Runnings From Mash Tun

[markp]

Hi Folks :)

This is an off-shoot from my latest breday thread.
I used to mash in a converted 32 litre cool-box fitted with a slotted copper pipe manifold and never had a problem obtaining clear runnings from the tun. I'd recycle the first 2-3 litres at the most and then I'd have clean runnings for the boiler.

I have a new mash tun (thank you muddy :clap: ).
It is a 50 litre thermobox with a false bottom.

I stuggled to obtain clear runnings on both mashes this weekend.....this was even after running the first 6 or so litres of for recirculation.

muddydisco commented in my brewday thread that my malt looked a bit floury.....but the bits comming through did not seem like particles of flour, they were more like small pieces of grain.
They were big enough to be collected from the top of the wort using a few scoops of the kitchen sieve.

Any suggestions on where I've gone wrong or can improve??
Regarding the flour issue - I've seen some conflicting information about flour...some say sieve it out, some say leave it in :wha:
I was always under the impression that the starches are in the flour...the stuff I'm trying to convert to sugars??
Any help greatly appreciated.

ETA - I'm thinking it might be a good idea to fit a hop filter to the outlet of the mash tun - one of the domed type ones used to stop hop debris getting from cask to glass. Though I've a feeling that I should not have to do this and it is more my technique that is at fault.

 

[Muddydisco]

I haven't heard of any other problems like this and would say something is out somewhere? I thought you meant clear as in see through not lumps of husk.
Is the bottom sitting in the Tun nice and square with no edges lifted up? ie is the seal good to the bottom of the tun.
I had a problem with the super stout droping grains through cos I was having to constanly stir the grain bed up as it was stuck like concrete. But once your bed has settled and you have run out the first few litres it should be clear.
Somewhere grains are getting through the Bottom, are they small enough to get through the 2mm holes or were they larger?

 

[markp]

Hi muddy,

The false bottom seemed to fit beautifully.....bit too snug really as it can be a bit of a fiddle to get it back out.

Not sure if it was lumps of husk...it definately wasn't flour though.
Reminded me a little of the white bits you get in torrefied wheat, but there was none of that in either mash.......like I said, they floated and were big enough to be caught by a standard kitchen sieve.

2mm holes?? :wha: They look bigger than that.....but I'm no engineer :lol:

When I emptied out the tun.....there was quite a lot of smaller material that had settled out below the false bottom.
I sometimes used to use a stainless mesh in the bottom of my cool-box and sometimes I got the same in the bottom of that tun, but no bits passing through in to the wort.

Okay; looks like I'm going to have to brew again this weekend to try and get to the bottom of this :lol:
Pay attention to getting the false bottom in nice and snug and go from there.

 

[markp]

Just thinking aloud here:
After the phenolic adventure of my last brew, I dropped my sparge temp from 84 to 80 degrees.

Any chance this could've affected things??

Thanks again for your input muddy :thumb: