Aluminum Turkey Fryer Mash Tun

[Cyrial23]

I'm looking at buying a 30 qt turkey fryer pot to use as a mash tun. It comes with a corrugated "poultry rack" which is basically a disc with 1 inch walls to keep it off the bottom of the pot, and with holes drilled into it to. Has anyone ever used one of these racks as a false bottom? I was thinking of running a length of copper tube into the pot with an L angle to go under the poultry rack, and the top of the L a bit above the wall of the pot. I would leave this in place during the mash process, then just hook some silicone or vinyl tubing to to the top end, and siphon out my wort. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience on this sort of rig?

In the past, I cut a 6" length of copper tube, pinched one end and drilled a bunch of holes in it. Once my mash was complete, I snaked it down to the bottom of the pot with the vinyl tube attached and siphoned that way - no false bottom at all. Yield efficiency was actually quite good. I would think the poultry rack idea would work at least as well and would be a lot more accessible.

 

[prandlesc]

The holes in the rack in your turkey fryer are way to large to act as a false bottom - it won't prevent grain from filling the space below the rack.

 

[bja]

The holes in the rack in your turkey fryer are way to large to act as a false bottom - it won't prevent grain from filling the space below the rack.

How do you know how big the holes are?

 

[Cyrial23]

That's a good point, they might be too large. In which case, I would pinch or cap the end of the copper that is under the rack, and drill a series of holes in it with a 3/16" bit.

Or, I coudl place some screen above or below the existing rack.

 

[prandlesc]

How do you know how big the holes are?

I'm clairvoyant. No, really. Actually, I have a turkey fryer with the type of rack he's referring to in the bottom of it. It's designed to keep a large item, like a turkey, from resting on the bottom - not to prevent grain and husks from drifting down.

 

[wilserbrewer]

If you have the copper pipe on the bottom of the pot drilled with holes, you don't need a FB. The gadgets you are describing with that come with a turkey fryer that hold the turkey have no value in brewing, IMO. If I am imagining what you are describing correctly...cheers!

I would suggest using the method you found successful with the copper pipe...

The detail linked below shows a copper manifold siphon mash tun example,
http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD.html

 

[Cyrial23]

Thanks for the link. I've read a bunch of back and forth lately about whether or not its safe to have the vinyl tube in the mash (of if it's safe to use at all for that matter). That is why I was going to run the copper up the height of the pot, so that I could connect it when I am ready to lauter rather than having it in the mash for 60-90 minutes. However, the article and picture you s provided would work with the vinyl in the mash. Any thoughts either way?

brew day is next week...i've been out of the game for a few years and am looking forward to my first batch back.