Keep getting stuck mashes

[Fletcher21]

So the last few times I have been brewing I have been getting stuck mashes. I have a 10 gallon Home Depot cylinder cooler with a braided SS mesh filter. Would a false bottom or some other filter work better?

My last batch was a hefe which I know is more common for stuck mashes. However, I had a 1/2 lbs of rice hulls to help but still no luck. I have also had an amber and IPA mash get stuck recently too.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Bobby_M]

Do you have anything inside the mesh for support? You are sure the braid is stainless wire and not plastic right?

 

[Clonefan94]

Did it work fine before the last couple of brews. I had this problem as well. Cooler worked well for about a year, then started getting slow and stuck sparges. I finally just replaced the braid and it works great again.

 

[garcia]

Maybe you're pouring too fast. It's happened to me before in an attempt to speed things up. Start slow, and keep it they way works for me.

 

[Takuie]

Also try draining at slower speeds. If I open valve all the way, it sucks the grain down and packs it too tightly and I get a stuck sparge. I only open valve about 25% of the way and works great for me.

 

[duboman]

Are you performing the vorleuf step to set the grain bed prior to full drain?

You first need to open the valve just enough to get some flow and run off a couple a few qts to set the bed and then open it up to fully drain, if you're just opening and draining it will get stuck for sure.

That being said, I switched my set up to a false bottom and am happier with it


Sent from the Commune

 

[J187]

Be mindful of not draining too quickly. Also, as Bobby asked, is the screen supported? I thought I liked the braid... I went false bottom and never looked back.

 

[theck]

Also try draining at slower speeds. If I open valve all the way, it sucks the grain down and packs it too tightly and I get a stuck sparge. I only open valve about 25% of the way and works great for me.

I was told to just let it rip once... I tried that on 2 mashes and will never do it again, think it channeled or something. Slow and steady works well for me. Once the grain is pretty well drained I open it up to get the rest out.