Beer Forum

So i am making the big leap and had a few question about mash tun design. I have a 10 G cooler that i was going to convert over. i am thinking i will do the stainless braid method ( a la Denny Conn) but i was wondering about channaling. is this not as much as an issue if i will be batch sparging? and what about using a split line to have three stainless braids as opposed to just the one? any input/advice would be great.

Channeling is not an issue when you batch sparge because every time you add more water you stir the whole mash up, recirc a few times, and drain the whole thing. Even if a channel does form, there is no difference in the gravity of the wort in the grist vs the wort in the channel. Also, you drain the whole thing, so gravity will eventually cause the wort outside the channel to drain out too.

Think of channeling this way- the sparge water (which has no sugar) punches through the grist forming a sort of "vertical river". It flows in from the top and comes straight out the bottom, without ever mixing with the rest of the wort. This leaves all the sugars off to the sides and lowers your extraction gravity. Stirring and draining during batch sparge turns this into a non-event.

HTH-

One option, if you're not dead set on fabricating, is to check out Northern Brewer or More Beer and get a stainless false bottom and a cooler bulkhead kit. I have a 10 gal. cooler mash tun and fabricated a strainer at the bottom made of pvc. I honestly would have gotten a stainless false bottom and bulkhead kit if i could go back, but fabricating works well too.

I would say that the single braid is sufficient. my brother recently jumped into all grain and batch sparging. He has brewed a few batches hovering around 75% efficiency. If you dont have a ton of extra cash to buy new equipment like he didnt, single stainless braid and a ball valve is more than enough for the batch sparge IMO

This is what I'm using and got 75% efficiency on an APA I did this weekend.

This, of course, is until I win that brew sculpture in a couple weeks.

those of you who are using steel braids: do you add anything to the middle of it to help it from getting smashed under the weight of the grain?

Evan Burck wrote:those of you who are using steel braids: do you add anything to the middle of it to help it from getting smashed under the weight of the grain?

nope. But I have a rectangular cooler so the mash doesn't get too tall and put much pressure on the braid. I have seen some peeps using coiled copper wire inside the braid. If you are using a tall narrow cooler it could be worth it, but if its long and has girth (the cooler) then you don't need the extra support

Evan Burck wrote:those of you who are using steel braids: do you add anything to the middle of it to help it from getting smashed under the weight of the grain?

I have a 10 gallon Igloo with hose braid. I have inserted a spiral coil through the braid to keep it nice and round. You can get plastic coated ones from a color copy shop. They use them for binding reports and they come in various diameters so I would ask for a few in different sizes.
I get about 76% effeciency through the Denny Conn school of batch sparging.
Hope this helps.
Fritz