Building a Mash Tun. SS Braid or Manifold?

[Thefirebuilds]

I have a stainless braid with a coiled copper wire put through it to support it and keep it from getting smashed and/or disfigured too much. Has worked great for 4 AG brews now. Averaging over 75% in my 10 gallon tun.

hmm. wonder how a thin copper tube would work.

 

[bovineblitz]

I love my SS braid with a SS spring in it. Only one stuck sparge but I was experimenting with a different braid that was much more tightly woven... so really, no stuck mashes and no complaints after ~25 batches with it.

Part #9663K27 at McMaster Carr for the spring, got the braid at the local hardware store.

 

[Beezy]

I am telling you guys. It wasn't my idea but its genius. Just use some old racking tube. Cut out notches like every inch with a razor knife. Then pull the braid over top. It works really well. Batch sparging, it's perfect.

 

[bigbeergeek]

Manifold with CPVC. I love that I can break it down and wash it in about 30 seconds. No stuck sparges. 89% efficiency and crazy-fine crush.

 

[joeldp144]

I went with a CPVC manifold. Temp range is fine, cheap to build, and cleanup is a breeze. I didn't glue it, and I can take it apart after every brew to really flush/clean it out. I get it to stick together by just pushing them together nice and tight.

 

[Stevo2569]

I went with a CPVC manifold. Temp range is fine, cheap to build, and cleanup is a breeze. I didn't glue it, and I can take it apart after every brew to really flush/clean it out. I get it to stick together by just pushing them together nice and tight.

+1 Same here.

 

[Ace_Club]

I use a SS water heater braid with no internal reinforcement. It works great. I plugged the end with a 3/4" SS bolt so that it doesn't float. I get ~85% efficiency with my system and BMW's crush.

 

[beer-monger]

Last batch beat up my SS braid Loop a little bit with the mash paddle. I didn't see any breaks but it is a bit deformed in places. In hind sight perhaps a copper manifold might have been a sturdier option, or perhaps less Violent mashing on my part.

 

[DasSchlebach]

I've been looking into this, I'm new to the home brewing circle but this has quickly become a wildfire passion! I've got a couple extract brews down and looking to broaden my horizons.

I went out and bought a 48qt rectangular cooler but it doesn't have a pour spout, I'll be needing to drill it out, any ideas on how to get a good seal on it? I also bought pvc pipping to build a manifold but i need to find a way to connect it to a ball valve with a proper seal and does it make a difference if I use a pvc valve or a brass valve?

 

[1Mainebrew]

Yup, get a bung and cram it in there, then get some small copper piping that will snugly fit inside the bung's hole and then attach a braid. I used threaded copper piping, got a T connector, threaded that on then threaded a 3" copper piping to either side, then attached a looped braid with hose clamps to either end of my T. Then use hose clamps to attach your silicone tubing to your exterior pipe. Works great and it's easily disassembled if necessary.

 

[DasSchlebach]

Yup, get a bung and cram it in there, then get some small copper piping that will snugly fit inside the bung's hole and then attach a braid. I used threaded copper piping, got a T connector, threaded that on then threaded a 3" copper piping to either side, then attached a looped braid with hose clamps to either end of my T. Then use hose clamps to attach your silicone tubing to your exterior pipe. Works great and it's easily disassembled if necessary.

Ok, I'll look into that, time for another trip to the hardware store. Thanks!

 

[DasSchlebach]

Also, what's a good size diameter to use? I bought 3/4" piping but someone told me not to use anything smaller than 1", what are you guys using?

 

[Hebby5]

You can use 3/4" or 1" CPVC Pipe for the manifold but you still need to connect it on the inside of the cooler to the Brass Nipple. I think I used rubber gasket, SS Washer, and 1/2" x 1.5" Brass Nipple (You may need a longer nipple if your cooler walls are thicker).

There are many ways to skin this cat. I started out with CPVC manifold but changed my mind. They do make a brass fitting that has 1/2" ID thread, 3/4" OD thread, and exterior hex for your pipe wrench to grab hold of. The only thing that I found not available at any hardware store was the SS washers to fit easily over the 1/2' nipple. I grabbed the biggest SS washers I could find and had my work's model shop bore out the interior hole to fit over OD of the 1/2" brass nipple. I think you get get them on Grainger.com or Fastenal.com without too much hassle.

