SS False Bottoms

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Desert_Sky

Since 1998
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As of now, Ive done 5 AG batches. 2 with a SS braid, and 3 with my current SS false bottom. Right now Im not sure if Im going to keep the false bottom in. No matter how much I vorlouf, and how much care I take to make sure the grain bed is set properly, I get grains coming through. The wort will run clear, so I'll open the valve to drain into my kettle, then halfway through....more grains...quite a bit of them too.

Its gotten to the point that I have to strain the wort to get the grains before it goes into the kettle. I didn't have this problem with the SS braid. And my efficiency was a bit higher with the braid as well. So I think Im going to go back to the simpler, and more effective braid. Its funny how something like the 2 dollar braid works so much better than my 25 dollar false bottom.

Anyone else have any problems with their false bottoms?
 
I'm glad you posted this as I may just stick with the braid. I did my first AG the other day using the SS braid and got zero grains coming through. Also, I only had to recirculate two quarts to get the wort to run clear for both the mash and sparge.
 
Chimone said:
Its funny how something like the 2 dollar braid works so much better than my 25 dollar false bottom.

It sounds like the grain is somehow getting around the side of the false bottom. Thanks for the info, I'm just now building my Cooler MLT. I'm using a mini keg bung with 1/2" OD vinyl hose. I'm inserting a 3/8" ID copper coupler inside the hose where I'll attach the stainless sleeve so the clamp won't crimp or crush it.
 
Some of the false bottomes have a small space near the sides where the two halves fold ( where the hinges mount). COuld be getting by there.

A friend has a phils false bottom and he gets debry for the first few cyclings of the runoff butit usually stops by then. I went with a round manifold with slots cut in the bottom and I have no problems after the first cycling of runnoff. Manifold was cheaper and I have virtually no dead space at the bottom of the mash tun.
 
I have a Phil's false bottom, and fly sparge. It works very well for me, and I've never had the problem you described.

If you have better efficiency and no problem with the braid, then the solution seems pretty simple.

-a.
 
We've got the same bottom (and talked about this via PM). I can't say that I have this problem, but I have really not had a lot of experience AG too. I've done two and the first one the tubbing came loose. The last one, a stout, I bottled yesterday. Don't know how many have seen this false bottom, but the holes are pretty small.

If its not getting through the sides, the grain would need a pretty fine crush to go through these holes at the rate Chimone is describing.
 
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