How to do a thick mash with a false bottom?

[sideshow_ben]

I'm considering making a rectangular false bottom for my MLT rather than using manifolds, but I have two lingering questions.

1. If you don't recirculate your mash, then water just sits under the screen. Do you have to increase the mash liquor by the total volume under the screen if you are using the false bottom for mashing?

2. Can you really do a thick mash with a false bottom. I need to do step and turbid mashes sometimes and am worried about all that empty space. Or in these cases am I forced to use a stock pot until the mash gets sufficiently thin?

Thanks!

-ben

 

[markcurling]

It comes down to false bottom design, 'All that empty space' shouldn't exist - you want the smallest volume possible under the screen to help with efficiency and the problems you just highlighted. Ideally you don't want more than a pint or two between the false bottom and the exit tap!

 

[Catt22]

Yes, increase the strike water enough to fill the space below the false bottom and maintain the same mash consistency above it. Do an occasional vorlaugh to insure that the enzymes are evenly distributed throughout the entire mash. The extra volume will not affect your efficiency. Taken as a whole, the mash will necessarily be thinner, but the portion above the FB will be about the same consistency as you normally experience. Other than possibly running out of room in the mash tun, IMO the mash thickness is not critical so long as the grain is thoroughly saturated. I ignore the volume under my false bottom (about one gallon) and normally dough in with 1.5 qt/lb. I've been forced to cut that back to 1.2 qts/lb on occasion when I max out the MT volume with a large grain bill.

 

[Bobby_M]

I have about 7/8 gallon of neutral space below the FB so I calculate my strike water at approximately 1.25 qts/lb + 1 gallon. I recirculate for about 2 minutes just about 10 minutes after I dough in but if I didn't have a pump, I'd probably just leave it be. It's not like the thick mash and the liquid below doesn't intermingle.

 

[Hex]

You could always mash in your boil kettle, and dump in the cooler to lauter...