So me almost ready. With build of new system. Only part missing. And got to make a choice. Today or tomorow. My daughter comes back from the usa. Next sat. Question. A false bottom. For 10 gallon mash tun. Or a bazoka tube.
Kettle tun false bottom. Cooler tun bazooka tube.
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I think too it depends on how you want to run your system. Fly sparge or batch sparge?
From my understanding a false bottom can really wreak havoc on batch sparging. If you plan on fly sparging then you’ll want a false bottom. Batch sparging go with a bazooka tube.
You need a false bottom in a kettle to apply heat if desired. A false bottom in a cooler doesn’t make any sense to me. I could be wrong. Anyone enlighten me on why it would be needed in a cooler. @wilcolandzaat how do you plan on mashing?
I would advise to skip the mash-tun business and go to BIAB. Simple and you could do it all in 1 kettle should you choose. I used to git stuck mashes when using more that 20 lbs in my 10gallon water cooler with a false bottom. What a PITA… Sneezles61
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I agree with @sneezles61 I’ve mashed in a kettle and cooler. Batch sparge and fly sparge. I had good results with all of them and glad for the experience which is valuable. Know I do BIAB and the only difference I notice is the savings in time and cleanup. I made the same recipes and couldn’t tell the difference.
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I like yer pitch Brew Cat!! Sneezles61
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Another vote for the bag over the false bottom or bazooka tube. BIAB!
I’m looking to change to electric brewing this coming year. I see a 20 gallon Spike kettle in my future, and a custom made basket from Utah bio diesel, I also will git a couple of smaller baskets for hops, one for the kettle, the other for dry hopping or to leave in the keg. Not much needed. I will build a JaDeD style chiller too. I am also looking to git a finishing hydrometer. Sneezles61
You may want to design that first. BIAB with a mesh filter may be difficult with heating elements extending into the kettle. I haven’t looked into it so this might be done already.
Isn’t that the grainfather
Yea you’d want a false bottom but @sneezles61 is talking about using the basket to replace the bag and I assume having feet on it to give it space above the heating elements.
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yea yea…you keep talking about it…get to work on it already…and take lots of pictures so I can copy your build. I know I can put one together but the controller build intimidates me. I know what I want just don’t understand the pieces I need to make it work.
You’ll go 240v right?
I tried the basket. I made some stainless steel feet for it so I could fire it up. I switched back do the bag since I started dunk sparging. I lift the bag to apply heat.
Yeah, it’ll have feet to hold above the element, and a handle to attach a hoisting device. I’ll go for 5500 watt, 240 element. I will take a simpler approach compared to the electric brewery. I’ve got details to use what may appear to be like a oven control. later down the line will be the PID and SSR to control temps. This will get me up and going alot sooner… Sneezles61
Will it be an ultra-low watt density element to help prevent scorching of the wort?
Think a grain father. Would be cool.
Sparge mash. But i do brew in a bag now. Reason could be. A stupid idea. Got a biab bag. But had a small hole in. I noticed. Got some grains. Floating in the. Mashtun. So my thought. I i use a false bottom or. Bazoka. Tube. Once i transfer wort i dont get. Parts of grain in to the boiling kettle. Just a idea
I have patches on my bag. No big deal. By the way I lined my basket within the bag when I used it because the holes in the basket were to big
No, it would come from brew hardware, SS element. A guy I brew with built his and no scorching from 5 batches he has brewed. I may go with that there is enough room in the kettle for natural convection of the water/wort. I must say, he doesn’t have much into it and it works very well. Best of all, now he brews in the house, and he has cut his time by another 1/2 hour! No extra heat from a gas flame, no fumes… Sneezles61
