False bottom or steel braid for mash tun?

Just curious what you guys are using in your mash tuns? I have a 10G Rubbermaid cooler that I'm using for my mash tun. I had originally bought a false bottom for it from Northern Brewer I believe. It's okay, but still seems to let a lot of stuff through. Recently, I just bought a stainless steel braid from Bargain Fittings and I think I like it a lot better. It doesn't let nearly as much stuff through, and I still get lots of flow from it. Just curious what you guys prefer? Do you use something other than a false bottom or steel braid?

I batch sparge. I use an 18" SS water heater braid (3/4" diameter) that I got from Menards for $8. It works very well at filtering out the small particles from the mash and is strong enough to not get crushed under heavy grain loads. I use it in a 70 qt. Coleman Xtreme cooler. I had read about issues with floating with braids, so I clamped a 1/2" SS bolt to the open end. It provides enough weight to keep the braid at the bottom and also serves to plug the open end.

If you batch sparge, braid. If you fly sparge, manifold.

Jaybird manifold for my keg MLT. I love it. It might let more material through than the braid or bazooka screen, but if you vorlauf with a pump it will run clear very quickly.

The braid might not crush from the weight of the grain, but I had 2 problems with it crushing 1) while stirring my mash with a big paddle, and 2) when dumping the grains.

I batch sparge.

I have a 10 gal Rubbermaid Cooler also. I use a stainless steel braid from a hot water heater line attached to a brass T fitting. Works very well.

I have a slotted manifold made from CPVC. Works great, and easy to take apart and clean.

Slotted copper manifold for both my 10 and 5 gallon coolers. I set up the SS braid my first all grain and had a stuck mash, farking nightmare.

I had slotted CPVC and moved to SS braid when I got my new 5G igloo cooler. It is the bomb! I vorlauf a quart or two and the wort is crystal clear plus it never clogs. Recently made an all Amarillo hops american wheat with 60% wheat, no rice hulls, and she took it like a champ.

My old cooler MLT had a braid that worked great for batch sparging. When I was building my bottom drain keggle MLT I came across some perforated SS in a scrap pile and decided to make a false bottom. It's nice to not need to worry about smashing the braid when doughing in, and now I also have the option to fly sparge without channeling issues. Even though I love my FB, I think the braid is a great way to make a MLT for batch sparging cheaply, quickly, and easily.

I bought a false bottom to replace my braid in a 10 gallon round cooler MT. My efficiency went up and frustration down. Best upgrade to date and worth every bit of the $50. Probably could be done cheaper DIY with material from McMaster Carr.

Ace_Club said:

I batch sparge. I use an 18" SS water heater braid (3/4" diameter) that I got from Menards for $8. It works very well at filtering out the small particles from the mash and is strong enough to not get crushed under heavy grain loads. I use it in a 70 qt. Coleman Xtreme cooler. I had read about issues with floating with braids, so I clamped a 1/2" SS bolt to the open end. It provides enough weight to keep the braid at the bottom and also serves to plug the open end.

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Apologies for bringing up this kind of older thread, but I am setting up my MLT to batch sparge, which will be a Coleman Extreme cooler (52 qt.) and I am liking the look of your water heater braid. What, if anything, did you have to do to the opening in the cooler to accept the larger diameter braid and what fittings did you use on the inside and outside of the cooler? Is the braid strong enough without having to add a spring or coiled wire to prevent collapse? Thanks in advance

I'm knew to all of this, but I bought a screen thing from northern brewer for $20 and, though I've only mashed a couple times so far, it seems to work great in my 5 gallon igloo cooler. I did have to bend the closed end to make it fit.

This braid sounds interesting, though. It's like half price of the screen thinger. Might go this route if & when I need to replace the current setup. That said, I think I want to put one of these screens in my bk when I get a real one.

This is what I'm using: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...ment/stirring-straining/mash-boil-screen.html

MKEbrew said:

I'm knew to all of this, but I bought a screen thing from northern brewer for $20 and, though I've only mashed a couple times so far, it seems to work great in my 5 gallon igloo cooler. I did have to bend the closed end to make it fit.

This braid sounds interesting, though. It's like half price of the screen thinger. Might go this route if & when I need to replace the current setup. That said, I think I want to put one of these screens in my bk when I get a real one.

This is what I'm using: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...ment/stirring-straining/mash-boil-screen.html

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Thanks Mark...I use the same screen as you, but in my brew pot. It works great to filter out the some of the trub and whole hops, but I have had problems with pellet hops clogging it up. I have gone to using hop bags now...much better. If I end up using this water heater braid I'll post how it worked out. Hopefully we'll hear from some who have used this braid.

I use a pex pipe in one,



And a false bottom in another,



I like the PEX pipe the most. It runs clear faster.

Jaybird false bottom.

Malticulous said:

I use a pex pipe in one,

And a false bottom in another,

I like the PEX pipe the most. It runs clear faster.

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Now....that PEX pipe has caught my interest! Did you slot or drill holes in it? Unusual to see the one pipe and not a multi-piped manifold. How is that working for you? A false bottom is probably a no-go for my rectangular cooler.

It works very well batch sparing. It has a few thousand or so 1/8th inch holes drilled in the bottom. I can't open the valve all the way or the flow is enough to compact the grain bed. The Coleman cooler is great too. There is no dead space. It drains all but the little valley around the drain hole. It is stating to get a couple of little cracks in the two front corners now though.

I may give that PEX pipe a try. I worry about crushing a braid while stirring even though many have said they never have a problem. The single pipe obviously will be easy to clean and I wouldn't have to worry about smashing it with the spoon or the weight of the grain compacting it. Thanks for the tip!

A length of CPVC, copper pipe or tubbing would work the same. Those could use slits cut in the bottom. PEX was too weak with the slits cut in it. The PEX was free.

Any idea why brewers batch sparging are using these multi-piped manifolds instead of a single like yourself? I would think that your efficiency is just as good...similar to a braid.

With batch sparing it would make no difference. The entire running should be the same gravity. The only advantage would be higher flow rate and that is good enough with the single length. I'd have to use rice hulls or crush more course to get it to drain any faster.