False Bottom or Manifold for Bottom Draining Converted Keg MLT

[Cervantes]

Hi,

I'm planning on converting a keg to a bottom draining MLT.

My reason for doing this is for the ease of cleaning and emptying.

So my question is would it be better to use a false bottom or a manifold to drain the vessel?

I gather that a false bottom is less prone to channelling, but with a correctly designed manifold I could dump the spent malt out of the 2" opening at the bottom into a bucket.

With a false bottom I'd have to scoop out the spent malt with a bowl or something. Or is there a better way?

Does anyone have any opinions or experience that they would like to share before I start the build?

Many thanks
Andy

Edit: Spelling

 

[Homercidal]

Personally, I think a false bottom is naturally going to flow better in that setup. I use a copper manifold in a rectangular cooler, but you have to consider channeling (if fly sparging) and you have less flow area due to fewer holes. Of course a cooler retains heat better, but if you are doing a recirc with HERMS or RIMS it's not a problem.

A false bottom cleans pretty easily, while a manifold *might* retain some grain bits or wort sugars.

As far as dumping your spent grains, I'm not sure it will be as easy as you think it will be. Once the grain bed compacts and gets slightly dry I think it will clog in that small of an opening.

You might consider rigging up a tippy-dump so you can clean by tipping the MLT over on a pivot and easily scooping the grains out. Once the majority are out you can then tip it back up and wash it out, draining out the bottom.

 

[Cervantes]

As far as dumping your spent grains, I'm not sure it will be as easy as you think it will be. Once the grain bed compacts and gets slightly dry I think it will clog in that small of an opening.

You might consider rigging up a tippy-dump so you can clean by tipping the MLT over on a pivot and easily scooping the grains out. Once the majority are out you can then tip it back up and wash it out, draining out the bottom.

I was hoping that I'd be able to loosen the spent malt and then flush it out of the opening with a bit of water.

If I'm not able to do this, then what is the advantage of the bottom outlet?

Would I be as well off with a false bottom and side outlet with dip tube?

Thanks

Andy

 

[horseinmay]

If I were going this way, I would attach a handle or something to the false bottom so that you could pull it out from under the grain after mashing. This way, you could let it all out the bottom without having to tip it. Otherwise, I don't know how you're going to connect the manifold to the bottom drain. With a false bottom, you don't have to connect anything.

 

[govner1]

I use a manifold made from copper pipe in both my cooled MLT's.
I started w/ a false bottom but stuck sparges drove me crazy.

 

[Homercidal]

I was hoping that I'd be able to loosen the spent malt and then flush it out of the opening with a bit of water.

If I'm not able to do this, then what is the advantage of the bottom outlet?

Would I be as well off with a false bottom and side outlet with dip tube?

Thanks

Andy

Sorry, I didn't notice your question.

Bottom outlet makes it easy to rinse the leftover grains after you scoop the majority out. Without a bottom drain it's a pain to get all the grain and water out.

 

[Cervantes]

Thanks for the replies.

Certainly food for thought.

Cheers
Andy

 

[chickens4life]

another strike against the manifold in a keg is that the bottom is not flat. It is my experience that manifolds only function well if the slits/holes are against the bottom of the vessel (talk to any one who has installed one upside down in a cooler). They will clog in a hurry if the openings can get grain compacted in the. Since the bottom of the keg isn't flat i think it might complicate the design and installation of a manifold that would function properly.