Good luck!

Chris

 

[Rev2010]

No one has mentioned it yet but I switched from a false bottom to a bazooka screen and am very happy with it:

 

[bellinmi88]

I used braided for my 1 gallon AG setup. I found out that Home Depot no longer sells SS braided hoses anymore..Lowes still does.




This video on YouTube was very helpful.

 

[mobilecabinworks]

I think the biggest thing that everyone has failed to talk about it what kind of sparging you will be conducting. If you are going to be batch sparging or no sparging then you can use the SS bazooka or hose braid screens, as you are not looking to get an even flow of water through the grain bed to wash the grains; you are just going to drain the wort off. If you are wanting to fly sparge then are going to need a manifold to facilitate even lautering. If you are using a rectangle cooler and want to fly sparge you are better off with a manifold over a flase bottom. John Palmer talks about it in "How to Brew".

 

[mthompson]

I went with cpvc bulkhead and stainless water heater braid:

I have a 45º elbow where the ss braid attaches, this acts as a diptube and leaves about 0.1 gallons in the bottom. I only cemented the parts immediately on either side of the ball valve, everything else breaks down for scrubbing.

I have used this exact set-up in a 10gal round cooler for over three years and around 50 batches, with no problems to report....no crushing, no leaks, no stuck sparges. I use rice hulls for thick adjuncts like wheat and pumpkin.

That being said, both work fine. Mine was cheap and easy (<$15 and <30minutes to make) and it works so I have no reason to change to a manifold.

Just pick one and go for it.

 

[DasSchlebach]

You can use 3/4" or 1" CPVC Pipe for the manifold but you still need to connect it on the inside of the cooler to the Brass Nipple. I think I used rubber gasket, SS Washer, and 1/2" x 1.5" Brass Nipple (You may need a longer nipple if your cooler walls are thicker).

There are many ways to skin this cat. I started out with CPVC manifold but changed my mind. They do make a brass fitting that has 1/2" ID thread, 3/4" OD thread, and exterior hex for your pipe wrench to grab hold of. The only thing that I found not available at any hardware store was the SS washers to fit easily over the 1/2' nipple. I grabbed the biggest SS washers I could find and had my work's model shop bore out the interior hole to fit over OD of the 1/2" brass nipple. I think you get get them on Grainger.com or Fastenal.com without too much hassle.

Good luck!

Chris

I couldn't find any washers or gaskets to go over the 3/4" PVC tubing I bought so I plan to use a toxic-free caulking to seal up my cooler once I get the pipes in, I should've bought one with a spigot already in place.

 

[Esmitee]

[QUOTE= I found out that Home Depot no longer sells SS braided hoses anymore..Lowes still does.

I can tell you that the HD where I shop has many different SS hoses from :

Water supply , Washer, Dishwasher, Water Heater.

I picked up a 30" SS washer hose for the 48 qt. tun I just made. NO SS washers though!!!

BTW they DO also have those plastic "LOOK ALIKE " hoses.

The SS are more shiney that the plastic, AND the SS hoses say SS on the packaging.

Please welcome me to AG brewing as I just did my 1st batch, Last year (12/31/11) with 15 lbs of grain. YEAAAAAA

Oh yea, No SS hose trouble to report at this time lol, Batch spargeing

 

[Rev2010]

Please welcome me to AG brewing as I just did my 1st batch, Last year (12/31/11) with 15 lbs of grain. YEAAAAAA

Congrats and welcome to the world of AG!!! You certainly should be happy/ecstatic about it, I sure am. I knew the moment I felt like I was pretty much narrow with the options of what to brew with extract that the only choice was to go AG. Sure you can make many many types of beer with extract, no doubt, but with the limited choices of extract available and also having pre-configured mixtures (ie. Briess Amber extract has a preset amount of 2-row, Munich, and Caramel 60) there is indeed limitations. The color of the beer that I am getting now also has me in amazement. My Belgian Wit is as light as Hoegaarden, could never get that close with extract. Anyhow, congrats again!


Rev.

 

[Esmitee]

Congrats and welcome to the world of AG!!! You certainly should be happy/ecstatic about it, I sure am. I knew the moment I felt like I was pretty much narrow with the options of what to brew with extract that the only choice was to go AG. Sure you can make many many types of beer with extract, no doubt, but with the limited choices of extract available and also having pre-configured mixtures (ie. Briess Amber extract has a preset amount of 2-row, Munich, and Caramel 60) there is indeed limitations. The color of the beer that I am getting now also has me in amazement. My Belgian Wit is as light as Hoegaarden, could never get that close with extract. Anyhow, congrats again!


