False bottom.

Do you think it's worth constructing a siphon tube and false bottom for my brew kettle?

Would something like this be usable or would it be to fine.
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=520&f=5578

Would this idea work? A copper pipe with holes in

Wouldn't you be better of with a bazooka screen, or something like that? Seems like the holes in the copper might be pretty easily plugged up.

I second the bazooka. A false bottom or any rigid pipe will also trap wort & hops on the bottom of the kettle and increase your chances of caramelization or burning. I use bazookas in both the mash/lauter tun and the kettle. The one for the kettle screws in, but mash tun's just has a short peice of copper tubing that slides into the spigot hole.

Normally, I'd lose efficiency on the mash due to channelling, but I batch sparge & stir each addition, so it isn't a problem.

If that splatter screen is SS, you could make a bazooka out of it. I was thinking of doing that myself before I found a commercial one.

Good idea. how was you thinking of securing the seam?

I was going to remove the screen and fold it in half with a 1/4 inch piece of tubing in one end. Then fold about 1/2 inch of the edge over itself, using pliers. Then folding the edge again, a little like a flat-feld seam. Finish it with a hose clamp over the tubing.

When using this or a bazooka, you have to put the wort chiller in the pot, then install the bazooka.

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

I just found this place down the road.
http://www.filters.co.uk/services.htm

Cool! There are times I wish my bazooka was a little bigger. Gets clogged up with pellet particles.

go bazooka t screen. i switched to one of those from my false bottom in my mash/lauter tun and love it.

I'm looking to step up to all grain, and my mash/lauter tun is kind of an odd size. Just using the bazooka instead of a false bottom would simplify my life if it worked well. Do you feel like you're getting less yield going that route?

nope. it's right on according to my numbers. i didn't lose a bit.

Ok guys, since I am of the mind set that I am always looking for ways to "make it myself" Here is the newest helping thing!

So you want a Bazooka Screen but don't want to pay $15-$20?

$5 for a 12" long screen It is only 3/4" OD but it will work.



It is a supply line for a hot water tank. Stainless you can pick it up at just about any home Depot or the like.

All you have to do is cut each end and pull out the rubber hose inside, hoseclamp onto one end and roll over the other end onto itself and crimp it.

Tim the Toolman of brewing!!!


John

hey john, that's what i used when i used a rubbermaid cooler for a mash tun. it worked great. that's what soldme on the bazooka screen when i got my big brew systme set up. i just crunched my numbers from today's brew session and i had 85% efficiency.

So, are you guys saying that a hop strainer such as Orfy describes (copper pipe with holes) is not as good as a bazooka screen, even when using whole hops? I can see that a bazooka screen would be better when using pellet hops, but would whole hops clog up a copper pipe with holes?

Where is orfy, anyways? Jetsetting as usual?

yea, didn't he go to Pisa?