10 gallon manifold MLT

[avaserfi]

Just finished putting my MLT together for my first all grain this Friday. I was wondering if it looks like I did everything right. I did a 10 gallon leak test yesterday and had no issues. I used 1/2" copper pipe for the manifold and a Dremel to cut the holes. Thursday when the stopper comes I plan on follwoing Pol's $10 thru the wall therms, pics too!.

How does it look to everyone? Also, according to Beersmith my strike temp for 15lbs of grain at 70 degrees with a 1.25qt/lb ratio should be 169* F for a 153* F mash. That seems really high, I was thinking it would be closer to 165* F. Does anyone with experience using a 10 gallon round cooler have a suggestion? I was just planning on dumping 175* F water in warming up the cooler for a few minutes and doughing in at 165, but if I follow Beer Smith I will undershoot the temp this way.

 

[McKBrew]

Unfortunately I can't see the pics because that particular hosting site is blocked at work. As for your strike temps, I'd trust your software. I use Beer Tools and it's pretty much right on every time. I always pre-heat the cooler with 180 degree water.

 

[avaserfi]

Unfortunately I can't see the pics because that particular hosting site is blocked at work. As for your strike temps, I'd trust your software. I use Beer Tools and it's pretty much right on every time. I always pre-heat the cooler with 180 degree water.

I switched the hosting to somewhere that shouldn't be blocked, my website. How much heat do you normally lose to cooler heating?

I was looking at pictures of other people's builds and it seems some people put the slits to the side rather than facing straight down as I did. Are there pros/cons to each orientation?

 

[McKBrew]

The majority of the people I've heard from recommend keeping the slits down, this keeps grain on top and minimizes the chances of particles of grain getting passed into the manifold.

Not sure about how much heat is lost to heating. What I do is preheat with a gallon or so of 180 degree water and then dump it out. (I've pre-heated as long as a half hour, just because I've been busy doing something else)

Very nice looking manifold BTW.

 

[avaserfi]

Thanks for the info and compliment.

I just poured in a few gallons to measure dead space. 3.75 cups was what I couldn't get out after tilting which is about 0.25 gallons and from what I can tell that isn't too bad for dead space.

 

[AstroBrew]

I have the same 10 gallon cooler for an MLT and I also built a copper manifold for sparging. I have done a few rough experiments and have found that the cooler itself has a thermal mass of about 1.55 lb. My software (BeerAlchemy) accounts for this in it's calculations of strike temp. When I brew, I don't worry about preheating the MLT, I just use the strike temp that the software spits out and it has been dead on, within one degree F, so far.

Anyways, I stuck 15 lbs of grain in with a 1.25 qt/lb ratio with my 1.55 lb of thermal mass and it gives me a strike temp of 167*F for a mash of 153*F.

BTW, I really like my MLT with manifold.

 

[avaserfi]

Thanks for the info AstroBrew. I was looking at Beer smith some more and noticed something. Under the recipe portion when I tell it to use my equipment the suggested strike temp is 169* F, but when I go to the strike calc tool using the same values I get 167* F. Perhaps that is the issue. I guess I will stick with using the Strike Temp portion.

edit: Realized what the issue was. In beersmith there is an details button on the Mash. Got the calculations down.

 

[AstroBrew]

NP. Good to hear that there is some agreement in the software. The equations have to be the same in both! Thermodynamics being the same in every inertial frame, and all.

Cheers!

 

[BierMuncher]

...according to Beersmith my strike temp for 15lbs of grain at 70 degrees with a 1.25qt/lb ratio should be 169* F for a 153* F mash. That seems really high, I was thinking it would be closer to 165* F. Does anyone with experience using a 10 gallon round cooler have a suggestion? I was just planning on dumping 175* F water in warming up the cooler for a few minutes and doughing in at 165, but if I follow Beer Smith I will undershoot the temp this way.

169 is way too cool. I found a precipitous drop in temperature when I converted to 10-gallon batches.

I have almost an identical setup and my tested method is simple.

Desired Mash temp + pounds of grain + 5 degrees.

So for a 15# batch to get to 153:

15+153+5 = 173. Works every time.

Oh...and definitely keep those slits down.

 

[avaserfi]

For now I am only planning on doing 5 gallon batches. Apartment living is keeping me from being able to control temp on 2 carboys at once.

I was planning on preheating the cooler with 175*F water and then dropping the grains in at 165*F which is what Beer Smith calculates with that method. Are you saying I should just heat the water to 173 then drop the grains in BierMuncher?

