False Bottom

[outnumbered]

Ok so I am new to brewing and I bought an all grain kit off craigslist and did my first brew last night. It came with a plastic false bottom for the igloo cooler that worked great. But the SS false bottom for the brew kettle well that is a different story. Once I chilled the wort I opened the ball valve to the kettle and nothing. So after sanitizing a wrench I got the false bottom off and opened the ball valve and no problems. The only thing in the boil were pellet hops. Did I do something wrong? Do the false bottoms not work very well. any help would be great. thanks

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

What was your recipe?

Did you use the correct water/grains ratio?

How did you sparge? And did you let it settle after vorlaufing?

I've never had a problem with my false bottom, but I used to have problems with a homemade manifold when I first started brewing all-grain. I learned to use that in time and it even worked fine.

I'm guessing you had your first stuck mash. These can be caused by a number of different situations...hence my questions above.

 

[outnumbered]

the sparge went great the false bottom in the mash tun worked great but i put one in the boil kettle. The only thing that I put in the boil kettle were the pellet hops. I am thinking that the pellet hops are to fine and make it through the false bottom and then clogging it.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Ohh.

I don't use a false bottom in my kettle since I don't find it necessary. I've got a pickup tube that works great. I also have my HERMS rig setup so that it whirlpools the beer while it's cooling, so I usually end up with a nice trub cone in the middle that makes my beer super clean coming out.

This is my pickup tube. It works great even without the whirlpool on most beers, but some hoppier beers will clog it without the WP.

 

[BrewForMe]

You are right about the pellet hops, they tend to break up and plug anything with fine holes in it, you are better off not to use your false bottom in the boil kettle. I usually strain my wort through a strainer as i pour it into my carboy, this allows me to remove the pellet hops and when the strainer plugs, i just dump it out and continue to strain.

 

[outnumbered]

Thanks for all your help. what is a HERMS rig setup? did you make that pick up tube if so can you tell me how?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

HERMS = Heat Exchanging Recirculating Mash System. Look up Brutus 10 and you'll get an idea. Brutus is a RIMS system, but it's the same basic look.

When I get home from work, I'll draw up some plans for you for the pickup.