Keggle = MLT?

I'm already making some purchases for my All Grain Equipment-- I appreciate the help so far, you guys!

The last thing I'm deciding is between a Cooler MLT or Keggle MLT. However, I don't quite understand how to make a Keggle MLT....I'm assuming w/ a Stainless Steel False Bottom? Any pictures and/or explanations would be amazing.

Thanks again guys!

Here's the inside of mine. It's got a false bottom to filter out the grain. The dip tube sucks up the wort from underneath. The digital thermo probe is also sticking in there. There's several different false bottoms available. The ones that cover the entire bottom are the best IMHO, but they're really expensive. With any other one, you'll have to find a way to securely hold it down against the bottom, otherwise grain will get in around the edges and you WILL have a stuck sparge. I hold mine down with a hose clamp on the pickup tube. Another uption is to use a SS braid instead of a false bottom, but I see many more false bottoms.

I picked up an 18" x 1" diameter braid for water heater connections. I'm anxious to see if it will work for slow recirculation. If not, I'm going to stop being a cheap bast... and just buy the full perfortated bottom.

Bobby, I bet it works as good if not better. Be sure to post up a pic and your experience with it.

The full sized false bottoms have worked out really well for me. Here are a few pictures if this helps.

The plan is to take some 1/2" soft copper, run it down from the bulkhead and make a ~4-6" diameter ring towards the bottom of the keg. For the section that will be covered with the 1" diameter braid, I'm going to wrap 14gauge electrical wire in a coil to keep the braid from touching the tubing. The bottom of the tubing that is sitting down near the keg bottom will have a bunch of 1/4" holes drilled.

The design is to fix a couple issues with "just a braid". First, it will offer rigidity to the braid so I can position it wherever I want and it won't get pushed all over the place when I stir. The second is the issue of deadspace. It's going to act as a dip tube that only takes liquid from within the confines of the braid.

Again, if it fails, my keg will look just like foppas.

foppa78 said:

The full sized false bottoms have worked out really well for me. Here are a few pictures if this helps.

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Foppa-- Where did you get your False Bottom-- are those slits that you had to cut at the top of the keg to slide down the False Bottom?


Lil' Sparky-- Where'd you get yours? Sounds like you suggest something closer to what Foppa has.

I got mine here: http://morebeer.com/view_product/19807/102318

Yes, I think the one foppa has is better. I think he said he bought his off someone on the green board, and the slits are to get the FB in/out.

You can also get a full FB that folds from sabco, but it's going to cost you $90. http://www.brew-magic.com/ketl_acc_falsebtm.html

Yup. Lil' Sparky is right. Swagman on the greenboard and I came up with this when were trying to find a way to get a 15 inch false bottom inside of the 12 hole without having to put a hinge in it. Yes the slits are so that you can slide it in and out. Kinda like sliding a quarter into a soda pop machine. Once it clears the slits I am able to lay it down flat. It is nice of Lil' Sparky to say mine is better but if both of us are not having any issues with stuck sparges then who is to say which one is better.
I have these in both my mash tun and my boil kettle and they are working great. I bought a sheet of perforated stainless steel from onlinemetals.com and swagman cut them with his plasma torch.

I got the welded version of lil sparky's

Lil' Sparky said:

I got mine here: http://morebeer.com/view_product/19807/102318

Yes, I think the one foppa has is better. I think he said he bought his off someone on the green board, and the slits are to get the FB in/out.

You can also get a full FB that folds from sabco, but it's going to cost you $90. http://www.brew-magic.com/ketl_acc_falsebtm.html

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Pretty sweet-- I think I'll get that one if it is working well for you. I think I'm gonna go keggle for my MLT. It seems more versatile-- and I really would like to be able to do decoction and step mashing sooner than later.

Thanks guys-- if you want to throw in more thoughts or suggestions, I'd love to hear'em!

The only time I've had a problem with that is when I crushed the grain a little too fine. The sparge started to stick a little when I was mashing out (direct-fire + recirculation), and I scorched a little on the bottom (beer still turned out fine). If I leave my Barley Crusher at the factory setting I don't have any problems and get about 75% efficiency.

Lil' Sparky said:

The only time I've had a problem with that is when I crushed the grain a little too fine. The sparge started to stick a little when I was mashing out (direct-fire + recirculation), and I scorched a little on the bottom (beer still turned out fine). If I leave my Barley Crusher at the factory setting I don't have any problems and get about 75% efficiency.

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Do you mainly Infusion, Batch, or Decoction Mash?

75% is pretty good-- I'd be content w/ getting over 70% w/ Batch Sparging

I usually use a single infusion mash schedule + batch sparge. I mashout maybe 1/2 the time. I also do the occasional step mash, but have never done a decoction.
I'm happy with my process, efficiency, and I make some really tasty beers.

Lil' Sparky said:

I usually use a single infusion mash schedule. I mashout maybe 1/2 the time. I also do the occasional step mash, but have never done a decoction. And I batch sparge. I'm happy with my process, efficiency, and I make some really tasty beers.

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sweet-- thanks sparky

just got mine in the mail today and I don't like it. I much prefer my 12" SS that I used in my 10gallon Igloo, so Im going to modify that one. I want the 12" because my burner is 9" and I don't want a direct fire on anything but the recirculated wort