New equipment lots of stuck sparge after stuck sparge - how to solve?

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SamuraiSquirrel

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Just for a little background on my situation............

(Batch sparge is the method I'm referring to in all cases below)

I had a twelve gallon regtangular cooler that I converted into my first mash tun. I built a copper manifold and drilled holes every quarter inch or so. Used a 1/2" ball valve reduced down to 3/8" barbed adapter and 3/8" tubing. The hole in the cooler wall was about 8 inches up the wall so it relied on some siphoning action to get the wort out. Despite the fact that it relied on siphon/suction action to get the wort out i never had a stuck sparge with this setup. I opened up the ball valve full bore each time and rarely used rice hulls (only for super wheaty beers). Never even had a slow sparge much less a stuck sparge. I probably brewed 7 or 8 batches on it. The whole double batch sparge process took 15-20 minutes and I averaged about 75% efficiency on it. The only problem with this setup was the cooler was cheap and lost 5-6 degrees over the course of the mash so I decided to "upgrade".

I recently got a ten gallon igloo cooler after reading that they hold temperature better. Also, i figured that I would eliminate the siphon/suction action design flaw from my first cooler since the hole is right at the bottom of the cooler. I built a manifold for the new cooler. I cut slits (lots of them) in the manifold this time thinking the more drainage points the better. Used a 1/2" ball valve again this time but just went straight to 1/2" barbed adapter and 1/2" tubing.

I have brewed 3 batches with this new setup and can't seem to get things right. The first two batches got completely stuck. I tried stirring, blowback to clear things out. Nothing seemed to work. It would run for a few seconds and then slow to a trickle. I added a pound of rice hulls to my third batch. It didn't stick as bad as the first two but the first runnings (about 3 gallons) took an hour to drain.

So I am having some trouble dianosing what is causing my problem here (any input from the ten gallon igloo cooler users would be appreciated). I am guessing:

1) The slits are smaller than the holes from my previous setup resulting in stuck or slow runoff.
2) Increased grain bed depth contributing to stuck/slow runoff (the grainbed was extremely spread out in my previous setup. It is much deeper with the igloo setup).
3) 1/2" vs 3/8" tubing (I am guessing this is a non-factor).

All things being said my efficiency has jumped up but brew day is long enough without it taking me an hour and a half to two hours to get my beer out. Not to mention adding the frustration of a stuck sparge on every brew. My first idea for a solution is to drill some holes in my existing manifold (between the slits that currently exist) in order to provide some additional drainage points.
 
I know your pain with the stuck sparges. I have only gotten them with wheat. I use a 10-gal igloo with a false bottom so I dont have any experience with a manifold. I would try adding some holes along with the slots you have already cut. The grain will form a filter and maybe the slots just arent enough? I do use 1/2-in tubing on my system. I cannot say if this would be an issue but it wouldnt take much to change out.

Good luck
 
I use a 10 gal. cooler, and when I start my drain,I just crack the valve so the runoff is slow. then slowly open it more,but never full open.
 
I would suggest trying the stainless braid, its only about 4 bucks from lowes, if that solves yor stuck sparges you know there is some problem with your manifold, I have never had a stuck sparge using the stainless braid, good luck.:mug:
 
Started off with the braid on this cooler and got stuck on the first batch........... thats why i built the manifold. It doesn't seem to have solved my problem.
 
Started off with the braid on this cooler and got stuck on the first batch........... thats why i built the manifold. It doesn't seem to have solved my problem.

Maybe a false bottom? Costs a few bucks but has worked well for me except for a few wheat batches. I have even started recirculating with a pump and have not had problems. Again, no experience with braids or manifolds.
 
I found that when I switched from adding my grains first to adding the strikenwater first and then the grains it solved my stuck sparge problems. Don't know which way you ar e going about this but if you are adding the grains first try adding your water first. Montanaandy
 
I am using the Rubbermaid (Home Depot version) 10 gal. cylindrical cooler, which I can't imagine is different than the Igloo in its interior dimensions. I use the kit from Bargain Fittings, consisting of about 9" of large-diameter braid and a brass spigot and connecting parts. I have had no problem with stuck sparges, and I have never used rice hulls. My max grain in this setup has been 15+ pounds, so it's got a pretty deep grain bed.

As was mentioned in a previous post, I follow the procedure I read somewhere of just cracking the valve open when I vorlauf. This system will run clear in 1-2 quarts of vorlauf, then the bed appears to be set. I still gradually open the valve as I go...probably 15 minutes to take the first runnings, maybe a bit more, and maybe a bit less to take the second.
 
it must be your manifold. I use the home depot version w/ the ss toilet supply line. I've maxed out the cooler w/ 23lbs of grain and do get an occassional stick, but not like you are describing.
You likely need to widen the holes in your manifold.
 
