Mesh strainer basket

[AMyd666]

Hi. To save faff holding a laden bag of hot, wet grain and squeezing over the pot (forget pulleys), has anyone got or seen a basket? Even one that can be mounted to the mash kettle like on expensive electric boilers?
I've seen something like this but 100 quid . I'm looking for an equivalent for a 20l stock pot that is 33cm W, 29cm H. I was even thinking of using a slightly smaller stockpot but drilled out, then using 4no. Flat hooks to suspend over the mash pot.
Any ideas you clever lot?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I looked at these on Amazon and eBay before lockdown and they were about £40 but there was a great price leap.

 

[AMyd666]

Bugger. Found this although I'm not sure about shipping.
https://m.alibaba.com/product/62232...spm=a2706.amp_ws_detail.contact#click:btn-buy

 

[starseeker]

I have seen small waste paper baskets like these,you might need to add a handle though.

 

[starseeker]

I have just had a quick look and there are loads out there ,

 

[BackToBasics]

I tried getting a quote off suppliers on Alibaba. Only got a response off one supplier - $80 for the basket and $90 for the shipping. Mine was for a narrower, taller basket but I'd imagine the shipping will be fairly standard. I decided that was a little steep for something that may never turn up.

If anyone knows anywhere in the UK that could make one I'd be interested. The basket from my Klarstein mash kettle isn't great and I'd like to upgrade rather than buy a new kettle (the Klarstein works really well other than the basket).

 

[AMyd666]

I have seen small waste paper baskets like these,you might need to add a handle though.

Hi. All the ones I can find are painted black. with the apertures they have, I'd have to use a bag, which is what I'm trying to avoid. Thanks

 

[BackToBasics]

Might have found a UK manufacturer who could make one. No idea on costs but I'm going to email them tomorrow for a quote. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[AMyd666]

Cool. What's wrong with the Klarstein?

 

[BackToBasics]

Cool. What's wrong with the Klarstein?

A few things.

First is the size - the basket has an inch of dead space all around it. Today's brew was just under 5kg of grain in 22l of mash water and it was like stirring porridge. I can add more water but it's nearly at the limit of what the kettle can handle already.

Second issue is that the sides are solid, only the bottom is mesh. Not sure this effects the brew much but I'd rather have mesh sides.

Last issue is removing the basket and suspending it for sparging. Klarsteins solution is, essentially, a lid with a hole in it to slide between the kettle and the basket. Given that the kettle is on a counter this means lifting basket, grain and wort over head with one hand and slotting the "lid" under with the other. You can rest the basket on the kettle but it's not secure. In fact, it slipped today and fell back into the kettle sending a wave of hot wort over the counter, my legs (thankfully had jeans on) and the extension it was plugged into.

It's a shame as the kettle itself works really well and was reasonably cheap.

 

[BackToBasics]

Might have found a UK manufacturer who could make one. No idea on costs but I'm going to email them tomorrow for a quote. I'll let you know how I get on.

Just a quick update to this...

The company I contacted haven't replied. I'm going to chase them tomorrow as I know things can be missed/forgotten about but I don't hold much hope. No notice of covid related closure on the site so I suspect they just aren't interested in doing a small, one off job despite what it says on their site.

 

[jle01]

Aliexpress has these:

US $51.0 45% OFF|304 Stainless Steel Beer Wine House Home Brew Filter Basket Strainer Barware Bar Tools Filter Bag for Jelly Jams Homebrew Barrel|Colanders & Strainers| - AliExpress

Free shipping to Finland atleast.

 

[BackToBasics]

Company I was contacting has replied. £140 for a 280mmx400mm basket with £12 shipping. They require a decent diagram to work from.

Not as cheap as AliExpress etc but it's a UK company making a bespoke product.

Inoxia Ltd

 

[AMyd666]

Company I was contacting has replied. £140 for a 280mmx400mm basket with £12 shipping. They require a decent diagram to work from.

Not as cheap as AliExpress etc but it's a UK company making a bespoke product.

Inoxia Ltd

Cheers for looking, but far exceeds what I'm willing to pay.

 

[foxy]

A few things.

First is the size - the basket has an inch of dead space all around it. Today's brew was just under 5kg of grain in 22l of mash water and it was like stirring porridge. I can add more water but it's nearly at the limit of what the kettle can handle already.

Second issue is that the sides are solid, only the bottom is mesh. Not sure this effects the brew much but I'd rather have mesh sides.

Last issue is removing the basket and suspending it for sparging. Klarsteins solution is, essentially, a lid with a hole in it to slide between the kettle and the basket. Given that the kettle is on a counter this means lifting basket, grain and wort over head with one hand and slotting the "lid" under with the other. You can rest the basket on the kettle but it's not secure. In fact, it slipped today and fell back into the kettle sending a wave of hot wort over the counter, my legs (thankfully had jeans on) and the extension it was plugged into.

It's a shame as the kettle itself works really well and was reasonably cheap.

I don't know if you are recirculating, but a mesh body would be more of a disadvantage, the idea being the small bits go through a return pipe and onto the top of the grain bed. Giving a clearer wort going into the boil. Mesh around the side would be allowing more particles going into the wort.

 

[BackToBasics]

Cheers for looking, but far exceeds what I'm willing to pay.

Totally get that. It's more than I was expecting and I'm struggling to justify the expense myself. My problem is that the Klarstein is taller and slimmer than most systems so replacement baskets aren't easy to find. If Ali Express or similar did one at the right size and a fraction of the price is be all over it.

I don't know if you are recirculating, but a mesh body would be more of a disadvantage, the idea being the small bits go through a return pipe and onto the top of the grain bed. Giving a clearer wort going into the boil. Mesh around the side would be allowing more particles going into the wort.

I'm not recirculating but it is something I'd like to start doing. Must admit I wasn't aware of the problems with mesh sides. I just assumed it was the better option as the more expensive systems all seem to come with a full mesh basket but, thinking about it, they are all systems with built in recirculating.

Need to think on this a bit. With the combined cost of the basket, pump and fittings I may be better off just upgrading rather trying to make the Klarstein into something it isn't.

 

[AdeDunn]

Almost all recirc systems come with a basket with only holes in the bottom of the basket, for reasons already mentioned, bud. There are even BIAB bags out there with finer mesh up the sides, coarser mesh on the bottom (I have one).

Seems to me, what you need rather than a new basket, is just a better way of supporting the one you have on the machine whilst it drains. So you kinda need somebody who can weld something onto your Klarstein and the basket for you using food safe weld. Basically so you can lift your basket, turn it, lower it, et voila, it sits on the prongs or whatever. That's the system used on the Klarstein machines once you step up from yours, they have like nubs on the basket that rest on sticky out bits on the kettle. I've got one coming soon today, I'll take pics for you if you like.

 

[BackToBasics]

@AdeDunn cheers, I'd appreciate that.

 

[terrym]

So you kinda need somebody who can weld something onto your Klarstein and the basket for you using food safe weld.

Whats a 'food safe weld'?

 

[AdeDunn]

@AdeDunn cheers, I'd appreciate that.

Support


Nubby bit



Hope this helps. I was going to take pics anyway as it's newly delivered.

Whats a 'food safe weld'?

Me getting it confused with solder.... That said, I don't recommend eating weld.... Ever. lol