Should I move to a new MLT ???

[kb2kir]

Hi, Got some cash (not much) to spend on some new brew stuff.
I was thinking about moving from my rectangular cooler that always leaves a quart or so of wort in the bottom due to the placement of the factory drain.

My manifold setup uses 2 45* fittings to get the bazooka screens down on the floor. Other than the lost wort, this cooler works fine.
My Question is: Does the construction of the beverage cooler allow it to be drained completely?
Happy Holidays !!!
Joe T

 

[wilserbrewer]

You could reinstall the factory drain, and drill a hole lower in the other side of the cooler. I would not worry much about leaving a quart behind. If you are batch sparging, the second / thied runnings are lowish gravity anyway.

 

[kb2kir]

Good point, never thought about that.....
Yes, I batch sparge, so that last quart is not as critical as I once believed.
Thanks, I'll get a new fermenter instead. The old one is getting scratced up.
J

 

[theonetrueruss]

Depending on your chest, if you are trying to drain all the wort a copper manifold may be the way to go. My first MLT had a shaped bottom that happened to leave very little wort behind and I got fantastic efficiency for batch sparging. Then I got a bigger ice chest and instyalled my boil screen that I used in the old one and my efficiency went to crap. It turned out I was leaving a huge amount of wort, about 3 quarts in the bottom. I made a copper manifold and it allowed me to drain almost everything. I shortly switched to fly sparging but no reason why batch sparging would not work with a manifold. It will help drain it all without having to cut more holes in the ice chest.

 

[RichBenn]

I got clearly better efficiency and less dead space going to an igloo style 10 gallon cooler from a rectangular one. And I used to tip the rectangular one to get least dead space. I am using a straight section of stainless washer line and do batch sparges.

The biggest thing I noticed is not losing as much heat while stirring. I think the rectangular one had too much surface area exposed when the lid was open, so that may have had some impact.

Like the theonetrueruss says, no problem going with manifolds, as that makes going to fly sparging easier. But the stainless steel braid is easy and works very well for batch sparging. IMHO, if batch sparging is the only way you will go, it's the best solution.

 

[kb2kir]

theonetrueruss:
I am using two 45 deg. fittings to a "T" fitting to two 90 degree fittings and then into the "bazooka" screens. They are in physical contact with the floor of the cooler. The cooler outlet is 1/2 inch above the bottom. I can build a copper or CPVC manifold with the slots in it if you feel this would improve things.....

RichBenn
Makes sense that the round one would have less heat loss.... I noticed with my rectangular one, I lost a degree or so when I exposed the grain bed to air for stirring.
That alone is a good reason to switch....