Braided hose or Manifold? Which is better?

I went with a figure 8 copper manifold and used a dremel to saw slits in the bottom side of the manifold...to make it even easier, I didnt solder anything together, just used t-connectors and elbows...works great, saved time on construction and very easy to take apart and clean...dont see the need to solder...if it fits together. I put holes in the bottom anyway. the point is to allow liquid through it anyway right?? No problems yet but then again I am still a noob...lol.

One question I do have just in case is with the rice hulls...I am getting ready to do a hefe and an oatmeal stout and know I should use them...does it matter where in the mash I add them?? on bottom, on top...or mixed in?? does it matter?

Just had my first brewday with a SS braid - efficiency up by 10%!

Crush the same, mash time the same and same mash temp.

Converted!

InYerMouth said:

...One question I do have just in case is with the rice hulls...I am getting ready to do a hefe and an oatmeal stout and know I should use them...does it matter where in the mash I add them?? on bottom, on top...or mixed in?? does it matter?

Click to expand...

Think about it. It doesn't matter when you add them you are going to stir the shiite outa your mash anyway. After stirring the mash they will be mixed up. Rice hulls work great!

I've played around with a stainless false bottom and a couple of different copper manifolds, and a couple different braid setups, this has been my best to date. 1/2" line with a stainless bolt hose clamped to the end.
very little dead space, the line doesn't float, right before I vorlauf I run my mash paddle down both sides and make sure the braid is centered.

I started a similar thread in the equipment forum, it's good to see some of the answers here. There is no good sticky for this topic and the search function doesn't work very well, I find. Anyway, I have a SS braid that I use in a 5 gal. drink cooler and it seems to work very well. I have only made one AG batch and it turned out fine, in fact my OG was two points higher than predicted by beersmith. I was considering a False Bottom but I don't think I'll get one any time soon. My only complaint about a braid is that I prick my fingers on the frayed ends. I could build a manifold, and maybe some day I will, but for me braid is cheap and effective.

BlindLemonLars said:

I'd be interested in hearing more from the guys who have had stuck sparges with braids. Specifically:
What type of recipe? Lots of adjuncts? Huge grain bill?
How long was your braid, and in what configuration? (straight, circular, etc.)
If straight, was the end weighted with a plug?
Was it reinforced with a piece of perforated tubing?

Click to expand...

I have used a standard SS braid and I used to get stuck sparges or VERY slow drainage. After reading a few threads here I took out the slotted tubing I had inside of it and OH WHAT A DIFFERENCE. Thanks to all the posters that recommended removing it.

Just did a heavy Wheat AG batch and the flow was FAST. I had to seriously dial back the ball valve as I was doing some modified getto sparging. No flames please because I got 80% Eff so I am now a happy brewer, next time I'll try a standard batch sparge to see if I can beat that.