The Vorlauf, how to

[leoglenwood]

I'm using a false bottom and the AG setup from N Brewer
I use three fat, fat handfuls of rice hulls and don't vorlauf because it runs clear from the get go... I start the lauter slowly... I skim the hot break dutifully, and use Whirlfloc, and then the chiller which gets me a good cold break - and it's clear...

so maybe it's the rice hulls...

 

[HodgsonsBrewer]

I will give that a try and see if my running become clearer. Thanks for the info. I don't have an issue now but improvements are welcome.

 

[Sudz]

So for those using pitchers or something similar, how do you dump the runnings back into the tun without disturbing the bed?

I found an aluminum cake pan about two inches deep which fits snuggly in the top of my rectangular picnic cooler tun. I just poked a bunch of holes in the bottom at a random distribution across the bottom surface of this pan. The pan basically sits on top of the mash and disperses the energy of the pouring from the pitcher so that it does not disturb the grain bed. Kinda simple but works well.

 

[rico567]

I don't seem to have that much of a problem just pouring the wort -slowly- back into the MLT. A previous post where a guy just used a sheet of aluminum foil would seem to work as well as anything, if you don't have a cake pan to spare to punch holes in.

 

[Killervector]

I take a small bucket lid, and set it on top of the grain bed. I pour a 1 gallon bucket back into the mash on top of that lid to distribute the wort evenly and not to disturb the grain bed. It works for me.

 

[cincyjrod]

I am pretty darn clear after just a .5 Gal. A lot depends on your mash temps. And grain selection.

 

[BioBrew]

This hopefully helps with me having the same problem. Thanks!

 

[spokaniac]

Saw something on one of the electric brewing set ups where they were using a herms. They just ran a hose that laid on top of the bed that was big enough that the return did not jet out of it. They claimed it worked as well as any sparge arm for keeping the bed set.
Was thinking for my 5 gal cooler set up to use a bottling bucket above the ton with the hose dropped down and resting on the surface of the bed. The dumping the vorlauf and sparge water into the bucket and letting it drain slowly into the tun.

 

[Breck09]

To those of you on this thread that talk about using a pump, are you taking about a March Pump? Since I use a cooler I was thinking about getting a fountain pump since it is a lot cheaper but not sure if it would work. Thoughts?

 

[Sudz]

To those of you on this thread that talk about using a pump, are you taking about a March Pump? Since I use a cooler I was thinking about getting a fountain pump since it is a lot cheaper but not sure if it would work. Thoughts?

I would think keeping a fountain pump clean would be an effort in futility. I use a fountain pump for sanitizing bottles and it's super for that. But... general brew work will require access to the impeller and housing for cleaning, debris removal, and sanitation. I haven't seen a fountain pump that would permit this. They may be out there, but I haven't seen one.

Also, most situations for using a brew pump require a isolated input connection, which again is not possible on the fountain pumps I've seen.

 

[Breck09]

I would think keeping a fountain pump clean would be an effort in futility. I use a fountain pump for sanitizing bottles and it's super for that. But... general brew work will require access to the impeller and housing for cleaning, debris removal, and sanitation. I haven't seen a fountain pump that would permit this. They may be out there, but I haven't seen one.

Also, most situations for using a brew pump require a isolated input connection, which again is not possible on the fountain pumps I've seen.

That makes sense. Figured I would ask in case it was a cheap way to make life easier.