Mash Efficiency With Ss Braided Hose

[markws]

I am just about to set out and convert a retangular 44L esky (a 21st b'day present) to a mash tun.

Reviewing the forum in reference to the types of false bottom systems used, I think that using SS braided hose will be the easiest to install for the time being......

I am curious to know if any one has noticed a difference in efficiency if they use for example a single length placed in straight line along the bottom of the esky, against an extra long SS braided hose that is placed in a figure 8 or some other format to increase surface area.

thanks for the info


regards

markws

 

[Simon W]

I use SS braid in a round tub, it's looped in circle but once a fig 8, same length. Never noticed a difference, but only done 3 AG brews to date, so my contribution might not be worth much! LOL
BTW, of the three AG brews to date, two were same malt bill, just different hops, and almost same pre-boil efficiency.

 

[sosman]

I haven't noticed a difference in efficiency but I reckon there is less likelyhood of stuckage. Mind you, I only used the short length a couple of times.

 

[racemate]

Hiya,
I think Sosman is right...It's all about flow. The sugars don't know what your filter setup is....they will solubilize based on other factors. The more surface area you have, the better you'll be able to handle the barley or the wheat or the rye or (god forbid) the oats.
Cheers

 

[Jazzafish]

The best I have had with that set up is 75% using Joe White Malts in a single infusion mash for an hour. Powells malts have given me about 65 to 70% using the same methods.

Keep in mind I have only a hand full of AG brews to my name.

The pic is a little dodgy but you get the idea. The braid is the length of the esky in a straight line. It is attached to a tap and folded at the other end.

Does the job

 

[jagerbrau]

im adapting my setup now from just that. i have it running from a pick up in the centre of the tun, wasnt happy with it. so im doing a bit of termimesh like a tent over it, to create better more even run off. the grains around the hose have all the wort run through it and you do start leaching tanins. so termimesh over the top it is

 

[jimi]

Re-hashing this thread as I'm putting some braided SS in my new tun and am interested in what produces the best efficiency. I have a round 36lt keepcold esky.

Most of the pic's etc show folk using a circular design on a copper T piece.

Has anyone tried any other designs / shapes with their braid?

I'm thinking of connecting a couple of T pieces together to get a circle shape with a line through it or doing a couple of circles around the tun.

(the diameter of my braid looks a bit small in the esky)

Cheers

 

[SJW]

Dont do it. I put up with a 2 inch s/s braid going the length of a 55 litre esky for years. It aint worth it. Bad efficiencies every time. I did everything to lift my efficiencies and the last resort was to redesign the mash tun. I ended up with a insulated keg with a false bottom. 75%-80% every time. If you do a seach i'm sure you will find my many discussions on this matter + photos.

Steve

 

[jimi]

Re-hashing this thread as I'm putting some braided SS in my new tun and am interested in what produces the best efficiency. I have a round 36lt keepcold esky.

Most of the pic's etc show folk using a circular design on a copper T piece.

Has anyone tried any other designs / shapes with their braid?

I'm thinking of connecting a couple of T pieces together to get a circle shape with a line through it or doing a couple of circles around the tun.

(the diameter of my braid looks a bit small in the esky)

Cheers

 

[jimi]

Re-hashing this thread as I'm putting some braided SS in my new tun and am interested in what produces the best efficiency. I have a round 36lt keepcold esky.

Most of the pic's etc show folk using a circular design on a copper T piece.

Has anyone tried any other designs / shapes with their braid?

I'm thinking of connecting a couple of T pieces together to get a circle shape with a line through it or doing a couple of circles around the tun.

