Discussion: False Bottom Alternatives

When I first went AG, I had some money and lots of space. I started out with a copper manifold in a huge cooler. The biggest barleywines or Imperial Stouts were no match for my Coleman Extreme MLT. The homemade copper manifold worked really well. A couple of elbow fittings and a little time spent with a hacksaw yielded a great little filter. (Pro tip: if you put the copper elbows in a vise or vise-grips and squeeze gently, you can enable a really tight friction fit that holds up in the MLT, but can be broken down for cleaning). The downside to the copper device was that the edges were a little jagged and sometimes stuff got in there that was hard to clean... and it was generally advisable to break it down and clean it between uses... But I never had a stuck sparge and overall, I feel this is a really awesome option for large or oddly-shaped MLT's.

Then I downsized as I started brewing in an apartment. I started out with the trusty old stainless mesh sleeve made from the stainless mesh wrap around a water line. Ugh. The problems with it were: Not enough mass- it would get jostled around in the mash and try to work itself loose. Sharp pointy ends were a bit of an annoyance. It created stuck sparges the 3 times I used it. Overall, I guess this can work with some tweaking, but there's a lot better things out there.

I never tried a genuine false bottom. One of the things I don't like about them is the plastic tubing from the MLT to the outlet. As you stir your mash, it's going to get knocked about. Sure, you can just add some hose clamps... Two more things to take off when you want to clean it. Some of them do offer solid connections to your output. But now we're talking about pretty pricey stuff. And still, removing it to clean doesn't look hard, but it doesn't look pleasant either.

I was desperate for a better option. Just for a simple 5 gallon Coleman round cooler.

Finally, I stumbled upon this:


I got it from my LHBS for a couple of bucks more than NB's price of $17.50, but I was happy to buy it from them. After all, it wasn't until I actually saw it up close that I realized that it was exactly what I was looking for! I just had to have it!!! It made so much sense! A screw connection rather than worm clamps and tubing- just twist it a couple of times and off it comes. Rigid mesh rather than the collapsible stainless mesh tubing- no worries about stuck sparges or knocking it around at the bottom of a full MLT. It is beefy and can easily withstand a bit of a beating from a plastic mash paddle. The price is less than half of most false bottoms and it is far easier to set up and remove. This is the ultimate in simplicity... for about twenty bucks.

Now, I'm sure those with fancy false bottoms will rave about their efficiency and whatnot... I get it, honestly. It's a cool bit of kit, but seems a bit finicky. And those with SS mesh made from a simple steel-belted water hose have a lot that deserves to be said about cost-savings and DIY, but again, it's finicky. And those with copper manifolds can customize the shape to their heart's content and that's pretty close to the ideal DIY option.

But for twenty bucks, I really think the mash/boil screen offers the best bang-for-the-buck.

79% efficiency on my first use and I never got close to a stuck sparge. For full disclosure, I must say that I mill my own grains and have what would be considered a somewhat tight crush. However, I'm nudging 80% efficiency right now with this thing and it couldn't be simpler to install and use.

I currently use one of those as well but I am planning to upgrade to a false bottom. The reason is that I mash in a kettle and with that it sits about 1-2 inch from the bottom equating to about a gallon of dead space. Also do o not use that thing with pellet hops. They will clog it up. I agree it is a great price. The company that makes that also makes a weldless ball valve fitting that works great. I currently use it on my HLT.

Its called a bazooka tube.

You can get a stainless steel braided toilet supply line and cut off the ends, push out the hose, and then you have a filter that works really well. Same concept as the bazooka tube, but about $10 cheaper. Attach that to your valve, crimp the other end, & you're golden.

HandyBrewer said:

You can get a stainless steel braided toilet supply line and cut off the ends, push out the hose, and then you have a filter that works really well. Same concept as the bazooka tube, but about $10 cheaper. Attach that to your valve, crimp the other end, & you're golden.

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Yes, but as the OP pointed out, that supply line is not rigid and is prone to collapse.

modernlifeisANDY said:

Yes, but as the OP pointed out, that supply line is not rigid and is prone to collapse.

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Get some copper ground wire from home depot and wrap around a pencil or similar object and make a spring like thing and pus it thru the braided supply line it will keep it from getting smashed

You can fix your copper manifold with a small triangle file. I just rinse mine off. It’s not often that I take it apart. I fly sparge into a colander and a bottling bucket.

Used a braid in a t-loop for several brews now, never had a stuck-sparge but it does get slow when the grain bed is compacted near the end of runoffs. Doesn't bother me, though. I do have a short section of reinforced vinyl tubing, maybe 4" to position the loop more in the center of the cooler, but it's never come off with the worm clamps. I loosen one worm clamp, remove it, run water through the nipple backwards, and that's it. I don't worry about a tiny piece of husk stuck to it or anything. It's going to get exposed to 185* water when I preheat my tun and the wort will then be boiled.

I have considered adding the copper "spring" inside as I wonder if it's getting crushed and thus the slow runoff, but again, never been stuck and my efficiency is consistently 80%.

I can attest that if you use a kettle screen, there's just about nothing that will stop pellet hops.

I use the standard "toilet water line braid" and to keep it from being jostled around I put a stainless steel plug in which weighs it down. Never had a stuck sparge (I batch sparge), and never have crushed the braid even with a larger grainbill.
Just place the plug in the end you would crimp and secure it with stainless hose clamps. Works great lasts a long time.
For what it's worth, I mash in a 10 gallon round Rubbermaid. Good luck!

