False Bottom

[Dicko ACT]

Brewers

Despite SWMBO constantly reminding me that size doesnt matter, I have come to the forum to ask what you think.

I recently purchased a Kookaburra 36L water cooler from Discount Camping in SA to make my mash tun. I will add, they provide great service and for $115 posted to ACT, you couldnt find it cheaper.

http://www.discountcamping.com.au/index/pr...oolersandicebox

back on topic. I have decided to go with a SS false bottom. I have room in my newly acquired mash tun to fit a 10 or possibly 11 false bottom. However, I have found that the 9 false bottoms are more readily available.

Does that extra inch or two really make any difference?

Cheers

Dicko

 

[warrenlw63]

Brewers

Despite SWMBO constantly reminding me that size doesnt matter, I have come to the forum to ask what you think.

I recently purchased a Kookaburra 36L water cooler from Discount Camping in SA to make my mash tun. I will add, they provide great service and for $115 posted to ACT, you couldnt find it cheaper.

http://www.discountcamping.com.au/index/pr...oolersandicebox

back on topic. I have decided to go with a SS false bottom. I have room in my newly acquired mash tun to fit a 10 or possibly 11 false bottom. However, I have found that the 9 false bottoms are more readily available.

Does that extra inch or two really make any difference?

Cheers

Dicko

Hey Dicko

If you batch sparge no difference at all. I'm using a 9 inch in a 50 litre converted keg. Works like a charm.

Warren -

 

[lagers44]

I'd guess that depends on how fast you want the runoff to be , if it's only a trickle then it shouldnt be a problem but if you batch sparge then it may flow slower than a larger one , but that said the flow rate is dependent on the tap size isn't it.

 

[warrenlw63]

Lagers

I'm running off double batches with my 9 inch (say 9kg of grain). Runoff is no different to the 12 inch I used previously which is now in my kettle.

You can open the tap and get pretty much a full bore flow. That said I don't usually do that regardless. Tap is generally open around 2/3rds of the way for a batch sparge.

Warren -

 

[lagers44]

Well there you go ! , size doesn't matter after all .

By the way with batch sparging what's the gravity of your final runoff ? I fly sparge so your method is new to me .

 

[warrenlw63]

I don't measure it Beers because there doesn't seem to be any need to. One of the reasons I converted to batch sparging after 8 years of fly sparging. I like the open the tap and walk away mentality.. Appeals to my lazy nature. :lol:

Warren -

 

[Timmsy]

I will be looking into one of these when i get my false bottom for my 38ltr

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=926

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I'm using a 9 inch in a 50 litre converted keg. Works like a charm. Warren -

This is one of those "you've got me confused a little" replies. I don't own a cylindrical false bottom.

Why wouldn't you want as large a diameter falsie as the container takes ? If the false bottom is smaller than the cooler, won't grains and sparge water bypass the false bottom and use the side walls as a quick escape route ? Therefore reducing efficiency ?

I'm open for further education / clarification.

 

[domonsura]

If that was going to be the case FG, the liquor would channel down the walls regardless of false bottom size - that's what tends to happen if the sparge becomes stuck because of a too high flow rate, the bed becomes compacted and the easiest path is then not through the grain bed If the resistance is lesser down the walls or through a channel in the bed straight to the bottom that is the path it will take bypassing parts/all of the mash.
Personally I feel that channeling down the sides is something that can happen more often if the false bottom is larger or complete rather than smaller, as there is more chance of a less resistant path forming straight down the side to the edge of the false bottom. Whereas if the false bottom is smaller, the liquor will still have to travel through a section of grain bed horizontally - even if it does manage to channel down the side (which means that the channel is less likely to form in the first place because the lesser resistance is not likely to be there...........)

 

[Fatgodzilla]

If that was going to be the case FG, the liquor would channel down the walls regardless of false bottom size - that's what tends to happen if the sparge becomes stuck because of a too high flow rate, the bed becomes compacted and the easiest path is then not through the grain bed If the resistance is lesser down the walls or through a channel in the bed straight to the bottom that is the path it will take bypassing parts/all of the mash.
Personally I feel that channeling down the sides is something that can happen more often if the false bottom is larger or complete rather than smaller, as there is more chance of a less resistant path forming straight down the side to the edge of the false bottom. Whereas if the false bottom is smaller, the liquor will still have to travel through a section of grain bed horizontally - even if it does manage to channel down the side (which means that the channel is less likely to form in the first place because the lesser resistance is not likely to be there...........)

yes, that makes sense. I didn't think of grain gathering around the base of the falsie - I've always thought horizontal flows was pissing into the wind!

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I've got a beer belly falsie bottom in a 44L rectangular esky and it works a treat

I run it at full bore - no issues - and my crush is very fine

I batch sparge though

I believe that any well designed draining method that avoids stuck sparges (whilst batch sparging) is the go - so I'd be going for the 9"

However if you are going to be fly sparging there are other considerations regarding channelling - that I can't really comment on

Cheers

 

[Lukes]

Mash tun makers,
Here is a link to the show me your bottom thread from a year ago.
Some of the info and pic's might help.
I put one of these stainless jobs in 2 years ago almost to the day after checking out BB's set up and they are great and like Wazza do the batch sparge thing these days too.

As Wayne said I'd go the smaller so as/if the grist shrinks and compacts at mash out, batch or fly time it won't channel down the sides.

Hope it helps

Luke

 

[Dicko ACT]

Well there you go ! , size doesn't matter after all .

By the way with batch sparging what's the gravity of your final runoff ? I fly sparge so your method is new to me .

So it would seem... Sadly, it still doesn't change the way SWMBO looks at me

Haha

Could somebody help a AG Noob and explain breifly the difference between fly sparging and batch sparging.

 

[lagers44]

From what I understand Dicko , batch sparging is when you fully drain the liquor from the grains then fill it up again wait for all to settle then drain again etc.etc.
Fly sparging is where it's one contiunous process whereby the water volume entering the lauter tun is the same as the volume going out so that you have a constant water level in the mashtun. Sparging stops when the runoff is nothing but water. Both have pro's & con's.
Anyone else care to comment ?

 

[youngy]

I have been looking for false bottom for my new mash tun (60L ish roto molded cooler from amart sports)

I was going to purchase a 12" today.

My mash ton is about 15" so you are saying the 9" will work better than the 12"?

Cheers,

Youngy

 

[youngy]

Well just purchased the 9", will see how we go.

 

[Timmsy]

Timmsy,

I swapped over to one of those and I am very happy with it.

Originally I used a braid, but I got varying rates of efficiency as the braid got knocked out of position by the mash paddle.

Wally

Well i will have to go get one. Thanks for the advice mate and thanks for the esky!