You might need more time to learn your system. Start by opening your ball valve really slow. Let it run like that until you get a clear run off, recirculate what you have collected and start your sparge. Think of the grain as "floating" and keep it floating. Your sparge rate should match your flow rate into your boil kettle. Dont let the water go below the grain keep an inch or two of water above the grain. Make sure your sparge water temp is 170+, if you get below 145 things will gel up and you'll be stuck. Good luck.
 
Thanks for all the input. I think I will try number of the suggestions before brewing my next batch.

I knew everyone always said to open the valve slowly but I never really took this to heart based on my prior experience (9+ batches with no stuck or slow sparge with the old cooler) of just opening the valve full bore. The deeper bed must make the difference in this case. When I go to stir after it gets stuck feels like concrete down towards the bottom.

I did try only opening it half way rather than all the way but maybe I misunderstood "slowly" lol. I will try this next time and really open it slowly. Damn new equipment. I feel like a newbie all over again lol.

I'm also going to add some holes (using the same bit i used to build discarded manifold from old cooler) to open things up a bit and get some additional flow.
 
i'm starting to wonder if cylindrical coolers are more prone to stuck sparges than rectangular ones. I have an igloo cylinder cooler with a braid and have them all the time. I think the higher head pressure compacts the grain bed towards the bottom where the manifold/braid is
 
i'm starting to wonder if cylindrical coolers are more prone to stuck sparges than rectangular ones. I have an igloo cylinder cooler with a braid and have them all the time. I think the higher head pressure compacts the grain bed towards the bottom where the manifold/braid is

I second that. That is exactly what I am noticing. I had a rectangular cooler (the one I previously described) and I couldn't get a stuck sparge in that thing if I tried to get one because there was so much surface area and the grain bed was so thin.

Now that I have converted to the round ten gallon igloo I am having the problems I have been reading about for the past year lol. The smaller surface area and deeper grain bed really seem to compact things if you don't take a good deal of care when running off.

My rectangular cooler I could do initial runoff and two sparge rounds yielding about 8.5 gallons in about fifteen minutes.
 
Also, are you 100% positive that you have the holes going the proper way on your manifold? Remember you put the holes DOWN towards the bottom. I think that is a common rookie mistake.

When I made my manifold I cut slats as oppose to holes and made them slightly angled so its really hard for grain to get into my manifold. Perhaps ideas to try.
 
Yeah the slits are pointing down. They are also angled. It is almost impossible not to angle them when using the dremel to cut them.

I'll try and post a picture of it later. Maybe that will shed some light on things.
 
What about your crush? Has that changed? Is it too fine for the manifold and husks are clogging it up? I use a false bottom and have had husks make it underneath and into the hose and it can clog up. Just thinking.....
 
Crush was grain from BMW. It was about 13 pounds maris otter with some small amounts of specialty grains mixed in (no wheat, or flaked anything).
 
I use the 10 gal igloo box - at the bottom I have a folded piece of stainless steel sheet drilled with quarter inch holes, I fix one end of my syphon tube inside the fold, and put the whole thing into a very fine muslin bag, after mashing I syphon out the wort, and have never had a stuck sparge. I top up with water for the mash so my mash is quite thin and I fly sparge. It works for me.
 
This morning, I did a batch of Bee Cave Brewery Rye IPA in my Rubbermaid 10 gal. cylindrical w/ a 9 inch braid for a manifold. This recipe has 15 pounds of fermentables, including two pounds of rye malt, so the potential for a stuck sparge is certainly there....but no trace of a stuck sparge. I used the sparge technique discussed in previous posts, whereby I crack the ball valve open just enough to get a decent flow when vorlaufing, and then when the wort runs clear, open the valve- gradually. Probably 15 minutes to take the first runnings, and 15 for the sparge....depending on how much I feel like draining the MLT.
I do a one-shot batch sparge, and I have no trouble hitting the correct SG number; less concerned about top efficiency and more with getting the beer I want and keeping the beer day to about noon.
 
Here's what I'm working with for a manifold (yes it's a square manifold that fits perfectly into a round cooler & the slits do face down when it is assembled)

I think I will add some holes between the slits and possibly on the 90's & T's since they don't currently have slits on them.

Picture206.jpg


Picture212.jpg


Picture210.jpg
 
Also, are you 100% positive that you have the holes going the proper way on your manifold? Remember you put the holes DOWN towards the bottom. I think that is a common rookie mistake.

This information isn't entirely correct. Slot direction does not matter according to John Palmer.

http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD-1.html

"The slots can face up, down or to the side; hydraulically, it makes no difference." Palmer even has a picture of a tun with slots facing upward.

Maybe if your system relies on siphoning it would matter, but it really doesn't matter. Why else would a SS braid manifold work? It's essentially slotted all the way around.
 
just surround it with a fine muslin bag and you will be amazed at how fast you can run off the wort.
 
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