SS braid letting me down... what to do

I use a 10 gal. Rubbermaid round cooler and I've been using a SS braid (1" diameter) for a while. I've never been a huge fan as I get a stuck sparge ever other brew or so. Today, on my maiden RIMS system brew, it kept clogging. I was running low flow (maybe 1-2 gallon minute - ball valve about 1/4 open) and it kept getting stuck. This was a very simple porter (NB St. Paul Porter) so no wheat or anything.

So, what are my options? CPVC manifold, false bottom, ???? What are other RIMS/HERMS folks using?

I only had one stuck sparge with my braid. I'M wondering if some are more tightly braided then others.

I'd recommend a smaller diameter braid. I use a 1/2'' diameter and have never had a stuck sparge.

I think 1'' would be more inclined to being smashed by the weight of the grain.

Chello said:

I'd recommend a smaller diameter braid. I use a 1/2'' diameter and have never had a stuck sparge.

I think 1'' would be more inclined to being smashed by the weight of the grain.

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This was my thought exactly. The weight of the grain can crush a larger diameter braid, won't on a smaller.

I have the 1" diameter braid and a 10 gallon Igloo, but put a copper tube inside to keep it from getting crushed.

Stuck sparges are usually the result of a crush that is too fine or trying to flow too fast for a given crush. I have used 1/2" and 1" hose mesh and both work fine. The solution to your problem is to open your mill gap. Also, when you start your RIMS flow, open the ball valve very slowly so you do not compact the mash.
The only time my hose mesh got bent or crushed was when I hit it with the mash paddle. My current MT is a 55 gallon HDPE drum. It has a 1" hose mesh. I have mashed as much as 100 pounds of grain (I brew 30-35 gallon batches) in it and the SS hose mesh has not been crushed. Obviously, YMMV.

I had the same problem but I switched to a slotted copper manifold and my problem was solved. I do have to vorlauf an increased volume since switching though...

stevehaun said:

The solution to your problem is to open your mill gap. Also, when you start your RIMS flow, open the ball valve very slowly so you do not compact the mash.

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This was NB crush, which is notorious for not being that great.

What was strange was it got stuck about 20 minutes into the mash (then 35, then 45, then 50, etc..) A quick blow back into the hose solved it, but what a PITA. Got stuck in sparge as well. Maybe it was just a bad luck day.

I have a bunch of 1/2 braid from other projects that I may try. Do a double loop with it or will a single loop be fine? I also have a couple of grain bags from my brew-in-a-bag experiments. Any harm in just using one of those in the cooler instead of a manifold. The bags make cleanup super easy, I know.

I wound up with 68% effeciency, so not too horrible for first RIMS run...

I have a "T" with a single loop of hose braid but I have used a single straight piece as well. Was that your mash efficiency or brewhouse efficiency?

I use 1/2" slotted copper. Haven't had a problem yet and it's easy to take apart and clean.

stevehaun said:

Was that your mash efficiency or brewhouse efficiency?

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68%

I'm thinking of just using my bag from my BiaB testing. It's big enough and I already have it and cleanup is easy.

I was going to do a 1/2" SS braid loop, but fittings at the local homer depot are expensive. Was going to be about $15 and I already have the braid...

Have you thought about adding rice hulls to your mash? I do that religiously, even though I never get stuck sparges, just because I get a little bump on efficiency---but they're great for avoiding stuck sparges.

what quanity Rice halls do you use?

I tend to just throw a big handful in my mash. Two if it's a wheat beer, which probably ends up being somewhere around 1/4 lb. I have seen wheat beer recipes include up to 1/2 lb rice hulls. Keep in mind they will absorb some of your hot water, so you may want to adjust slightly for water/grist ratio.

By the way, I coiled some stainless steel wire around a wooden spoon and slipped it into my braid. Voila, no more crushing the braid with my mash paddle.

greenbirds said:

I tend to just throw a big handful in my mash. Two if it's a wheat beer, which probably ends up being somewhere around 1/4 lb. I have seen wheat beer recipes include up to 1/2 lb rice hulls. Keep in mind they will absorb some of your hot water, so you may want to adjust slightly for water/grist ratio.

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just pre soak them in hot water first.