All grain vorlauf woes

[Firebat138]

ok... it seems the past couple of times we are getting a stuck sparge sort of... it drains fine, until the end... it seems like a VACUUM thing... I have to stir the mash and open up a hole in the bottom, then BAM... it flows out again... Using a keggle and a false bottom... anyone ever have this also...

 

[phuff7129]

What is your grain bill. If you have any flaked oats or barley that can cause stuck sparges. It doesnt sound too serious if you can stir it and get it going again. Also if your crush is too fine that could also cause it. You could try adding rice hulls to your mash. I only get a stuck sparge with flaked oats, barley. When I am using flaked grain I will add a couple of hand fulls of rice hulls before I add the grain and the rice hulls keep the flakes from clogging your false bottom/manifold.

 

[inhousebrew]

Just watched an all grain brewing video with John Palmer online from Northern Brewer and he talks about the importance of draining off slowly so as to not create a vacuum in your mashtun and compact the grainbed. I batch sparge and used to open the valve all the way and deal with slight stuck sparges near the end so I'm gonna try this out.

 

[Firebat138]

cool... I know sometimes I get impatient... lol

 

[inhousebrew]

cool... I know sometimes I get impatient... lol

Yeah, but anything worth doing is worth doing right I guess. Just use the added time to go get yourself a beer. I normally grab my first post-mash anyways.

 

[Golddiggie]

I add my sparge water via a gravity feed, ball valve regulated, influx as I'm draining the mash wort. I also run this through a grain bag, in the keggle, to filter out any grain that gets through the false bottom. Simply close the mash tun ball valve (bottom) when all the sparge water has been added. I adjust the valves so that I maintain the same level in the mash tun during this time.

I'm getting good efficiency numbers, and solid/great beer this way.

 

[gce]

+1 to just letting it drain slowly. Just think of it this way, you're either going to be spending time waiting for it to drain, or spending time being frustrated at having a stuck mash. Which situation would you rather have?