Cool box mash tun question

[marshbrewer]

Bit of a newbie question this, but I'm going to build a cool box mash tun and see alot of discussion about the design of the drain manifold to avoid blockages. So here is the question; why can't you just line the cool box with a BIAB mesh bag, that would contain the mash when draining and stop it blocking the manifold?

 

[Dutto]

............ why can't you just line the cool box with a BIAB mesh bag, that would contain the mash when draining and stop it blocking the manifold?

True ... :thumb: :thumb:

... but if there is a lot of flour in the grain how do you build up a filter cake?

Using this system, it only takes about ten litres of recycling before the wort runs clear enough to be diverted to the boiler.

 

[Sheepish]

I've seen a guy on YouTube use this method for a wheat beer ...no chance of a stuck sparge.

I guess it's no different to BIAB regards to flour and not clearing the wort before boiling???

 

[marshbrewer]

True ... :thumb: :thumb:

... but if there is a lot of flour in the grain how do you build up a filter cake?

Using this system, it only takes about ten litres of recycling before the wort runs clear enough to be diverted to the boiler.

So, if I understand you correctly, the flour forms a cake around the manifold, acting as an ultra fine filter to clear the wort, is that right? And I'm assuming that this couldn't / wouldn't happen using a mesh bag?

 

[Ciaran12s]

I highly recommend the braided hose type filter myself. Only done one brew through but it worked an absolute treat. Cheap as well.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/hose-15m...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CI3i2L6aj9gCFZSNGwodeSELnQ

 

[Dutto]

So, if I understand you correctly, the flour forms a cake around the manifold, acting as an ultra fine filter to clear the wort, is that right? And I'm assuming that this couldn't / wouldn't happen using a mesh bag?

A "filter cake" is formed as:

o The "flour" flows through the small holes and the larger grains get stopped.

o The "flour" flows past the larger grains as the middling sized grains get caught by the larger grains.

o The "flour" finally gets stopped when it can't get past the middling and smaller grains and the wort flows clear.

The way I see it is that if you drape a bag over the small holes in the manifold then the bag itself becomes the filter and it will take longer to build uo the filter cake.

Not the best of descriptions but it is after 8pm on a Saturday night! :whistle: :whistle:

 

[bigbud78]

Bit of a newbie question this, but I'm going to build a cool box mash tun and see alot of discussion about the design of the drain manifold to avoid blockages. So here is the question; why can't you just line the cool box with a BIAB mesh bag, that would contain the mash when draining and stop it blocking the manifold?

I use a bag in my mash tun over a bazooka, its great no issues and I get great eff.. :)

 

[Dutto]

I use a bag in my mash tun over a bazooka, its great no issues and I get great eff.. :)

I can see it working with a bazooka. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Bigjas]

I use a bag in my cool box mash tun, have done so since I started brewing. It works great for me. The only thing I have to do is hold my mash paddle in front of the outlet to keep the wort flowing while draining. I batch sparge and it makes cleaning up afterwards a breeze. Never had any issues in 20 brews.

 

[Piperbrew]

Bit of a newbie question this, but I'm going to build a cool box mash tun and see alot of discussion about the design of the drain manifold to avoid blockages. So here is the question; why can't you just line the cool box with a BIAB mesh bag, that would contain the mash when draining and stop it blocking the manifold?

I just built myself a cool box tun and made a manifold as Dutto suggests, easy to do and it can be taken apart to clean. I made the mistake of trying to make a sparge for the lid but now realise it was a mistake. The box I used was a Cmapinggaz icetime 42 litre, if you shop around on the net you can find them cheap, mine was £35 posted. It isn't a huge box and very well made.

 

[Clint]

As for vorlauf. ..I initially understood it to filter out husks as they can produce tannins in the brew when boiled. ...I use a bag and still vorlauf the mash even though there's never any husks and only a tiny amount of small bits in the jug. I also batch sparge, stirring then let settle for around 10 minutes before draining off. The floury bits are left on top of the grain bed....

 

[chesters-mild]

I also use a bag in my coolbox mash tun, with a small SS tea strainer strapped over the tap outlet inside the tun, to keep the bag from fouling the outlet, works great and cheaper than a manifold. I get clear runoff from the start, no stuck sparge & cleaning is a breeze! Good efficiency as well.
Cheers

 

[Oneflewover]

I highly recommend the braided hose type filter myself. Only done one brew through but it worked an absolute treat. Cheap as well.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/hose-15m...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CI3i2L6aj9gCFZSNGwodeSELnQ

I'm intrigued. How did you set this up? :hmm:

 

[yeastinfection]

I think. Cut one end off and pull the rubber tube out. Then crimp the cut end.

 

[Oneflewover]

I think. Cut one end off and pull the rubber tube out. Then crimp the cut end.

Hmmmmm, sounds like a plan. Looking for a better option to the bazooka at the bottom of my bulldog brewer and can't find one of those helix thingys

 

[Ciaran12s]

I'm intrigued. How did you set this up? :hmm:

Pretty much as above. That one is 1 metre. I cut it in half to use one half as hop filter in the boiler but it didn't work very well.

So cut it in half. At the fitting end wedge a small sharp knife between the braid and hack the rubber innard. Be careful not to mash the braid up too much, it should all push back to its original form. Get a pair of pliers, pull the cut end of the rubber hose and stand on the fitting. It should pull away fairly easily.

I then put the 15mm fitting on to a couple of inches of 15mm copper. This copper then pushes in to the the tank connector which is 15mm.

Fold back the cut end and crimp with pliers.

It'll need bunched back up after removing the rubber as this will stretch the braid. Just get it bunched up so the holes in the braid are even and not too small or too big. You'll see what I mean about that when you do it.

 

[Oneflewover]

Pretty much as above. That one is 1 metre. I cut it in half to use one half as hop filter in the boiler but it didn't work very well.

So cut it in half. At the fitting end wedge a small sharp knife between the braid and hack the rubber innard. Be careful not to mash the braid up too much, it should all push back to its original form. Get a pair of pliers, pull the cut end of the rubber hose and stand on the fitting. It should pull away fairly easily.

I then put the 15mm fitting on to a couple of inches of 15mm copper. This copper then pushes in to the the tank connector which is 15mm.

Fold back the cut end and crimp with pliers.

It'll need bunched back up after removing the rubber as this will stretch the braid. Just get it bunched up so the holes in the braid are even and not too small or too big. You'll see what I mean about that when you do it.

Thanks for that. I see that you say it doesn't work well in the boiler, so I'll proceed with caution :thumb:

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
The braid sleeving is available without the hose: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainless...d-Braided-Hose-Pipe-Rubber-Fuel-/290697439929

 

[Ciaran12s]

It also works out more than twice price. I made the two filters out of it in ten minutes.

Yeah as hop filter in the boiler it just didn't work. I would advise against. Continually clogging up. I'll never use it again in there.

As I've got half a metre going spare I'll probably get a tee piece for the 15mm pipe and put both braids on to that. I believe that this should give a better more even sparge.