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Author Topic: New to all grain. Need help with set up  (Read 10499 times)

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: New to all grain. Need help with set up
« Reply #30 on: May 15, 2012, 01:10:25 pm »
I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the "exit" is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a "V" shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You'll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline repo

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Re: New to all grain. Need help with set up
« Reply #31 on: May 15, 2012, 01:39:46 pm »
I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the "exit" is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a "V" shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You'll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.

Um no, no, no. This statement is not accurate. You need to go to dennybrew.com for a cheap, easy,efficient system. It's been recommended before and now again.

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: New to all grain. Need help with set up
« Reply #32 on: May 15, 2012, 01:43:03 pm »
I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the "exit" is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a "V" shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You'll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.

Um no, no, no. This statement is not accurate. You need to go to dennybrew.com for a cheap, easy,efficient system. It's been recommended before and now again.

Denny's mesh screen there would certainly work much better as it covers much more of the cooler's surface area. One of those purchased ones dont stick out very far. Theyre much better served in the kettle as a filter for whole hops imo.

I should mention that batch sparging is much easier to use with a hose braid like above. Im a fly sparger at heart and that screen did not fair well for me fly sparging.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2012, 01:47:08 pm by jmcamerlengo »
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline bo

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Re: New to all grain. Need help with set up
« Reply #33 on: May 15, 2012, 01:55:28 pm »
You won't get channeling if you are batching sparging. Fly sparging is when that becomes a problem and then a large manifold or false bottom is needed.   

Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: New to all grain. Need help with set up
« Reply #34 on: May 15, 2012, 01:59:27 pm »
You won't get channeling if you are batching sparging. Fly sparging is when that becomes a problem and then a large manifold or false bottom is needed.

This! Sorry, I was only thinking along the lines of my own experience. I tend to forget about batch sparging!
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline repo

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Re: New to all grain. Need help with set up
« Reply #35 on: May 15, 2012, 01:59:44 pm »
I would not recommend using a mash screen like shown above.  What happens is during lautering the wort will channel down through the grain to whatever the "exit" is. When you use a mash screen like above you are essentially creating a "V" shape in your grain bed. So you end up with heavily rinsed grain closer to the mash screen and un-rinsed grain on the outside. You'll get pretty crappy efficiency that way and may even extract tannins and such that will create a grainy taste in your beer. Spend the extra few bucks and use a false bottom or build a manifold that covers a greater surface area in your mash tun.

Um no, no, no. This statement is not accurate. You need to go to dennybrew.com for a cheap, easy,efficient system. It's been recommended before and now again.

Denny's mesh screen there would certainly work much better as it covers much more of the cooler's surface area. One of those purchased ones dont stick out very far. Theyre much better served in the kettle as a filter for whole hops imo.

I should mention that batch sparging is much easier to use with a hose braid like above. Im a fly sparger at heart and that screen did not fair well for me fly sparging.

Yes it will not be effective for fly sparging. In the set up shown it was a round cooler, which will just hold the kettle screen. The liquid will exit right next to the output, it will not flow down the length of the screen and exit. The lenght is useful in preventing clogs.

Offline denny

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Re: New to all grain. Need help with set up
« Reply #36 on: May 15, 2012, 02:28:32 pm »

Denny's mesh screen there would certainly work much better as it covers much more of the cooler's surface area. One of those purchased ones dont stick out very far. Theyre much better served in the kettle as a filter for whole hops imo.

I should mention that batch sparging is much easier to use with a hose braid like above. Im a fly sparger at heart and that screen did not fair well for me fly sparging.

The only reason that braid runs the length of t he cooler is that I'd been experimenting with different lengths and that was the last one I tried.  A 3" piece worked equally well.  If you batch sparge, channeling doesn't matter (or happen).  Unlike fly sparging, which is a rinsing process that requires even coverage, batch sparging is a draining process and happens at the outlet.
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