False bottom height?

[whoaru99]

With a 10g Megapot and a 50qt cooler I've done some 5g batch AG brewing. However, the BIAB method interests me.

Recently I bought some older Blichmann stuff (Tower of Power) that would allow me to do a gas-fired, direct (kettle) heated RIMS.

The Megapot presently doesn't have any ports but I have two bulkheads and valves/fittings on order.

What is on my mind at the moment is how tall of riser should I use in the kettle, considering the direct, gas fired nature of the set-up (and all but certainly staying at 5g batches)?

 

[RM-MN]

For BIAB you don't need any riser. Heat the water to the proper strike temperature such that when you add the grain the mash is at the right temperature. Turn off the heat, put the bag in and stir in the grain. Wait until conversion is complete, then wait another 20 minutes for the flavors to be extracted. Pull the bag of grain out to drain and start heating the wort to boil.

How long will it take for your grains to be fully converted? Use iodine as an indicator of starch remaining in the grain, test every 5 minutes the first time, then once a minute for the next time you test.

 

[whoaru99]

My plan though is to do BIAB with recirculating/RIMS, since I have already the pump, temp controller, flowmeter, etc.

 

[Bobby_M]

I like to have the top edge of the kettle a couple inches below my elbow height. When I hang the bag and go to squeeze it, I don't want wort dripping down the gauntlet of my gloves and dripping on me or the floor.

 

[whoaru99]

"Riser" may not have been best choice of words. For that I have a Top Tier stand.

Height of false bottom is what I meant.

 

[huckdavidson]

It doesn't take much height and you don't have an electric element to avoid.

Something like this would probably work:

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/biabbottom13.htm
You'll have to pick the one that fits your kettle:

https://www.brewhardware.com/category_s/1966.htm
The Northern Brewer false bottom would also work and save some height, just remove the center drain.

https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/universal-false-bottom

 

[whoaru99]

The brewhardware.com ones are what I was looking at.

True, no electric element but there is/will be a big Blichmann burner directly heating it (yes, there is a needle valve to throttle down).

Is there a benefit, such as possibly more cushion against scorching, if there is more "capacitance" in the setup as I conceptualize a taller/higher false bottom might provide?

 

[odie]

you just need a small gap to avoid scorching the bag. But you need to not block the port that you will use to the recirc.

 

[Ramjet]

I use the brew hardware version. The height is adjustable bt using different length SS bolts. Works great

 

[whoaru99]

That's a good point. The local fleet/farm place has pretty good assortment of stainless hardware so I could order without any and do the final fitup to be sure it clears the bulkhead and dip tube.