I have a mash kettle screen in my MLT and I works great. Easy to clean, never a stuck sparge, cheap and easy.

So I had my gripes about the other methods, but you guys come along with all the little tricks to make them work.

Anyway, hopefully the info/thought-process I posted, along with the tips and tricks will be helpful for someone looking to go AG.

Going back the the stainless braid for a second though... If you don't have most of the parts laying around, don't forget to add a barbed fitting, hose clamp, and the groundwire to your shopping list before figuring out how much you save with DIY.

As for me, having tried all these options, I have everything laying around now... But I could have also have bought a false bottom for what I've spent. LOL.

Still, I like the bazooka tube first if it fits your cooler, otherwise the copper manifold seems like the best choice.

You all can disagree if you wish... Just say why.

Sir Humpsalot said:

Going back the the stainless braid for a second though... If you don't have most of the parts laying around, don't forget to add a barbed fitting, hose clamp, and the groundwire to your shopping list before figuring out how much you save with DIY.

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This is true...I've accumulated SS fittings for a while now and the SS barbs (2 1/2" barbs), SS tee, and 2 more 3/8" SS barbs would probably cost more than he kettle screen.

Yep, $20 before shipping! Plus the cost of the supply line was maybe $9 (I use a 18").

tre9er said:

This is true...I've accumulated SS fittings for a while now and the SS barbs (2 1/2" barbs), SS tee, and 2 more 3/8" SS barbs would probably cost more than he kettle screen.

Yep, $20 before shipping! Plus the cost of the supply line was maybe $9 (I use a 18").

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Yeah. That's how I calculated it too. The toilet water hose is brilliant. It works pretty well. Everything you need is available at Home Depot and that alone is a huge plus for many people without a LHBS. However, when you factor in the barbed fittings and your time and everything else, the bazooka tube is, for the price, the better option for most people.

The other day was the first time I had ever held one of these in my hand though... And once I did, the decision was obvious. It was an impulse buy for me; I couldn't resist.

I didn't start this tread to knock the other options though or argue that mine is the best.... The options are what they are and I guess I just wanted something in the archives when newbs search for MLT ideas. The bazooka tube works quite well and other options do too... But understand all the details we've been hashing out here before you wind up buying all of them.... Like I have. ;-)

No worries

The other reason I went with the loop was to aid in fighting off channeling and leave the door open to fly sparging in the future if I so choose.

At any rate..good luck and happy brewing.

tre9er said:

No worries

The other reason I went with the loop was to aid in fighting off channeling and leave the door open to fly sparging in the future if I so choose.

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Staring at the bazooka tube in my puny 5gal MLT... channeling cannot seriously be much of an issue. The difference between a false bottom and my tube is maybe 4 inches at the worst. Now, if you have a 10,000 gallon MLT, don't use a bazooka tube! That should be obvious. Even 10, or 20 gallons, should probably be fine though. Yes, I am I now questioning the significance of channeling for such small batches as we make. But I hear what you're saying.

As I see it, any homebrewer who has their process down ought to be hitting 70%-80% efficiency. If you are utilizing conventional wisdom to eek out a couple extra percentage points of efficiency, are you also using conventional wisdom to tell you that excess efficiency results in tannins and astringency? so how far beyond 80% or so are you really trying to go?

It's great for bragging rights... and it'll maybe save you a dollar per batch. But ultimately, convenience seems like it should be a bigger motivator for us than efficiency (within reason).

So far I have been using a nylon bag of gravel placed on top of a 3/16 silicone tube, although a 1/4 inch would be better. The sparge, using another equal length of 3/16 tube from the water to the tun, takes about an hour and fifteen minutes and goes well basically unattended. It can be a little fiddly (a couple of minutes) getting it there so I might order a bazooka tube at some point.

jwwbrennan said:

So far I have been using a nylon bag of gravel placed on top of a 3/16 silicone tube, although a 1/4 inch would be better. The sparge, using another equal length of 3/16 tube from the water to the tun, takes about an hour and fifteen minutes and goes well basically unattended. It can be a little fiddly (a couple of minutes) getting it there so I might order a bazooka tube at some point.

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Whoa! That's really clever. Did you learn that technique while watching Gilligan's Island? LOL. Seriously, where did you pick up that technique from? It sounds interesting.

Sir Humpsalot said:

Whoa! That's really clever. Did you learn that technique while watching Gilligan's Island? LOL. Seriously, where did you pick up that technique from? It sounds interesting.

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Just one of those things that happens when you live a long way from the fast lane; unusual items are always special order and a very special price. Kinda like Gilligan's Island but as it's Canadian it's called Prince Edward Island. (Hey, it's a joke, I'm kidding, no offense to anyone local.) Actually I don't see others from this province but I think Newfoundland has representation on the site.

I use the false bottom with plastic tube. I don't use hose clamps to connect the tubing. It's got a pretty tight friction fit. Super easy to take apart.

The downside is I just have to be careful when stirring near the bottom. No problems though. Knock on wood.

I havent had any issues with collapse....at least i dont notice it. Even if it collapses, the runnings still make it through the braid and it still filters the runnings.
I like the copper coil idea though... Havent thought of that one yet.