False Bottom or Screen?

Going all grain. Going to start doing 3 gal batches for a few different reasons. Plastic 5 gal cooler mashtun. My question is, do I want to use a screen or a false bottom? I will be batch sparging. Thanks guys. This forum is great.

I started with a mesh screen and have since gone false bottom. I have gotten more consistent and better efficiency with the fb.

I use the 5 dollar toilet SS braid, and have no issues at all. My bazooka screen also works wonders.

I just did my first all grain batch today using a false bottom - super easy. I can't speak for the ease of the screen, but most of the people I've seen on here either start with false bottom or go there after to increase efficiency and ease.

If you batch sparge it really does not matter.

I have a false bottom and it works great. They will both do the job. I btach sparge and get an easy 74-75% efficiency. I could probably get more but I am good with that.

I'm in the copper/ cpvc manifold camp. Have a copper one in my round Rubbermaid and a cpvc in my square cooler. Work great, easy to clean and never had a stuck sparge.

Catfish1320 said:

Going all grain. Going to start doing 3 gal batches for a few different reasons. Plastic 5 gal cooler mashtun. My question is, do I want to use a screen or a false bottom? I will be batch sparging. Thanks guys. This forum is great.

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IMO you could easily do 5 gallon batches.

Toilet braid? I am interested. I am currently using the paint strainer method. Did you just poke holes in it or what?

histo320 said:

IMO you could easily do 5 gallon batches.

Toilet braid? I am interested. I am currently using the paint strainer method. Did you just poke holes in it or what?

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I know I can do some 1.05 5 gal batches in a 5, but like I said there is a couple reasons Im not. But I dont want this thread to go there. There is enough of those threads already..lol

FB, screens are a waste of time in my experience

techprof said:

I started with a mesh screen and have since gone false bottom. I have gotten more consistent and better efficiency with the fb.

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I just switched to a false bottom and have seen a bump in efficiency for the 3 batches I've used it. I have noticed that it takes longer for the beer to "clear" during the vourlof, and had to strain the wort through a mesh strainer. Is that normal?

I have noticed vorlauf takes a bit longer to clear as well. I just make sure to use finings, it all settles out.

histo320 said:

IMO you could easily do 5 gallon batches.

Toilet braid? I am interested. I am currently using the paint strainer method. Did you just poke holes in it or what?

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I'm sure he is referring to using a SS reinforced toilet supply line. Simply remove the rubber hose, and you are left with a SS braided mesh that can be used in MLT or as hop strainer in boil kettle....

501irishred said:

I'm sure he is referring to using a SS reinforced toilet supply line. Simply remove the rubber hose, and you are left with a SS braided mesh that can be used in MLT or as hop strainer in boil kettle....

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Nice. It is difficult to remove the hose? I may go out and get one today.

I've never used a false bottom so I can't say anything about that, but I use one of those "bazooka" screen tubes and never had a problem with it.

histo320 said:

Nice. It is difficult to remove the hose? I may go out and get one today.

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removing the hose sucks.

Its like trying to take off overlapping chinese finger cuffs

WilliamShakesbeer said:

I've never used a false bottom so I can't say anything about that, but I use one of those "bazooka" screen tubes and never had a problem with it.

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Xpertskir said:

removing the hose sucks.

Its like trying to take off overlapping chinese finger cuffs

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LOL! Yea, it's maybe not all that bad, but certainly use caution. These Chinese finger cuffs will bite! Vise and fine tooth hacksaw will do the trick.
There are a ton of different ways to use it, but what I've done is start by making a copper manifold with slots cut in the bottom (cut about 1/3 through) and slipped pieces of the SS mesh over it and clamped with SS gear clamps. I overlapped the mesh over the copper joints so the mesh and clamps hold everything together instead of soldering so I can take it all apart for periodic cleaning.

If you are batch sparging, I have heard that a FB is overkill since you don't have to worry about channeling or anything. I use a SS braid and it works fine for my batch sparges.

histo320 said:

Nice. It is difficult to remove the hose? I may go out and get one today.

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http://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/mashtun.htm

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/ten-minute-cooler-mash-tun-conversion-125108/

or "dennybrew",
http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/
he pioneered the technology...haha

Depends on your skill set, removing the inner hose is not that difficult IMO...YMMV. Be SURE to get a stainless steel mesh hose...home depot sells some that are plastic polymer but look like SS and you will not be happy

I like the build! A way different approach than I've seen before (didn't think that was possible! lol)

Just a heads up... using vinyl tubing in a build like that will seep toxic plastic chemicals into your wort. For any situation where hot wort is going through tubing I lean towards using silicone tubing. It is temperature rated for up to 500F whereas vinyl is meant for nothing about 70F.

You can use it but you can't sue the company when you get sick or die from ingesting those chemicals.

VTrookie said:

Just a heads up... using vinyl tubing in a build like that will seep toxic plastic chemicals into your wort. For any situation where hot wort is going through tubing I lean towards using silicone tubing. It is temperature rated for up to 500F whereas vinyl is meant for nothing about 70F.

You can use it but you can't sue the company when you get sick or die from ingesting those chemicals.

