andrewmaixner
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the update. I ordered it (along with a new custom eBIAB setup) a couple days ago, hopefully my system will be up and running in a couple weeks
New BIAB False Bottoms
- Thread starter Bobby_M
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Thanks for the update. I ordered it (along with a new custom eBIAB setup) a couple days ago, hopefully my system will be up and running in a couple weeks
Brewcycle69
Well-Known Member
Used this for the first time last weekend, worked great; as mentioned above, recirculation was great. I don't have to worry about the recirculation piece of the brew day any longer. I was using a regular false bottom but never got the recirculation flow I was looking for; I was getting about 72% mash efficiency. I was playing around with flow rates vs grain bed compact, on max flow it didn't take long for the grain bed to compact hard as a brick. Around 25% of max flow is gave me a grain bed that felt right (I have no idea how to characterize that in terms of feel or any useful parameter.) I was back up to 80% mash efficiency, I did stir a couple of times but now that I understand the flow rate better don't think I'll need to in the future. Great solution for those who recirculate.
Bobby: Do you know when the 14.75" diameter false bottoms will be back in stock?
Also, Ive currently been using a similar basket below with the Wilser bag and have had a terrible time recirculating. Right now there is about a 1" gap between the the basket and kettle, but I'm afraid if i ditch the basket and only use the bag then the only area the mash will be able to escape the bag is from the bottom and with a fine crush it seems to get clogged quickly. Any recommendations?
Also, Ive currently been using a similar basket below with the Wilser bag and have had a terrible time recirculating. Right now there is about a 1" gap between the the basket and kettle, but I'm afraid if i ditch the basket and only use the bag then the only area the mash will be able to escape the bag is from the bottom and with a fine crush it seems to get clogged quickly. Any recommendations?
andrewmaixner
Well-Known Member
Well, I added that comment to my order, it arrived today, and I think Bobby just added in the extra set of taller screws for free!
Thanks!
OP
OP
All three sizes should be on the website by Monday evening.
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
OP
OP
They are on the website now.
roblanderson
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Bought the 17.5" for my 20 gallon Spike v3 kettle - really looking forward to using it once it arrives.
For those of you who have already brewed with one of these, do you remove it after the mash and before the boil? Or do you just leave it in place during the boil?
For those of you who have already brewed with one of these, do you remove it after the mash and before the boil? Or do you just leave it in place during the boil?
I just left it in place. You could do either.
andrewmaixner
Well-Known Member
It will keep an immersion chiller off your element later if you leave it in
OP
OP
I leave mine in.
This shouldn't matter. The chiller weighs next to nothing when submerged in wort.
OP
OP
It's not really about the weight but the fact that a chiller doesn't sit very nicely on an element.
Can't argue with that.
I was excited to try out my new 17.5" false bottom yesterday and ditch my pizza tin for good. I put in 4 legs on outer ring and left out the middle leg as my heating element was in the way.
When putting it in the pot its a great fit. There is also no discernible flex in it like there was with my pizza tin.
*****************************
Brewing
In the past I had some issues with my pizza tin restricting the flow too much back to the bottom of my pot where the outlet feeds my recirc pump. This false bottom has excellent circulation.
My problem occurred after the mash started. I was mashing at 153 degrees when I heard a metallic POP. Shortly thereafter a few more POPS.
Looking in pot after draining I can see all 4 legs had issues
Removing bottom I see
**************************************
I don't know much about welding, but the welds from the nuts to the wire are tiny. I'd reason the weld size is insufficient for the thermal expansion/contraction. I am also surprised some of the welds on the outer ring broke (small gauge wire attached to the outer ring).
I'm wondering if there is a way to use stainless steel washers to give a much larger surface area to weld to. Even if the nut was welded to the top of the washer I cant see that hurting anything.
The potential for this product is 5 star and I think a must have for a Biab'er, but it needs some revision because its not quite right yet.
When putting it in the pot its a great fit. There is also no discernible flex in it like there was with my pizza tin.
*****************************
Brewing
In the past I had some issues with my pizza tin restricting the flow too much back to the bottom of my pot where the outlet feeds my recirc pump. This false bottom has excellent circulation.
My problem occurred after the mash started. I was mashing at 153 degrees when I heard a metallic POP. Shortly thereafter a few more POPS.
Looking in pot after draining I can see all 4 legs had issues
Removing bottom I see
**************************************
I don't know much about welding, but the welds from the nuts to the wire are tiny. I'd reason the weld size is insufficient for the thermal expansion/contraction. I am also surprised some of the welds on the outer ring broke (small gauge wire attached to the outer ring).
