False bottom help

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HBHoss

HBHoss

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The false bottom in my 15 gallon kettle requires 2.5 gallons of water to reach it. How does this affect the water to grain ratio? Should I calculate using 1.5 - 2 qt/lb as usual and then add 2.5 gallons so I know the grain will be covered? Should I bend the legs of the false bottom so it rests on the lip of the valve part that sticks out into the kettle?
I bring this up because I just did a 5 gallon AG batch and the amount of water calculated for 10 lb of grain wasn't enough to cover the grain so I had to add more water.
What do you all think about this predicament?
 
+1 there thats a huge offset, mines like .5 gallons below it if that much. you may want to see if you can cut short or remove those legs pushing it up so high... but don't do it and blame me if its broken after :p
 
I had a similar problem with my false bottom that came with my 10 gallon kettle. I ultimately ditched it for a 12" false bottom from Norther Brewer because of pick-up problems. http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...ipment/false-bottoms/12-s-s-false-bottom.html

If you can cover the grain with a 1.5 qt/lb grain ratio, it will be ok, but if you can't get enough water above the false bottom it is obviously a problem. You need to rig a pick-up tube under your bigger false bottom if you keep it. Otherwise you will leave behind too much wort if you just rely on the barb valve/coupler to drain the wort.
 
I recently changed over from a cooler MLT to a Keggle MLT with FB. I have about a gallon of space below. It was my understanding that you needed to account for that "deadspace" as you suggested. BUT, on the 4 batches I've done with the new set up I've always pulled about 1 gallon more than I was aiming for. So it's a good question.
 
You have to account for the amount of deadspace that your siphoning technique (pick-up tube or whatever) cannot pull out as lost wort. If you have a pick-up tube that can get all of your wort out, you really have zero deadspace.

If you add more water to your MLT, you are just upping your mash ratio.
 
I'm concerned that if I modify the legs then the FB will be at an angle and not have a good seal around the edges which will let crud flow out into the boil kettle.
 
So if the concept is to immerse the grain in water then I should calculate my water based on the quarts to pounds of grain as usual and then add 2.5 gallons and just expect to lose 2.5 gallons of wort?
 
Yes, I realize it takes 2.5 gallons to reach the top of your false bottom, but the real question is how much water is left in your MLT after you drain it? This amount is your deadloss.
 
HarkinBanks said:
Yes, I realize it takes 2.5 gallons to reach the top of your false bottom, but the real question is how much water is left in your MLT after you drain it? This amount is your deadloss.
Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying. I filled the kettle to the FB and then opened the valve and let it drain off. I then poured the remainder into a bucket and it measured just over 1.25 gallons. So my deadloss is 1.25 gallons.
 
Ok, that's about what I had. Some options: 1) You can rig up a dip tube similar to the ones that go in a keggle, check out http://www.greatbargain.net/order/shop1.html for the kettle dip tube. This creates a siphon and gets most of the wort out under your false bottom. 2) Ditch or return the false bottom you have and get a lower one like the one I linked before from northern brewer that will siphon out most of the wort. 3) Live with what you have and add 1.25 gallons to your water calculations knowing that you are going to leave behind 1.25 gallons of wort. You will have to make up for this deadloss in your grain calculations. I decided on #2 because 1.25 was too much wort to leave behind in my opinion. It kills your overall brewhouse efficiency.
 
HarkinBanks said:
Ok, that's about what I had. Some options: 1) You can rig up a dip tube similar to the ones that go in a keggle, check out http://www.greatbargain.net/order/shop1.html for the kettle dip tube. This creates a siphon and gets most of the wort out under your false bottom. 2) Ditch or return the false bottom you have and get a lower one like the one I linked before from northern brewer that will siphon out most of the wort. 3) Live with what you have and add 1.25 gallons to your water calculations knowing that you are going to leave behind 1.25 gallons of wort. You will have to make up for this deadloss in your grain calculations. I decided on #2 because 1.25 was too much wort to leave behind in my opinion. It kills your overall brewhouse efficiency.
Click to expand...

I can't lower the FB because of the welded fitting, but I can use a dip tube to get more of the runnings.
Back to my original question of what to do to make sure I have enough water to cover the grains?
 
If you're dead set on leaving your FB the way it is then yes, something like 1qt/lb + 2.5 gallons is the minimum strike volume I'd recommend. Can you move the FB to sit underneath your bulkhead instead of over it?

1.25 gallons of deadspace is an efficiency killer. Can you make your diptube longer to reach the bottom of the tun?
 
Like Bobby said, if you are going to keep your false bottom, you can play with your mash ratios to make sure you cover your false bottom. With my BIAB setup, I have gone over 3 qt/lb grain ratio and been fine.
 
Just had an idea on this and I think I am going to try it. Instead of using a dip tube to get the last of the wort out. Why not put a screen (cut a square from a nylon brew bag) and put that over the outlet. Then tip the MT to drain the rest of the wort, the nylon should filter all the bits of grain from getting into the wort. This should work pretty well in my mind.

AC
 

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