Braid OR Manifold?

I've been doing some all grain (in-a-bag) brews which has been working well, but wanted to invest in a "proper" AG system. Was thinking about a 10gal cooler but can't decide on if I should use a steel braid in the MLT or use a manifold. And if I do a manifold, should it be copper, pvc, or what. What have ppl used and what are your opinions on these different ideas.
THANKS

 

I use neither. I have a bazooka tube in my cooler and I've never had a problem with it.

 

I've never done AG, I'm just a dreamer (well, more like a planner), but I'd think that the braided hose would be pretty difficult to clean when compared to the solid manifold.

 

What is difficult about it? Drain some hot water through it... I love my braid works like a charm in my 10 gallon round cooler.. No complaints!

 

Bazooka tube? What exactly is this?

 

False bottom. :cross:

 

Basically a very stiff, inflexible stainless steel braid.

 

I guess thinking that braid or manifold being my only options was very noobish of me

 

My cpvc manifold works perfectly. Easily taken apart and cleaned, as well as easy to store away.

 

I use a false bottom after using a braid for about a year. After a year's worth of abuse the braid was in pretty bad shape. Lots of kinks in the braid from stirring the mash and I progressively had worse efficiency. I got tired of it and bought a false bottom and I will never go back.

 

I love my braid. Easy to clean, easy to install, cheap. I batch sparge though, so if you are going to fly sparge, a manifold or false bottom may facilitate more even drainage.

 

I use a braid and it works great.
I can build a long one that does a figure 8 so when the suction begins I am pulling malt from all over the Tun versus just a specific spot.

I'll be switching to a false bottom at some point.

 

+1 I love mine and wouldn't trade for anything. Unless you are on a tight budget, I would go for the FB.

EDIT: I fly-sparge. I have heard that a manifold can be better (faster, less sticking) for the super fast drains that the batch spargers use. Maybe some of them can chime in on that.

 

Started building a CPVC (higher heat resistance than PVC) manifold last night for my 48 qt cooler. Got the cooler on craigslist for $18 and the CPVC, elbows and Ts, and ball valve for under $12 at Lowe's.

$30 for a 48 qt. tun.

 

Here's a pic of a bazooka tube. It is kinda like a braid, but its a larger diameter and made of stronger, stiffer material, so there is no risk of it crushing or get mangled as you stir the mash. The downside is that the openings are larger, so you need to vorlauf to keep bits of grain out of the kettle.

It's not the end-all-be-all of mash lautering devices. Braid, manifold, bazooka, false bottom...they all work equally well for batch sparging (fly sparging might be a different story). Braid is probably least expensive option.

 

How much would it be to get a false bottom?

 

Depends on what type of vessel you are putting the false bottom in.

 

How bout a 10 gal cooler?

 

When I was first putting my false bottom together I had heard too many horror stories about braids collapsing and tunneling of the grain.

Like the person above, cpvc is super cheap and easy to do.

 

Falso bottom is awsome. I have a Phils and I love it.

 

Northern Brewer has them for around 35 dollars US.

 

http://www.listermann.com/Store/Details.asp?ID=963

This is for a 10 gallon.

 

Thanks for the input everybody...i think after hearing this Im going for the false bottom in the 10 gal. cooler but maybe the manifold since it will probably be a little cheaper. The Phils looks like a pretty good way to go and isnt that expensive.

 

Is installing the phils into the cooler easy?

 

I have a copper manifold. It is solid, doesn't crush, and since I did not sweat the pipe together, it comes apart easily for cleaning. It was easy to set up. The only difficulty was how many dremmel disks I went through cutting the slits. When I finish a mash and it's on the burner to boil, I dump my grain into a bucket, hose out the cooler mash tun, then pull out the copper manifold (I use a brewing bucket nozzle through the cooler wall, and a vinyl hose to connect that to the copper T from the manifold). I break it apart in seconds dropping it into my utility sink. It soaks in soapy water (leftover sparge water is dumped in there with soap) and when I have a moment I come back and quickly run brushes through it then stack it on a cloth to dry.

I'm sure whatever you end up picking will be great and you'll be stoked to be doing all grains without a sack. Just pick whichever one strikes you as the coolest!

 

You'll just hook up the barbed connector on the top of the false bottom to the barb on the valve of your cooler with hi temp tubing.

Easy peezy.

 

Let me preface my comments by saying that I am NO Expert by any measure of the word.
I just finished my mash tun with a manifold. I only did a 5 gallon version, but I kept all the parts so when I do the 10 gallon cooler I can put the 5 back together.
I don't think I have a total of $35.00 invested in the cooler, manifold and bulkhead and valve. I had some copper, so I don't count that into the cost...just the fittings I used.

I didn't solder ALL of the joints...So I could take it apart to clean it up.

 

I use a CPVC manifold in my igloo icecube......85% efficiency and no complaints

 

The truth is, they all work fine. Each has their pros and cons. Pick one and run with it. Tomorrow you'll be telling everyone why they should use what you do.

 

Thanks. I thought I knew what I was doing, but after a few more comments I think I am going to find whatever is the cheapest to do...a cpvc manifold is looking good to me now....THANKS for helping me out

 

SS braid here... takes literally 60 seconds to make, no problems cleaning, easy on the wallet. If you somehow mangle or break one its a cheap and easy fix.

 

I've used both copper manifold and braid. I prefer the manifold, though it was harder (but only marginally) to build. My efficiency increased also with the manifold. I am assuming this is because it has a more even coverage of the grainbed than the braid did.

-J

 

I made a copper manifold for my MLT and even though it isnt circular it works great! I have no problems cleaning it etc... and I usually get 80-85 % efficiency.. I think it cost me about $15 to make, but I also had enough pieces left to make a sparge arm..

-DIG

 

what did you use for cuts on that copper?

 

I use a false bottom and its the best thing
fits perfect and drains well

Vote 1 false bottom

 

Probably either a hack saw or dremel.

 

Might as well show my cpvc I made for my 5 gallon cooler. It was really easy and cheap to make. Made the slits with my dremel cut off wheel. And cut the cpvc with a hack saw.

 

are the cuts up for the photo? Or do you use it that way?

 

The cuts should be down, it's most likely just for the photo.

 

they are just up for the photo, I use it facing down. I used a hack saw to cut the holes, I found that the dremmel cut holed about 1/2 mm wider. I figured I could always make it wider if I wanted, so I started with the thinner holes and im glad I did, works great as is!

I bent the tube that connects it to the ball valve by heating a 12" pipe section to "glowing hot" and then stepped on it gently and pulled up. if anyone was wondering?! I couldnt find a fitting to match the angle, and I didnt want to disrupt the "proper flow" of the wort.

** sorry for the huge photo, I will size down next time.