Call me fickle --- well go on
I have and use a Happy hooker, False bottom [SS] and a slotted copper manifold.
The choice you make is very important if you continuous fly sparge as the extraction is determined by the even flow of sparge water through the grain. If the flow favours one section of the method you use you will waste a lot of the converted sugars in the mash tun.
The choice you make for batch sparging is almost irrelivant because all the liquid is at the same specific gravity after you have stirred the mash and recircullated.
You could quite easily use a SS scrubby attatched to the back of the tap as the manifold is not the filter. By recirculting and returning the wort to the top of the mash liquid carefully the husk in the grain bed provides all the filtration you need.
I use a slotted copper manifold but I am rather lazy and could not see any point in the labourious task of fine slots with a hacksaw. Angle grinder -- it is the brewers friend -- embrace it [check it is not plugged in first] and approach the task of the 15 minute slotted manifold.
The sense of achievement is .... sorry got carried away.
And another thing --- why wimpy thin little copper -- go fo the good stuff 19mm. It is easy to work with and well it is angle grinder friendly.
Now if you are totally annal about smooth edges and "pretty" workmanship Mr Angle Grinder may not "cut" it for you.
For my direct heated mashtun I will try the Happy hooker as it circles the rim of the tun an won't trap any grain.
Even with grain under the manifold and direct heat and a NASA burner for heat I have no scorching problems. Did I mention the tun is Aluminium? I can't remember.
Steve.
