Manifold for Keggle?

[Kazi the Younger]

I want to step up to a Keggle for my mashtun now that I am doing a HERMS system. I figure the ability to direct-fire the mashtun will make it easier to do step mashes eventually--heat the kettle while recirculating through a heat exchanger, right?

Anyway, the manifold I use right now is a slotted square copper one I use in my 10 gallon gott cooler. It works perfectly in the gott, but I'm wondering if it won't work as well in a keggle because the bottom is convex rather then flat like the gott, allowing grain to get sucked in from underneath, whereas in the gott, the bottom is flat and the slots face down against the surface.

I'd rather not build another manifold if I can help it.

[tavish2]

you probably will have issues like what you are guessing. Most people use a stainless false bottom with a pickkup tube in the middle of the false bottom that goes to the bottom of the kettle.

[Kazi the Younger]

I just re-read the mashtun design chapter in Palmer's book. According to what he writes, I think my square manifold in the bottom of the keg could be a non-issue. This is why:

"The slots can face up, down or to the side; hydraulically, it makes no difference."

Liquid is still liquid, and it will get sucked into the slots. I just assumed grain would get jammed into the slots if they were face up, and with convex bottom of a keg, there is that space below where grain can get crammed up against the slots. But maybe it's ok because it's not that much. This is not scientific thinking at all I realize.

And I just have to say, I really don't want to use a false bottom. I've done it before, but never seen efficiency above 75%-80%. I am used to getting 90% all the time with the manifold in my 10 gallon gott. I'm just hoping I can get near the same in the new vessel

[Mylo]

You are going to leave quite a bit of sugar below the manifold if you put that flat one in the curved bottom.... Here's what you need - ~$60.

weldless:
http://morebeer.com/view_product/19807/ ... _Stainless

or the welded one:
http://morebeer.com/view_product/19812/ ... _Stainless


Mylo

[Kazi the Younger]

thanks, except I really want to stay away from all false bottoms, no pun intended

My latest thought is make a copper manifold that hugs the bottom of the convex keggle shape a-la Palmer's design--it will be a bitch to make, but plenty of things in this world are a bitch, and don't yield good mash efficiency.

[budrockdiesel]

I want to step up to a Keggle for my mashtun now that I am doing a HERMS system. I figure the ability to direct-fire the mashtun will make it easier to do step mashes eventually

I am by no means an expert but if you plan on direct firing without a false bottom won’t you scorch the grain? I thought that is why a false bottom is used, to separate the liquid and to get the grain off of the bottom?

[Kazi the Younger]

I have thought about that--what I've read is as long as the pumps are on and liquid is moving, there shouldn't be scorching because liquid is constantly circulating through the tun and over the grains--even the grains that hit the bottom of the kettle. Then again, I've never done it myself, and I don't know anyone who has done it.

[Lars]

I use a 6ft long stainless braid in the bottom of my keggle in the shape of a pretzel. I was a bit worried about the braid collapsing so I took some solid copper wire and made a coil that goes inside the braid to keep it from collapsing. I have routinely been hitting 83% efficiency. I direct fire my mash tun when the temp drops a bit and recirculate the mash starting about halfway through my mash time. Works great!