On my last batch (surly Darkness clone) I ended up with what I considered a stuck sparge. It took forever to drain my mash tun and I had to continually blow back through the hose. this was my first batch using oats (about 2 lbs). could this be the reason for the stuck sparge?
My mill is a barley crusher and it is set at the factory settings that I have used since I purchased it three years ago.
I do the batch sparge method. both runnings had a very slow drain time.
Oats can get outright gummy, like rye or grits. Grab a pound of rice hulls next time and it will help to set up a better grain bed.
Do I just mix the rice hulls with the crushed grains?
Do I just mix the rice hulls with the crushed grains?[/quote]
yep, thats all thats to it.
If you aren’t using a cheap-n-easy hose braid for your batch sparge, I would consider it. Since abandoning my false bottom and going to the braid, I haven’t used any rice hulls or had an even remotely stuck sparge, even using oats, wheat, and rye.
I agree with the rice hulls. I typically use them whenever brewing a beer that has over 25% wheat.
I’ll soak the rice hulls first in warm water so they don’t absorb too much wort.
+1 on changing out a false bottom and going to braid. When my false bottom process worked it was great. But it seemed it would get tuck or some how all fouled up about half the time. I changed to SS braid over a copper tube about 3 years ago and it’s been so much better.
You may not even use a false bottom as I look over the OP, but if you are…
I use a bazooka screen. Whenever I get a stuck runoff, I stick my mash paddle in and scrape at the screen. It doesn’t mess anything up with the runoff or let husks through. I had a braided hose for a bit and got a stuck runoff, tried the same technique thinking I’d be fine, and ended up messing the braide up. So I went back to my screen and started using rice hulls for every batch.
