Show Me Your Bottom.

[tangent]

Well, I pulled apart the false bottom and put it back together again and the sparge ran like a river
I'm still not sure exactly what the problem was but I think the plastic hose joiner might have been collapsing like TasChris mentioned. It's bloody hard at normal temps but I'd guess at 66C it's getting soft.

 

[GMK]

Those using a grain and grape ss false bottom I am interested on your thought regarding hole size, I have one I think the holes are a little too big and suck in a little too much grain at times.

According to Wes Smith at Malt Craft - the ideal size is between 1.5mm and under 2mm.
Over 2mm and you can get the grain stuck in the holes. :super:

I have a SS False Bottom bought from Saint Pats ages ago that has this size holes - works really well for me.

Phills False bottoms have >2mm size holes in the SS and <2mm size holes in the plastic false bottom.
Figure that out.

 

[Adamt]

Below is a picture of my mesh screen "tube manifold". Is this long enough? Will I benefit from making it the length of the esky?

 

[Zwickel]

Gday mates,

have a view at my system, Im very pleased with:

Cheers

 

[Stuster]

Below is a picture of my mesh screen "tube manifold". Is this long enough? Will I benefit from making it the length of the esky?

It'll be fine just the way it is, adam, as long as you do the right thing - batch sparge. h34r:

 

[bugwan]

Tag Zwickel,

I'm loving that symmetry... That set up has given me a great idea for a future upgrade..


Cheers

 

[Tony M]

I normally do without the twists. I'm scared to try it in this config incase it dosen't work real well. The braid itself works well although I'm keen to try other methods such as copper or false bottoms to see if theres much differennce.

The trouble with twisting is that your system will start sucking air as soon as the highest point of the braid is above the fluid level. You ara better off with the braid as low as possible. For rigidity, I wound up some stainless welding wire around a rod to make a "spring" which I fed inside the braid. Works well.

 

[GMK]

Below is a picture of my mesh screen "tube manifold". Is this long enough? Will I benefit from making it the length of the esky?

View attachment 10260

I would extend it to the end wall - this will help alleviate channeling in the sparge.
If you have a read of Palmer on line How to brew - he has some good chapters on it.

Hope this helps

 

[GMK]

Gday mates,

have a view at my system, Im very pleased with:

Cheers

yours is nice but i would make the circle smaller and extend into the middle more.
This will eleviate channeling - eg if u are 2 inch away from the sides then teh daimeter of the inside circle should be 4 inches.
This way the run off has equi distance to travel to the braid.

Currently - anything sparging down the centre has along way to travel to get to the braid - while down the side it is very quick.
This is what produces channeling and drops efficiency.

Hope this helps

 

[Adamt]

I'm going to be batch sparging, so I'd thought that channeling isn't a problem. I guess I might as well buy another "Golo brand Splatter Guard" for $2 and extend it to the end to prevent any problems. Gotta watch my weekly budget though

 

[Stuster]

Save your hard earned cash, adam.

Kenny, I think that advice about channelling only applies to fly sparging. (Those fixated on the floating mash should now avert their eyes. :lol: ) With batch sparging you should stir up your mash well before draining, thus ensuring the sugars are mixed into solution. There is no channelling. All the water is drained away and all should be (more or less) equally laden with sugars. I consistently get efficiencies in the 80s with this method. A fine crush (for your system) and good stirring are all you need.

 

[Zwickel]

This way the run off has equi distance to travel to the braid.

thats true, but never mind, because of batch sparging it doesnt matter at all, just as Adamt says.

Recently I have changed the design a little, because Im using a stirrer what reaches til the bottom, so I had to fix the braid:

now it looks this way (I know it doesnt look nice, but its very useful):

and here a view at my "all-wheater-outdoor-brewery"

Cheers

 

[bugwan]

I wouldn't want to be paying your gas bills Zwickel! Excellent set up. Love the stainless bench too...

 

[sluggerdog]

What amount of loss to the bottom of the mash tun do you get with the false bottom, I have just installed my false bottom and gave it a test run (water only), it didn't seem to run anymore then past the connector pipe to the false bottom, something like 5 litres plus at a guess.

Anyway to get more out of it or is this about right?

 

[warrenlw63]

What amount of loss to the bottom of the mash tun do you get with the false bottom, I have just installed my false bottom and gave it a test run (water only), it didn't seem to run anymore then past the connector pipe to the false bottom, something like 5 litres plus at a guess.

Anyway to get more out of it or is this about right?

Slugger.

You need to extend the pipe to the bottom. Will only drain as far as the siphon allows. Can't upload pics ATM. I'll email you a photo later of what I did. I just extended the thread through the FB. I leave no more than a litre at the worst now.

Warren -

 

[sluggerdog]

Thanks Warren, this is what I thought and I already have set this up but still it just seems to stop when it gets to the whole level unless I tip the tun.

 

[sluggerdog]

All fixed, thanks Warren (via email)

Basically it wasn't draining because I didn't have the keg up high or some plastic tubing on the end of the tap to help with the siphon. With the hosing I got it to around 1 litre left.

 

[hockadays]

I normally do without the twists. I'm scared to try it in this config incase it dosen't work real well. The braid itself works well although I'm keen to try other methods such as copper or false bottoms to see if theres much differennce.

The trouble with twisting is that your system will start sucking air as soon as the highest point of the braid is above the fluid level. You ara better off with the braid as low as possible. For rigidity, I wound up some stainless welding wire around a rod to make a "spring" which I fed inside the braid. Works well.

Thanks Tony this is what I thought as well so I went back to having it flat. Got my LHBS to crack the gain on the next finer setting and my effieciency jumped from 74 to 80%. Crush is everything...

 

[KoNG]

I dont have any photos att his stage (not worth wasting the megapixels)
but i use the good ol braid....
it is the most beat up mangled braid i've seen (i like to stir).
i get fairly constant results with my batch sparge (@ 70% eff).
i might splurge on some new braid soon!

 

[randyrob]

Not to sure how good she works as i havent chrisened it yet, working on my paddle at the moment
(the stainless steel tube from a keg for a handle and some ss sheeting should come up good?)