Constant stuck sparges with my "new" mash/lauter tun

[Kent88]

I've constructed a mash/lauter tun using a stainless steel valve, stainless steel false bottom, high-temp tube connecting them, and a 3-gallon yellow igloo beverage dispensing cooler (I do small batches, < 3 gallon, partial extract).

I've brewed about 5 times in this (multiple extract and BIAB batches preceded this), and I'm always getting super slow or stuck sparges. The first time it helped when my buddy and I used grill forks to gently lift up the false bottom. I haven't been able to use that utensil after that and have consistently ended up looking for ways to slightly lift up the false bottom, thinking maybe the "input" portion of the false bottom had sealed on the bottom of the cooler, but doing that has really only worked once since the initial brew, and even then I was only getting a couple cups to run off in a half hour, if that. The last two times I ended up scooping everything out of the tun, checking for a blockage (there wasn't one). Last time I also used a half pound of rice hulls mixed in with the grist, which didn't help. I have been using between 3.5 and 5.5 pounds of malt and adjunct per brew, with a water to grist ratio starting at about 1.25:1.

I'm at a loss. I have no idea what to do to make this work. Please advise.

 

[AkTom]

Sorry, I'm no help. I have a manifold and so far no stuck sparges. It looks good to me though. I can't imagine what the problem is.
Tom

 

[microbusbrewery]

I suspect there's not enough clearance between the nut and the bottom of the cooler. Have you measured it?

 

[Rev2010]

When I started AG I tried a false bottom and the very first brew it stuck immediately. After that experience I switched to a bazooka screen and never looked back:

There's also manifolds and braids.


Rev.

 

[MDExile]

I'm not a false bottom guy, but here are two threads where people have the same problems. Combination of false bottom flexing and heat causing the bottom of the cooler to bow up creating a seal and stuck sparge.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=415552

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=464746

Good Luck

 

[Rivenin]

i have that same setup.
Make sure the false bottom nut is up higher, you might try flipping the other nut around up top and see if you can snug up the bottom one more.

 

[DurtyChemist]

I've heard people say this style of false bottom can collapse under the weight of the grain during the time you drain the mash tun.

 

[drgoodbrew]

looking at the pics in detail, it is possible that you are getting small pieces of grain getting stuck in your hose barb exiting the mash tun. the other comments above are definitely ways of fixing the situation with what you have. based on my personal experiences with the round cooler and false bottom, it either works or it doesn't. after 20+ batches, i abandoned the false bottom altogether and now use a BIAB bag in the cooler. ever since that adjustment was made (60 batches ago!), there have been no issues and my efficiency has improved 5% pts. plus, it gives you the option of brewing using the BIAB method. good luck!

 

[Kent88]

Make sure the false bottom nut is up higher, you might try flipping the other nut around up top and see if you can snug up the bottom one more.

I tried this yesterday when I brewed using 4lbs of Kolsch malt, and it worked. I did add another variable by lining the cooler with a mesh bag, as I want to be prepared should things get stuck and I need to remove the grain. Things didn't get stuck, I left the bag alone until it was time to clean out the cooler.

Maybe it was flipping the nut that did it, maybe it was the bag, maybe it was both, I guess I'm going to find out in a month or so.

 

[j1n]

i have the same setup and ive only gotten 1 stuck sparge. when im ready to sparge i open the valve all the way to start the flow then i close it to about half way.

 

[Galactik]

So I have the same false bottom setup, just bigger, in a 10g Igloo Cooler. I used to get slow 1st runnings, and then almost always a stuck sparge. It wasnt so much stuck, instead just drained really really slow, and a thick goop would form on the top of the grains, basically stopping water from moving through the grains (I batch sparge) The solution came in a happy accident, I ordered a stainless steel mash paddle. A proper one with holes and such. Before, I was just using a long handled plastic spoon to stir my grains.

It seems that since the grains are getting properly stirred up, by sparges now run fast and no slowdown or goop.

Just my 0.02

 

[drgonzo2k2]

In my old mash tun (Igloo cooler) I almost never got a stuck sparge. Then I switched over to an insulated SS mash tun and would get them every so often. I couldn't find any rhyme or reason to us, but when I switched to grain conditioning prior to grinding and adding some rice hulls to each batch they went away (hopefully for good). Now I do that with every batch.

 

[Queequeg]

I have a bazooka and never used to get stuck sparges. The last three batches have all got stuck. I put this down to two things 1) I changed my supplier of milled grains 2) doughing in produced a lot more clumps