(the diameter of my braid looks a bit small in the esky)

Cheers

 

[delboy]

after reading alot on this subject and getting real confused i decided to go with a false bottom in an insulated keg .I believe from all the experience drawn from brewers in US ,UK and australia this seems to be the way to go.
i am by no means saying it is the best as i just don't know yet as my AG set up is only 2/3 rds finished. the reason behind my madness was i only want to build a mash tun once i scoared a keg (legally of course) i was going to use an igloo 36ltr plastic cooler but after seeing a few down the track i did not want a melted twisted glob inside to only replace a few years down the track.

the time spent i believe on fart arsing around with braid shapes and configurations was just a waste of time that i could spend building a nice beer so hence i took the approach "keep it simple stupid" i am dead set certain in ye olden days this issue was not realy an issue!
so i just used others ideas to fast track mine "a bit from here a bit from there" (mad max) pick the best bits out of every bodies setups and small batch commercial ideas and you sould be able to build a pearla! at a budget that suits your purse or hers? LoL
thats my philosphy anyway .
cant wait to fire it up and do my first simple AG im excited!!!!!

del

 

[bayWeiss]

As I understand it... you can use any type of filter if you batch sparge, but if you fly sparge, then you need to be a bit more efficient in your design (due to channeling).

That being said, I batch sparge and use a 12" SS hose... I have gotten up to 83% pre-boil efficiencies.

cheers!

 

[johnno]

This is what I use.

I get 75% efficiency, unless I use Powells. <_<

cheers
johnno

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

The best I have had with that set up is 75% using Joe White Malts in a single infusion mash for an hour. Powells malts have given me about 65 to 70% using the same methods.

Keep in mind I have only a hand full of AG brews to my name.

The pic is a little dodgy but you get the idea. The braid is the length of the esky in a straight line. It is attached to a tap and folded at the other end.

Does the job

Is your valve low enough? The braid looks as if it is floating.

 

[chris.taylor.98]

I have a similar setup to those shown

I usually manage about 65-70% efficiency into the kettle.

What I do notice is that due to the design of this system there is a potential for a large dead space if you do not get the outlet very close to the level of the bottom of the esky.

In my case I have the outlet about 2 cms above the bottom, which equates to about 3 litres by volume of dead space ( space where the liquid pools, but you are unable to drain out from, thereby having to leave the sugars behind ).

Has anybody devised a system the drains out through the bottom of the esky, and if so do they notice better efficiencies?

Just while we are on the topic of efficiency, if you are new or fairly new to all-grain brewing, don't get too carried away with the quest for ultra high efficiencies. It is not necessarily going to result in better beer ( in fact more likely to be the opposite ). Much more important is trying to aim for consistency, so that you can better plan the outcome. One thing to consider is that the savings you make in hitting 80% efficiency vs. 70% is probably only a couple of dollars in grain ... but if you oversparge the mash you are likely to end up with 80% efficiency but a 100% undrinkable beer ( of which I have managed to do too many times now ).

 

[hockadays]

Mark, I use braid in a 37L keep cold and get 77% efficiency most of the time . It's a about a foot and a half long formed into two circles onto a copper tee piece. Works fairly well.

hockman

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

I had planned on converting a large esky & using braid, but this thread is scaring me.

Bugger that, I'll do it anyway...seems like stuck sparges are almost non-existant using braid & that's one little annoyance I could do without (can live with it, but it'd be nice not to have to).

Regarding dead space, why not just tip the esky forwards toward the valve in the last few moments of sparging?

PZ.

 

[chris.taylor.98]

I did try tipping forward during the sparge to minimise the deadspace PZ, but due my virtually non-existent plumbing skills I ended up with about 6 cms of plumbing before the braid started, so it didn't help much. Also was worried about disturbing the grain bed too much and possible adverse effects.

I have since rectified that problem now, and am going to see if it makes any difference on my next brew.

 

[redbeard]

I have a figure 8 of SS braid in my 55l (rectangular/normal?) esky mashtun. i (gravity) batch sparge. tilting the esky at the end yields perhaps 400mls or so extra. i find that the last bit runs off faster if i have a plastic jug on the ground rather than into the boiler which is already almost full ie height differential & suction. sometimes i use the last runnings in the yeast starter. the copper t-piece on the inside of the esky is pointed downwards via a small (7cm?) curved copper pipe between that & the all-pipe compression nut. helps a little bit i guess

cheers

edit - added 7cm. !

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Genuinely useful info...thanks redbeard :beer:

PZ.