Thinking myself in circles. Braid vs Bazooka vs False Bottom

[bfinleyui]

So I've had a SS braid in my mash tun, and been having stuck sparges more often than not. I find when I stir up my grist, both during dough-in and batch sparging, the braid itself tends to kick up and get caught by my paddle.

It gets all twisted and mangled and narrow and not good.

I'd psyched myself all up to buy a 12" false bottom and just use silicone tubing to attach to my valve. But now reading some more, it seems like with the 10 gallon cooler tuns, the false bottoms don't perform so well?

What are my options? I'd rather not rebuild a new SS braid setup and have it get twisted and mangled after my first brew day again, cause that's a bit deflating. Will I be better served by a bazooka tube (which, from what I can tell, has a support inside to keep it from getting crushed?) or false bottom?

Before my braid was destroyed, i was getting 75-80% efficiency with proper crush and mash temps, but since it's been down in the mid to upper 60s. Part of that was poor temp control (didn't have a blanket nearby to control the temps as well) and part was due to some stuck/incomplete sparges...

Advice? I have a feeling it's "6 of one, half dozen of the other", but wanted to ask the experts before dropping 35 on the false bottom.

 

[JrBeerGut]

I'm so far from being an expert, but I have the 10 gal. igloo cooler with false bottom from Adventures in Homebrewing. I just finished my second all grain and it went smooth, no stuck sparge. I thought about making one myself but sometimes I found its worth it to spend a little more upfront then trying to screw with it all the time. I'm only doing 5 gal. batches but got the 10 gal. just in case I make a bigger beer.

 

[passedpawn]

I've had all 3, and used each for many many batches.

I used the braid for a long time, in both a square cooler mash tun and a Gott (round) 10g cooler MT. Like you, I had occasional problems with the braid kinking and getting screwed up by my mash paddle. Occasional stuck sparges, not often though.

I then used a bazooka screen, in both my round cooler and in my keggle MT. It worked pretty well, but eventually it got damaged by my mash paddle as well. It's really difficult to stir large grain bills (i.e, imperial *) and not screw those things up. Not many sparge issues with this guy.

I finally splurged on a really nice Jaybird false bottom. I had one initial issue with it, but once I figure out the problem and made a simple mod, it's been MONEY since then. My sparges are bullet proof, and my MT is an indestructible stainless steel beauty. So, if you can swingh $75-100, I would highly recommend going to this. Not sure about using it in a cooler.

BTW, the problem I had with the false bottom was that the dip tube that goes through it would get pushed right against the bottom of my MT and essential cut off the flow. The solution is to make a diagonal cut across the end of the dip tube so its opening can't get flush with the bottom.

 

[Wolfbayne]

False bottoms work great and are well worth the money. What if you built (or bought) a copper manifold for your mashtun? Cost you a less that your false bottom and I think in the end you'll like the numbers better than a false bottom (IMHO).

 

[Pratzie]

I'm def a convert to the false bottom field... But i'd like to share this.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/5-00-false-bottom-plan-340130/

I just made one from a SS pan I found on Amazon. it was less then $8 bucks with free shipping from Prime. The SS one doesn't have any "floating" issues either.

Mine fits real snug on the bottom of my rubbermaid 10 gallon cooler, it was def worth the (minimal) investment.

 

[bfinleyui]

I'm def a convert to the false bottom field... But i'd like to share this.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/5-00-false-bottom-plan-340130/

I just made one from a SS pan I found on Amazon. it was less then $8 bucks with free shipping from Prime. The SS one doesn't have any "floating" issues either.

Mine fits real snug on the bottom of my rubbermaid 10 gallon cooler, it was def worth the (minimal) investment.

Damn. That's pretty awesome. Unfortunately I just lent my drill to my mom for the weekend, lol.

 

[Yooper]

I used a cooler for a MLT for many years, and I still do occasionally for smaller batches.

A false bottom in a cooler is the awesomest set up! You can fly sparge, batch sparge, no-sparge, use adjuncts in the mash, etc, and no stuck sparges or mashes unless you do something stupid.

A brewer who shall remain nameless has stirred so hard as to knock off the silicone tubing between the FB and the ball valve, but otherwise there has never been an issue. And when I did that, er, that brewer I mean, it was only because I had not even considered that tubing in there. It was a dumb move, that I made once, in about 7 years of using a false bottom.

Sure, manifolds work, braids work, bazooka tubes work- but a false bottom in a cooler is easy, and indestructible.

I loved it so much that when I upgraded to a keg MLT I kept the false bottom for a long time, with a screw to hold it down so it wouldn't float (it's kinda small for the keg). I finally gave up and got a jaybird FB, but I still have that original FB and I still use it on those small batches in the cooler.

Get it! You won't be sorry.

 

[jessej122]

I had the same issue with my first batch! So false bottom got batc sparging is the way to go?

 

[TheWitGuy]

I just bought some copper piping and and took a coping saw to it. Cutting little slats along it and connected to the water spout. Very rarely do I ever see a clogged tun and once the grain bed is packed, sparging is a breeze.

 

[bfinleyui]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I ended up going with a 12" stainless false bottom. I wanted to buy locally, and so originally bought the 9" (for $40), but it just felt too small when I set it in, so I had to buy on amazon, a 12" for 41 with overnight shipping. It'll arrive today and get broken in tomorrow

 

[LovesIPA]

Late to the party again.

I would echo everything Yooper says, but substitute "copper manifold" for "false bottom". I built a copper manifold for my 10 gallon Igloo and it works great. The only problems I've ever had with it were a direct result of my own inexperience.

I know false bottoms are great from everything I've read, and I have no experience with them. But I sure wouldn't hesitate to build and use another manifold either. I think they're both effective.

 

[kh54s10]

Another way to go would be to get a different braid. I used a water heater supply line that is 3/4" x 12" for mine. Probably this one:

$4.97 at Home depot. It is clamped over the fitting on the inside of the cooler valve. There is no nipple on the inside.

It has a heavier wire in the braid. It is much stiffer than sink/toilet braids. It does not float. And it is nearly impossible to damage while stirring. I have done about 30 batches, no rice hulls etc. and NO stuck sparges!

 

[Denny]

I have used a braid for 15+ years and 443 batches. Having tried the alternatives, the braid is trhe best choice for me. I have never had probnlems stirring and have never had a stuck runoff. I average 84% efficiency these days. If you're catching it when stirring, it's too long. If you have consistent stuck runoffs, you either need to adjust the crush of get a different braid.