Stuck Drain in Mash Tun

[MikeinCT]

I have brewed beer 4 times in this mash tun. Always careful to flush the filter when I am done and before I start. The filter is a piece of ss braid from a faucet felxible connector. Maybe 5/8" od and 10" long. Well today everything was going well and then after the 1 hour mash I had a very hard time draining the mash tun. Finally used a big pyrex cup and strained the wort through a mesh bag.

Also this is first time useing Gambrinus ESB. Now that the tun is empty and rinsed the ss mesh filter flow fine.

Could the 10 pounds esb been too sticky. Should I redo my filterr?

I wonder if anyone else has comments??

thanks, MIke

 

[RiverCityBrewer]

Are you milling your own grain? I've never used Gambrinus malts before, nor have I used a braided tube as a false bottom. I would think that if the grain is milled too fine or the weight of the grain might have collapsed the braided tube that one of those is the cause of your problem.

 

[BryanJ]

Its time for a copper manifold, I got tired of the braid quickly and the slow lautering.

 

[DCPiet]

I've never had need to build a copper manifold with my setup (10g Rubbermaid, Flyguy's build and same SS hose as you MikeinCT).

After a nasty stuck drain on my first AG I found that opening the drain slowly (like, painfully slowly) allows the grain bed to set and eventually I can make my way open to full-blast.

Also, rice hulls (washed, soaked, and drained) are wonderful little buggers -- if the open-the-drain-slowly method still leads to stuck drains then adding rice hulls to your grain bill (no more than 5% of the total bill) should do the trick.

 

[Malintent]

I find an easy and dirty trick to deal with a stuck sparge is to put your mouth over the output and blow fairly hard into it. make sure the valve is open first, or you will pop an eye out, heh.

 

[Docjay]

I have almost the same setup but a larger braid, anyway I took some 3/16 wire and coiled it inside the braid, it no longer flexes under grain and have had up to 21 pounds in the tun. Also +1 to opening slow and allowing grain bed to settle.

 

[arnoldk2]

That is why I went with a copper manifold. Braids tend to get clogged easier. I also go a step further in trying to prevent stuck sparges. I wrap my manifold with cheese cloth. I've never had a stuck sparge... I better knock on wood.

 

[malkore]

I think all SS braids are not equal. Mine is stiff and I cannot imagine it collapsing unless I stomped on it.

Then again my grain bill never exceeds 11 lbs really...