Sight glass on brite tank?

[ManSkirtBrew]

I've got a Stout 7bbl BBT, and it has barb fittings on a tee at the bottom, and in the CIP arm at the top. I'm supposed to put a clear tube between them to use as a sight glass.

It seems like that would be a real liability when it comes to cleaning and sanitation. Does anyone else have a setup like this? How are you cleaning and sanitizing it?

[DageraadBen]

It will fill up with caustic for your entire CIP cycle. Not much to worry about and zero extra work. You absolutely need a sight glass on your bright and this is the easiest, cleanest way to do it that I know of.

[TJC]

caustic should not have a problem finding its way through the tubing if it is off of the cip arm during your loop. This at least has always been the case for me, just make sure your sight glass tubing can handle cip temps.

[Bainbridge]

I would also add that once you've got your sight glass cut and marked, cut a second backup hose and copy the marks onto it. That way if you ever want to swap it (and it will, eventually wear out) - boom, ready to go, marks and all. (We just replaced two of ours and had to pump in 15.5 gallons, mark, 15.5 gallons, mark, 15.5 gallons, mark...)

[Crosley]

I was initially worried about this on some unitanks I had. Some batches the sight tube would be completely clogged after fermentation. After I racked the beer off I would disconnect the sight tube and give it a good spray with a hose and then cip as normal. Always spotless after.


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[Bainbridge]

I was initially worried about this on some unitanks I had. Some batches the sight tube would be completely clogged after fermentation. After I racked the beer off I would disconnect the sight tube and give it a good spray with a hose and then cip as normal. Always spotless after.


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We have a 20bbl uni that has a sight glass attached from the drain pipe on the bottom to the spray ball arm on top. It is completely useless during a fermentation in that tank, as it gunks up with yeast and whatnot. We thought about ways to get around it but ultimately just went bah, screw it, more trouble than it's worth. But we've got valves on the top and bottom of the tube, so we can shut the valve on the bottom when we're not using it and keep yeast out of the valve and the tube, makes cleaning it easier later on. But when we use that tank as a brite, filtering another beer into that tank, we can open the valve and use the glass as intended. Handy! So just pop an adorable little 1/2" triclamp valve in there somewhere near the bottom and another up at the top to solve the gunky mess problem.

[Crosley]

Thanks for the info. It was never that much trouble but I've already sold the tanks and moved on.


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[ManSkirtBrew]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Super helpful. Cheers!

[mfields27]

What type of poly tubing are you guys using for this? I am concerned about it becoming hazed from CIP cycles......