I'm wondering if there is a way to use stainless steel washers to give a much larger surface area to weld to. Even if the nut was welded to the top of the washer I cant see that hurting anything.
The potential for this product is 5 star and I think a must have for a Biab'er, but it needs some revision because its not quite right yet.
As promised, a follow up. This past weekend I did a 31 lb grain bill for a brown IPA in my 62 quart Bayou Classic. Ten gallon batch. Mine held up just fine under the load.
BoilCoil users...
I purchased the false bottom (with the 3.5" screw size) for use in a SSBREWTECH 15gal Kettle and it fits just fine. Should work just as well in a Blichmann kettle.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1467419152.391706.jpg
I purchased the false bottom (with the 3.5" screw size) for use in a SSBREWTECH 15gal Kettle and it fits just fine. Should work just as well in a Blichmann kettle.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1467419152.391706.jpg
OP
OP
I was excited to try out my new 17.5" false bottom yesterday and ditch my pizza tin for good. I put in 4 legs on outer ring and left out the middle leg as my heating element was in the way.
When putting it in the pot its a great fit. There is also no discernible flex in it like there was with my pizza tin.
*****************************
Brewing
In the past I had some issues with my pizza tin restricting the flow too much back to the bottom of my pot where the outlet feeds my recirc pump. This false bottom has excellent circulation.
My problem occurred after the mash started. I was mashing at 153 degrees when I heard a metallic POP. Shortly thereafter a few more POPS.
Looking in pot after draining I can see all 4 legs had issues
Removing bottom I see
**************************************
I don't know much about welding, but the welds from the nuts to the wire are tiny. I'd reason the weld size is insufficient for the thermal expansion/contraction. I am also surprised some of the welds on the outer ring broke (small gauge wire attached to the outer ring).
I'm wondering if there is a way to use stainless steel washers to give a much larger surface area to weld to. Even if the nut was welded to the top of the washer I cant see that hurting anything.
The potential for this product is 5 star and I think a must have for a Biab'er, but it needs some revision because its not quite right yet.
I agree that the welded nuts need to be reconsidered for the 17.5" version. They work fine on the 13" and 14.75 but at that large of a disc, 5 legs is not enough for the hydraulic pressure created during recirculation. With the fine crush everyone is using for BIAB, bags don't flow as freely as you'd like. Once you get to a certain point, the bag is holding back more liquid and you pull a vacuum on the space beneath.
For now I'm going to try augmenting the 5 legs with another 4 bolted straight through the mesh with washers above and below.
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I'd be curious about your feedback on the false bottom and the boilcoil (4500watt I assume) after you've done a batch. I think Blichmann recommends that their element not be used to directly heat the mash, not sure if this even applies in BIAB.
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
andrewmaixner
Well-Known Member
Depends on what they mean, exactly, but isn't that just the definition of eBIAB, as long as the grain doesn't contact the element?
I guess they could mean "don't literally stick this in a grain bed"
I guess they could mean "don't literally stick this in a grain bed"
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That's exactly what I thought.
Since there are approximately 3.5-4 inches of water below the grain bag, do you have any problems with keeping the grains submerged? Small or large grain bills?
Since there are approximately 3.5-4 inches of water below the grain bag, do you have any problems with keeping the grains submerged? Small or large grain bills?
I currently use a High Gravity eBIAB, 11gal bayou classic kettle with the steamer basket. I'm considering trying this false bottom to keep the bag off the element and get rid of the basket. I want to use a whirlpool return at the end of the boil and during cooling. Do you think this false bottom will disturb the whirlpool?
andrewmaixner
Well-Known Member
it wasn't hard to pull the bottom out before the whirlpool on my first batch last week, using a long stainless spoon. I haven't yet tried a whirlpool with it in, as I'm just getting used to my new eBIAB hardware/system/process
I'll be brewing this weekend, I'll report my experience.
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Thx. I look forward to hearing about your experience. I am in the process of upgrading our kettle. I use the boilcoil in a keggle currently in a 2 vessel no sparge configuration but am moving to single vessel BIAB or basket.
Are you talking about step mashing / maintaining mash temperature while recirculating and doing BIAB?
wilserbrewer
BIAB Expert Tailor
Direct heating without stirring constantly or recirculating will not distribute the heat throughout the mash and can scorch the grain or bag.
Finally got to brew using the false bottom. No issues with the boilcoil or the grain bag. I mashed for 60 minutes and ramped to 168 before removing the bag. There was plenty of separation and I hit my target OG on the nose. I was nervous about how effective my whirlpool would be but I got a nice trub cone in the center so two thumbs up!
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