torch will sustain heat the area around the nipple and the nipple just to melt the flux.

This is not normal plumbing soldering. Don't just heat the area and then apply the solder. The SS is too thin and behave much different than the copper.

Apply the solder like you are brazing. Heat the pot and fitting, then use the torch to melt the solder onto the joint. I had little limp pieces of solder all around the fitting. Then, carefully heat the fitting until the solder wicks onto the joint and stop fast. You want a build up of solder and if you heat it too much it will run through and drip on the inside / floor depending on orientation.

I hope this helps someone else.

If anyone has any information on the safety of brewing with silver solder please let me know. I used this page for some information: http://brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.6/palmer.html

Question: How strong is the joint?

Answer: I did not use a wrench. I just hand tightened it, but it does not leak with Teflon tape. I'm to chicken to put a wrench on it to see when it breaks.