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http://www.lowes.com/pd_19945-104-SVKI10_4294822036

http://media.wattswater.com/ES-ClearVinyltubing.pdf

Watts vinyl tubing approved by the FDA for food and beverage use w/ a max operating temperature of 175 degrees F. Got any facts VTrookie?

A friend of mine and I decided to brew my pre prohibition pils which uses 30 percent rice and 6-row malt. I've never had a problem on my system but I didn't know he had a bazooka T under his false bottom! Well the T clogged up and we had to dump the mash into a cooler and take the T out but leaving the false bottom. We returned the wort and started our mash again and had no more problems. Recirculation or Vorlaufing will clear your wort better than any screen will. If you're doing a beer with adjucts, wheat, oats or rye you might want to leave the screens out of the loop.

wilserbrewer said:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_19945-104-SVKI10_4294822036

http://media.wattswater.com/ES-ClearVinyltubing.pdf

Watts vinyl tubing approved by the FDA for food and beverage use w/ a max operating temperature of 175 degrees F. Got any facts VTrookie?

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Looks good to me... I wasn't aware of that information. I will say that 175F is pretty darn close to what the sparge is when I run it out of my tun and I rather be conservatively 330 degree F under the maximum temperature rating rather than 5 degrees. Especially when the cost is pretty insignificant.

To each their own.

I use a copper manifold in the bottom of my 10g rubbermaid, and a cpvc manifold for my 30g igloo. 1/8" holes drilled 1/4" apart. Efficiency went through the roof.

TrubDog said:

I'm in the copper/ cpvc manifold camp. Have a copper one in my round Rubbermaid and a cpvc in my square cooler. Work great, easy to clean and never had a stuck sparge.

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Manifold all the way... Used to have the occasional stuck sparge when batch sparging. Seems each time the grist gets stirred, more fines settle to the bottom especially when doing wheats at 50%. Have never stuck one since building the manifold 2 years ago.

I use the SS braid as well. Horrible experience removing the inner hose, but well worth it. Cheap alternative to a FB. My efficiency isn't great, but that could just be operator error.

vinnythering said:

I use the SS braid as well. Horrible experience removing the inner hose, but well worth it. Cheap alternative to a FB. My efficiency isn't great, but that could just be operator error.

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I'm in the same boat but I rather cough up a couple extra bucks for grain than drop $30 on a FB

We have moved up to A Stout MLT with a false bottom but made many batches using the 10 gallon igloo with the SS Toilet braid. The braid really does prevent any grain from going through which is impossible with a false bottom as some will get through (even after volufting the heck out of it). But a word of caution: I would remove the SS braid and boil it after each use. We did not do that when we first started but cleaned in place. We though we got it really clean. One day I decided to take it off and boil it just to clean it better. OMG! Good thing we were boiling the wort because you would have not wanted to be drinking the stuff in the braid! Water ran clear through it but it was full of junk! I got some braid from Mc Masters but the weave was too tight. You can also order bazooka screens from some of the suppliers.

Decided to order the 5G Igloo cooler with FB from AIH.

I converted my cooler for about $25 with a braided hose. It fits perfectly around the sides and in a test run I only had about .25 gal of dead space.

I hope it improves my efficiency from using a paint strainer.

Xpertskir said:

removing the hose sucks.

Its like trying to take off overlapping chinese finger cuffs

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You can buy just the stainless mesh from McMaster Carr.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/119/816/=l4z8xj

Guess that would solve the finger cuff fiasco, but at those prices + shipping I think I'll stick with the hacksaw......

Brutus Brewer said:

You can buy just the stainless mesh from McMaster Carr.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/119/816/=l4z8xj

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Some have had trouble w/ this type mesh sleaving...it is a very fine weave, very flexible and is prone to clogging...not advisable IMHO.

wilserbrewer said:

Some have had trouble w/ this type mesh sleaving...it is a very fine weave, very flexible and is prone to clogging...not advisable IMHO.

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I used that mesh for 2 years and didn't have any problems however, I ran a stainless steel spring through the mesh as reinforcement and I'm sure that helped.

Brutus Brewer said:

I used that mesh for 2 years and didn't have any problems however, I ran a stainless steel spring through the mesh as reinforcement and I'm sure that helped.

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OK, good to know you fixed it, I recall the guy that originally started using the Mcmaster sleaving decided it was not a good idea due to stuck / slow runoff, likely depends on your crush and adjuncts. I would hate to see someone buy that sleaving not knowing the required "fix". cheers!

How does this look. This was my project yesterday and I finalized the valve today (it was leaking yesterday on my first trial run.

Got about .15 gallon of deadspace. BTW its 5 gallons.

Nice! What fitting(s) did you use for the T?

Mine looks almost exactly like that. I am very happy with it.

I haven't used this yet. Drains 5 gallons of water in 2 minutes. Leaves 28oz in the dead space. Should I give it a try or qould you reccomend I switch to ss mesh?

davebstock said:

I haven't used this yet. Drains 5 gallons of water in 2 minutes. Leaves 28oz in the dead space. Should I give it a try or qould you reccomend I switch to ss mesh?

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That should work well...get brewin.