Stuck sparges. Get rid of fb?

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swackattack

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Past 3 brewdays I've gotten stuck sparges. Use rice hulls and batches have all been normal grain bills (no rye, wheat, etc)

I use a cylander cooler with a fb and maybe the bottom is not perfectly flat? Any ideas?

Move to braid? Manifold?
 
I had more than my share of sticks. More often when batch sparging than fly sparging. Took out the false bottom and built a 1/2" copper manifold 2 years ago and never a stuck sparge since, no matter what the grist or type of sparge.
 
I use a copper manifold and fly sparge. I have never had a stuck sparge, do not use rice hulls and make a White IPA that is %40 wheat. If your fly sparging then I would say slow down the sparge and make sure your not letting the water level get to low. You want atleast an inch of water on top of your grains at all times. A little more is fine as I keep about 2 inches until the very end. If your batch sparging then I have no idea because I never batch sparge. I know lots of guys want to speed up their brew day by trying to speed up the sparge. I want to make the best beer I can so time is not an issue.(I work over 60hrs a week and have kids also). I never try to rush the sparge. I always get around %76 efficiency unless going with a big grain bill then it will fall off to around %68. Im building a bigger mash tun now to help with this problem. Hope some of this helps :mug:
 
Want a quick and easy fix? Buy some Swiss voile (sheer curtain material) and line your tun with it. The huge amount of filtering area should keep you from having problems and if one should stick, lift the material up into a bag shape so it can filter on all sides.
 
I batch sparge and use a bazooka screen in my cooler. No stuck sparges, even with 20 lbs of grain and no rice hulls.
 
Are you using one of the round, punched SS false bottoms that uses a hose that goes from the center out to the valve? I have one of those I am using in my SS mash tun, and it seems that it is always really difficult to get going at first because a lot of grain does get up underneath it, since it isn't perfectly flat on the bottom of the tun. Is this the problem that you are having? Or is it more so that it gets stuck through the sparge?
 
It like instantly sticks. I open the valve...nothing. i stir well. To get it flowing i have to blow air in hard several times. And when it does go, it takes 1.5-2 gallons to run clear. I batch sparge.
 
i had issues with the SS false bottom until I figured out it was a vapor lock kind of issue. Before I mash in or do anything I open the valve with no hose connected to 'Purge" the air out of the line. After that I fill the hose and the pump to eliminate all air. Ever since then never had a Problem. It does take about 1-2 gallons before it runs clear enough for me.

I used a manifold before the false bottom but my efficiency is between 80-85% with the FB compared to 70-75% with the manifold.
 
It like instantly sticks. I open the valve...nothing. i stir well. To get it flowing i have to blow air in hard several times. And when it does go, it takes 1.5-2 gallons to run clear. I batch sparge.

I have the same issue... open the valve, and nothing comes out. This happens every time. I first tried blowing on it but it seemed to do nothing... until I tried sucking and blowing repeatedly, and it dislodged the grains enough to get it flowing. It usually then takes about a half gallon for me to get clear runnings.
 
How do you mash in your grains? Dump water and then a bunch of grains or grains and then water?

I usually like to put in a couple inches of grain above the false bottom, then slowly pour some water, then a bit more grains, then the rest of the water, and the rest of the grains. No dough balls and no stuck sparges. Using one of those round SS false bottoms with lots of holes. My last beer had 22oz of flaked oats at the bottom, and it only took about a quart to start running very clear.
 
I put a stainless scrubbing pad under the false bottom where dip tube picks up. I haven't had a problem since I started doing that. Cheap and easy...
 
Just brewed for the first time with my copper manifold. What a breath of fresh air. Ran clean almost instantly. No more 2 gallon vorlauf and no grains!
 
Brewsit said:
I first tried blowing on it but it seemed to do nothing... until I tried sucking and blowing repeatedly, enough to get it flowing.

Just keep sucking and blowing and it will flow. :)
 
+99 for a manifold. I've got two coolers, one with a copper manifold and one with cpvc. Never had a hint of a slowdown in either.

I would've think twice about changing!
 

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