Rev.

Hey Thanks Rev. and I agree with all of what you said. I brewed about 70 gals of extract brews, All of witch came out (to my and others tasters opinions) very good, if not KICKIN !!!

But, I feel, they in some way, kept a very SAME small taste flavor in each different beer? . Can't place my finger on it, but thats what I think.

The other very noticeable thing as you said is color. I know it's from EXTRACT.
Always much darker than it should be. Mostly because I could only do 3 gal boils. A Blonde Ale should be kinda BLONDE . LOL

Anyway that AG batch I just did was an Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale clone, And the color is right on! Can't wait to drink it !

Btw it was alot more trouble free than I thought it would be.

 

[Rev2010]

But, I feel, they in some way, kept a very SAME small taste flavor in each different beer?

Yeah when I switched over I'd at one point said in a post that I was getting a bit tired of the "Briess" taste and someone basically amen'd it. Of course there are other extract brands out there, mainly Muntons and Cooper's here in the US, I never see any Weyermann extract here. Anyhow, yeah it's a lot easier than we think it will be. Here's a pic of that Wit I was telling you about in my 25oz Hoegaarden glass. The lighting doesn't do it full justice but I've compared it directly to Hoegaarden and it's the same color and I didn't even use the same ingredients which could make it even lighter - ie. I used 2-row instead of Belgian Pilsner and half and half malted wheat and flaked wheat. Next time around it's going to be with the Belgian Pils and all flaked wheat with a protein rest:

 

[Esmitee]

Yeah when I switched over I'd at one point said in a post that I was getting a bit tired of the "Briess" taste and someone basically amen'd it. Of course there are other extract brands out there, mainly Muntons and Cooper's here in the US, I never see any Weyermann extract here. Anyhow, yeah it's a lot easier than we think it will be. Here's a pic of that Wit I was telling you about in my 25oz Hoegaarden glass. The lighting doesn't do it full justice but I've compared it directly to Hoegaarden and it's the same color and I didn't even use the same ingredients which could make it even lighter - ie. I used 2-row instead of Belgian Pilsner and half and half malted wheat and flaked wheat. Next time around it's going to be with the Belgian Pils and all flaked wheat with a protein rest:

Oh Yea, that looks TASTY. I love Hoegaarden. I have a German Hefe in an almost empty keg. (EXTRACT) LOL I'd love to replace it with a Hoegaarden clone.

Have you posted the recipe here? If not could you? I Im ordering supplies tonite. Love to do a batch of this!

 

[Rev2010]

Have you posted the recipe here? If not could you? I Im ordering supplies tonite. Love to do a batch of this!

I'll PM it to you shortly, don't want to derail the thread further


Rev.

 

[Esmitee]

Ok Rev, I got your PM. Thanks Im goin to try it. And your right about the Derailment !!! Sorry

 

[DasSchlebach]

Well to throw this train back on the tracks, I got my mash tub built up.

I drilled out my cooler, built a manifold out of PVC pipping and attached a ball valve on the other side of it. I filled the space up with silicon and seems to hold a seal.

All Grain here I come!

 

[WhoDatDad78]

@DasSchlebach
How did that turn out?
I have a Igloo Cube that I'm converting to a mash tun using 3/4"cpvc to a 1/2" stainless bulkhead ball valve setup. I'll post pics when I can.

 

[bonecitybrewco]

Brew Bag?

 

[CJ-3]

I'm also frustrated by how much fluid stays in the cooler, but dunno what to do about that yet.

If you switch to a manifold and place the holes or slits face down you will only leave a few ounces in the bottom of your tun.

It is a benefit of manifold over braid.

 

[WhoDatDad78]

If you switch to a manifold and place the holes or slits face down you will only leave a few ounces in the bottom of your tun.

It is a benefit of manifold over braid.

What kind of efficiency are you getting with that? I ask because my efficiency was absolutely turrible, but I did use an igloo CUBE vs a long cooler and I made a manifold with cpvc that had holes drilled all the way through the manifold as opposed to just one side ( bottom).