Need fewer stuck sparges

[conpewter]

Tried to search on this but no results. I've not brewed for a while but hope to get back in to it this fall.

Anyway I love my oatmeal stouts, and I prefer to do them without the rice hulls if I can. I've gotten stuck sparges multiple times with my 10 gallon cooler with a braid. I use the pump to empty the cooler so it may suction down some...

Would putting a false bottom in the cooler help with this? What about a braid from a hot water heater hose? (I already have one of those I could use).

btw I use 2-3 lb of oats in a 5 gallon batch of stout... so yeah ultra sticky. Would a protein rest help? I'm worried about those since it may affect the body i'm looking for in the final beer.

 

[ronjonacron]

What is your hesitation with rice hulls?

 

[MindenMan]

I too, like Oatmeal stouts. Yesterday was my first stuck Vorlauf ever, and then of course a stuck sparge too following the stuck Vorlauf. I don't have the bucks right now to get a 10 gallon cooler to mash in, so I use the Zapap method of two 5 gallon buckets to Vorlauf and mash in.
Here's my idea I wish I had done a couple of days ago that I am going to do today: in the "filter" bucket I am going to use a chunk of 3/8" tubing to make an air break. I will be drilling a hole the same size as the O.D. of the tubing, and placing 1/2" or so past my false bottom, and going up the side to the top inside edge of the filter bucket. Now the false bottom area will have unlimited access to air, and my stuck sparge issues should go away. I'll let everybody know how it works out.
EDIT: I realize this idea may not work for mash tuns with expensive false bottoms.

 

[wailingguitar]

What is your hesitation with rice hulls?

This ^^^ Anytime I do an oatmeal stout or a wheat beer, at home or commercially, the rice hulls go in. Oatmeal stouts are notoriously easy to stick.

 

[conpewter]

I guess I'm just cheap, and I like being able to brew off the cuff. I can make almost anything I need from base grains (with proper wetting/roasting or just roasting in the oven/pan) and I can buy the oatmeal at the local supermarket.

I also don't like all the dust on rice hulls so I end up trying to soak/strain/clean them. I suppose I need to make some room in the brew-room for rice hulls and deal with it, love my oatmeal stouts

 

[Yooper]

I guess I'm just cheap, and I like being able to brew off the cuff. I can make almost anything I need from base grains (with proper wetting/roasting or just roasting in the oven/pan) and I can buy the oatmeal at the local supermarket.

I also don't like all the dust on rice hulls so I end up trying to soak/strain/clean them. I suppose I need to make some room in the brew-room for rice hulls and deal with it, love my oatmeal stouts

I have a false bottom and a pump (as you know!) and just simply can't use more than a 1/2 pound or so of oats/rye in a 5 gallon batch without having a sticky mess! A protein rest may help, but not all that much. Rice hulls can keep a LONG time, so if you buy a pound or two, you could just have them on hand forever.

 

[kh54s10]

Try the water heater braid. I use one and have never gotten a stuck sparge. I have also never used rice hulls. Though I just ordered some - in case.

I would also suggest not using the pump to drain as this will compact the grainbed. It only takes a few minutes to drain anyway.

 

[conpewter]

Thanks all I'll probably upgrade to the water heater braid and also throw some rice hulls in, maybe not as many as I've done in the past (used a couple liters?)

What do you suggest for not using the pump to drain? I can't really move the brew kettle... perhaps the two above changes will help.

Thanks for the info Yooper, I do like your setup, but at least I know a false bottom is not the answer now I'll be stickin with my cooler MT, unless I go BIAB someday with a single vessel brewing system.

--If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy

 

[TheWitGuy]

When using rice hulls do yo guys set a layer of them on the bottom of the mash tun or you mix it with the other grains as well?

 

[conpewter]

I've thrown them in on the bottom, but they get pretty thoroughly mixed in with all the stirring to get the mash well mixed with the water.

 

[pondochris]

I use a Bazooka Screen I got for $15 at LHBS. I've done a few oatmeal stouts using 2lb oats and never any rice hulls, never a stuck mash or sparge. I batch sparge.

 

[outside92129]

Do you condition your grain?

 

[conpewter]

I've done conditioning a few times but not always, not sure if I've done it and seen less stuck sparges or not. I'll try to correlate it though.

 

[kh54s10]

I don't know your setup in regards to the pump. I have an all gravity system. If you need to pump, can you do it very slowly?

So far I have never used rice hulls. I have only conditioned the grains once and did not see much difference. I use a Corona style mill which pretty much shreds the hulls whether they are conditioned or not. The water heater braid is much more robust than a sink supply line. I can beat the crap out of it and it will not collapse or kink.

 

[stpug]

So here's a crazy idea - never tried it - it just popped in my mind:
Oatmeal stout - I'm guessing around 11+ lbs grain per 5 gallons
2-3 lbs is oats, the remaining is barley of some sort

What if you simply bagged your oats in a large paint strainer, the remaining grist is not bagged, but it's all mashed together. Obviously you'd need to stir very well but once the enzymes are released they should make their way into the oats and convert. I'm guessing that a stir once or twice during the mash rest mind be warranted to help ensure good interaction with the enzymes.

At the end of mash, sitr it all up really well, and pull the oats. Give them a good rinse in your sparge water, and toss em to the compost. Finish your sparge as normal. Viola! all of the benefits of the oats but none of the hassle.

I might be overlooking some obvious factor but, off the cuff, it sounds like it could work. I might be trying this the next time I have a grainbill that fits the bill.

 

[kh54s10]

So here's a crazy idea - never tried it - it just popped in my mind:
Oatmeal stout - I'm guessing around 11+ lbs grain per 5 gallons
2-3 lbs is oats, the remaining is barley of some sort

What if you simply bagged your oats in a large paint strainer, the remaining grist is not bagged, but it's all mashed together. Obviously you'd need to stir very well but once the enzymes are released they should make their way into the oats and convert. I'm guessing that a stir once or twice during the mash rest mind be warranted to help ensure good interaction with the enzymes.

At the end of mash, sitr it all up really well, and pull the oats. Give them a good rinse in your sparge water, and toss em to the compost. Finish your sparge as normal. Viola! all of the benefits of the oats but none of the hassle.

I might be overlooking some obvious factor but, off the cuff, it sounds like it could work. I might be trying this the next time I have a grainbill that fits the bill.

I had a similar experience last week when I did my pumpkin ale. I was worried about the pumpkin pulp and had no rice hulls so I put the 7 pounds of pumpkin in a 5 gallon paint strainer bag, tied it shut and tossed it into the mash. I ended up a little low on the OG but I don't think in had anything to do with the process.

 

[conpewter]

Interesting, I'd be concerned about not getting enough of the smooth oat qualities out when having it all bagged up, but I could see it working in perhaps a loose bag. I think I'll try the water heater braid first with the rice hulls. Then try it with just conditioning the malt. If just conditioning doesn't work I may try the bag thing. Thanks guys/gal