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

I have the same exact cooler, and a lot has to do with the temperature of the grain. So, that depends on where you keep your grain; inside or outside/garage. If you store your grains inside @ 65F, then a strike water temp of 166-168F will be perfect for 153F. However, if you keep them outside, the grains will be cold and will absorb more heat from the water. If your outside/garaget temp is 40-45F then use 173-175F for your strike water temp.

FYI, all of those temperatures I mentioned involve NOT preheating your MLT.

 

[BierMuncher]

...Are you saying I should just heat the water to 173 then drop the grains in BierMuncher?

If I were doing a 15# grist (even for a 5-gallon monster beer like that ), it's what I'd do. But that's just from experience.

You'll find that dialing in your system is more an aspect of doing it...and then doing it again more so than using a software program.

Keep some cold water and some boiling hot water nearby so you can make fine adjustments after you dough in. Take notes...then adjust your process next time.

 

[avaserfi]

I guess playtime will happen friday and I will find out what I need to do then. Exciting. Monster beer? It's just an IPA SMASH I made up everyone kept telling me that it would be too hoppy so I upped the grain bill .

BeerSmith Recipe Printout
Recipe: IPA Smash
Brewer: Andrew
Asst Brewer:
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.082 SG
Estimated Color: 5.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 45.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
15 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 100.00 %
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 33.2 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (30 min) Hops 6.4 IBU
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (15 min) Hops 4.1 IBU
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 15.00 lb
----------------------------
My Mash
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Step Add 18.75 qt of water at 165.1 F 153.0 F

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

IPA....too hoppy?!? Impossible! Looks tasty!

 

[avaserfi]

IPA....too hoppy?!? Impossible! Looks tasty!

Exactly my thoughts . Besides, what's the point of having a 10 gallon MLT if you doing use it .

 

[Bullbythehorns]

Avaserfi,

First of all, nice job on the manifold, I am converting mine from a screen to a manifold for durability issues. I have a question for you on the construction, what did you use to pass through the cooler wall, or what did you use to from manifold to valve?

 

[avaserfi]

First of all, nice job on the manifold, I am converting mine from a screen to a manifold for durability issues. I have a question for you on the construction, what did you use to pass through the cooler wall, or what did you use to from manifold to valve?

It was fairly simple, on the inside I used 3 5/8" stainless steel washers and the rubber grommet that came with the cooler. On the outside: a 5/8" o-ring and one 5/8" stainless steel washer. The ball valve is a 3/8" unit and all connecting it is a 3/8” MIP x 1-1/2” brass nipple (Watts A-786). To connect the 1/2" pipe to the 3/8" nipple I found a female connector that coupled the two.

If you need any of the washers or o-rings I have some extras laying around.

 

[Bullbythehorns]

Thanks. I am having trouble finding the coupling to connect the 3/8 nipple to the 1/2" pipe, but I am SW Kansas this week and there are absolutely no hardware stores around that have much variety. The closest chain store is 1 1/2 hrs away and I am not up to making that drive. I will see what I can find on the return trip home.

 

[avaserfi]

Thanks. I am having trouble finding the coupling to connect the 3/8 nipple to the 1/2" pipe, but I am SW Kansas this week and there are absolutely no hardware stores around that have much variety. The closest chain store is 1 1/2 hrs away and I am not up to making that drive. I will see what I can find on the return trip home.

I actually got mine at Lowes. It was hidden and a PIA to find, but after scrounging for a 10-15 minutes I found one. Worst case, I am sure McMaster-Carr has one.

 

[misterVT]

Looks really good. Might have to borrow your design if I ever stop using my stainless braid. Good luck on your first AG. Just did mine a few weeks ago and I think this brew will be my best yet.

 

[avaserfi]

Well, I borrowed BierMuncher's design so it's all yours. The following is what he has, I just increased size so that I could try to maximize wort flow.

 

[Bullbythehorns]

How much liquid remains in the dead space after a drain? I did my 1st all grain Sat. using the braid. It did ok, except at the end of the drain, the valve fell off of the plastic conduit barb I used to pass thru the cooler wall. I saw this idea on a you tube video and thought it "may" work. In theory it did, but reality there was not enough threads on the exterior of the cooler for the valve to screw onto. After the second sparge, it got too hot and the valve fell off, luckily I was able to capture the remaining wort into the brew kettle and still had 78% efficiency.

 

[avaserfi]

I tested it with water yesterday and had 3.75 cups or about 0.25 gallons of dead space after tilting.