Stuck sparge...what do I do!!!!

[Q2XL]

Help guys a stuck sparge at 1:20pm Saturday

 

[ChefMichael01]

What type of equipment are you using? How many lbs of grain?

 

[Q2XL]

What type of equipment are you using? How many lbs of grain?

9.5lbs grain.

5 gallon cooller with a stainless braid with the copper tube inside of the braid.

Ball valve on botton of cooler

 

[AnOldUR]

Do you have any rice hulls on hand? If so, rinse about a half pound with boiling water in a strainer and throw them in. Stir, and try again.

 

[Malticulous]

Sometimes just blowing on the hose gets it going again. Most of the time I have too close the valve, stir the mash and vorlauf. The grain bed can too compacted.

 

[Q2XL]

No, rice hulls.

I used my compressor and blew back into the hose, still no flow.

I think I wave have to drain with a paint strainer mesh

 

[menschmaschine]

Blow on the hose with a turkey baster. Or just use your mouth. It will all get boiled in a minute anyway.

EDIT: Oh I see you tried a compressor. Forget my suggestion.

 

[Q2XL]

Ugh!!!! My first all grain did not start off well. Ended up using a pain strainer. My pre-boil gravity was 1.024. It was supposed to be 1.036.

How bad is this?

The wort is still boiling away. About another 20 minutes left in the boil.

 

[Denny]

Take the tube out of the braid!

 

[Memorex88]

Ugh!!!! My first all grain did not start off well. Ended up using a pain strainer. My pre-boil gravity was 1.024. It was supposed to be 1.036.

How bad is this?

The wort is still boiling away. About another 20 minutes left in the boil.

Did you cut back on the bittering hops?

 

[sully]

that is going to be a lite beer. it is hard to help if there is no info. did you take the tube out of the braid before installing? if your braid is only stainless braid is the opposite end at least pinched off or something, try giving the mash a good stir and see what happens, you will have to vorlauf again.

 

[G-E-R-M-A-N]

I would boil down to get desired gravity. (you would have less beer and stronger hop flavor however) This would be my wild guess in this situation.

 

[illinibrew04]

Is the preboil gravity you gave us after temperature adjustment?

 

[Malticulous]

Add some DME.

 

[bandt9299]

I tried the stainless braid twice, nothing but stuck sparge, I know everyone swears by it but for me, back to the false bottom and all was good, I wish you were in Mass I would give you my false bottom for the 5 gallon cooler. Good luck

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Make sure the braid is actually stainless and not the gray plastic garbage that they've started using on some plumbing fittings. It's an easy mistake to make, since the plastic looks quite similar to a real braid.

 

[Q2XL]

Make sure the braid is actually stainless and not the gray plastic garbage that they've started using on some plumbing fittings. It's an easy mistake to make, since the plastic looks quite similar to a real braid.

It is the real stainless. I watched out for that. I did insert a piece of copper pipe inside of it. The copper pipe has a lot of holes that I drilled. They are smooth and evenly spaced along the lenght.

 

[Q2XL]

that is going to be a lite beer. it is hard to help if there is no info. did you take the tube out of the braid before installing? if your braid is only stainless braid is the opposite end at least pinched off or something, try giving the mash a good stir and see what happens, you will have to vorlauf again.

The braid is closed off at the end.

 

[eriktlupus]

next time try mixing in @ gallon of 200* water to thin the wort a little and allow for easier draining. the bed probably got a little compacted and wouldn't allow drainage, stir quickly and start vorlaufing while the mash is still suspended. you'll have to vorlauf more but it'll be easier to drain.

 

[Bobby_M]

I'm pretty sure that internal copper pipe has something to do with it. You closed off a lot of the open area of the braid.

 

[Q2XL]

I think I am going to look into a false bottom.

 

[Memorex88]

I think I am going to look into a false bottom.

I agree with Bobby, have you tried once without the copper in the braid?

 

[Q2XL]

I agree with Bobby, have you tried once without the copper in the braid?

No, I never tried it without the copper tube inside the braid. This was my first all grain brew. Some people on this forum used the copper or rubber tube to prevent the stainless braid from collapsing, so I figured I would give it a try. It didn't work for me this time.

 

[JesseRC]

I had trouble on my cream of 3 crops , 10 gallons last week. I added some rice hulls and started with valve 1/4 open for about 5 minutes then opened her up and no problem. I was using the braid. I havnt had any issue with wheat beers either

 

[Iechyd Da]

You DO NOT need the copper tube in the braid. Don't even worry about it collapsing until you get up closer to 20# of grain and even then I've never had a problem.

 

[Memorex88]

Those are nice BIG holes you got there and looks like it works. Maybe some people aren't drilling the holes a good size and/or enough of them that may restrict the flow.

 

[BittererPlease]

Just putting in my suggestion. Use a flase bottom if you can. I have used false bottems every time doing AG and I have never had a problem. I use a 5 gallon igloo container with a 9inch stainless false bottem and have used a plastic one as well. Never had a problem. Depending on the size, u can get them for 25$ or less!

 

[Q2XL]

Just putting in my suggestion. Use a flase bottom if you can. I have used false bottems every time doing AG and I have never had a problem. I use a 5 gallon igloo container with a 9inch stainless false bottem and have used a plastic one as well. Never had a problem. Depending on the size, u can get them for 25$ or less!

I think that I am going to go that route. Jaybird might have an extra 9" false bottom for me.

 

[Denny]

I'm pretty sure that internal copper pipe has something to do with it. You closed off a lot of the open area of the braid.

Agreed. See the braid below....see how beaten up it is? That was over 200 batches ago and it looks even worse now. But it's _never_ collapsed, even with nearly 30 lb. of grain. Just get the right braid and you'll be fine.

 

[bob1852]

If you're going to go through the trouble of making a copper tube to put inside the braid, why not just make a copper manifold? copper inside of braid seems a little redundant to me.

 

[Buffman]

Do you have any rice hulls on hand? If so, rinse about a half pound with boiling water in a strainer and throw them in. Stir, and try again.

Sorry to revive an old thread, but THIS works. I just encountered a stopped and then SLOOWWW sparge, followed this method, and I'm back in business.

 

[Brew-boy]

I learned this from the BN, when you stick it use your spoon or something to cut the grain bed parallel to the valve. This has worked for me twice so far.