False bottoms

[dyce]

Hi All and Happy New Year.

After Christmas I feel I have a false bottom ( but hopefully a few
weeks in the gym will sort that...) !

Bad run off ( again) yesterday from both mash tun ( Brupaks cooler)
and boiler has prompted me to look into false bottoms. Any top tips as
to where I might get the mesh? I have use a spatter guard for a run-
off tube recently, but still I have problems.

Cheers
Dyce

The University of Dundee is a Scottish Registered Charity, No. SC015096.

[rashworth]

Hi Dyce,
A group of us from the East Anglian section of the CBA invested in a 6' x 3'
[1.8m x .9m] sheet of perforated stainless steel mesh and split it into
500mm x 500mm sections. This is 1 mm thick with 1.5 mm holes which, from
my experience, is the best spec for the mash tun. I believe CBA member
Roger Yates still has a number of pieces available - I think at [cost price]
ca £28 plus carriage. I'll find out whether this is the case and if so,
may I ask him to contact you off-list direct on your e-address below?
Regards, Ray

[dyce]

This would be just ideal, Ray, many thanks. Is there a lot of
"fabrication" involved in converting the sheet to a usable fb? I guess
one has to make a stand and also get the cutting perfect to prevent
leaking "round the edge". Could the same material be used for a fb in
a boiler?

If this is a relatively easy job, then I would be happy to talk to
you colleague off list on the email address you quoted.
I have a rubbermaid cooler mash tun and a 10 gallon plastic bucket
boiler. I guess I would possibly be looking for two pieces unless
one a false-half-bottom is sufficient for a boiler. Hop and Grape do
a "domed false bottom" for £30. Looks like the sheet is just as
expensive.

I was eying up some ss mesh but maybe this is not stiff enough

http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Stainless-Woven-Mesh-c-20.html

Many thanks again,

Dyce
On 18 Jan 2010, at 11:53, Ray/NorfolkCottageAles wrote:

[Aleman]

Fordyce Davidson wrote:

[dyce]

thanks for the detailed message - the pictures are very helpful as are
the links.

Are there "rules" regarding the volume under the false bottom - should
this be kept as small/large as possible. I only brew small batches
so mt volume " above" the fb is not a problem


Dyce

The University of Dundee is a Scottish Registered Charity, No. SC015096.

[John Prichett]

Please excuse the delay in replying.
In the past for mashing I have used a Burco/Cygnet 5 gallon urn which is
7.4gal/33.7L to the brim.
The false bottom is 80 mm high to stand just above the output tap, which is
a volume of 1.6 gal/7.1L.
I filled the urn with hot liquor to about 80mm above the false bottom and
mashed-in and stabilised at 150/152°F (in old money), bringing the mash
liquor volume up to about 3.5gal/16L. This gives a total liquor/grist ratio
of about 3.5:1. Somewhat runny, I know, but that is all I could do at the
time, constrained as I was by the equipment I had. This meant that
approximately half the mash liquor wasn't actually in contact with the
grist. Is this a bad thing to be avoided? The answer is no! It worked and
produced great beers. The hardest thing is to maintain the mash temp for the
required time, so I had to cover the urn with old clean towels, which worked
well. The only drawback using this method is that one has to tilt the MT
carefully after sparging to get the last of the usable wort from under the
tap, about 1.2 gallons.
Today I use a 24L double skinned and insulated s/steel mash tun with a much
smaller "dead space" under the false bottom. This loses about 1°F per hour,
so I do not use the urn for mashing anymore.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
JP



-----Original Message-----
From: ukhomebrew-bounces@lists.ukhomebrew.info
[mailto:ukhomebrew-bounces@lists.ukhomebrew.info] On Behalf Of Fordyce
Davidson
Sent: 25 January 2010 09:24
To: list@ukhomebrew.info
Subject: Re: False bottoms

thanks for the detailed message - the pictures are very helpful as are
the links.

Are there "rules" regarding the volume under the false bottom - should
this be kept as small/large as possible. I only brew small batches
so mt volume " above" the fb is not a problem


Dyce

The University of Dundee is a Scottish Registered Charity, No. SC015096.

[dyce]

Thanks John,
I did have concerns that volume under the fb should be kept to a min.
Seems, as usual, that "beer wants to be made"!

I'll post some pics when I get round to fabricating my fb and hop
strainer.
Cheers

Dyce

The University of Dundee is a Scottish Registered Charity, No. SC015096.

[beermaker]

What have you been using up to now 'Dyce? I have a home made mash tun with a 15mm copper manifold in the bottom with slots cut into the underside and generally have no problems. I have the same affair in my copper and I can pump directly from it with a double headed impeller pump. Considering going to false bottom only because I'm rebuilding again following a brewery relocation and the new mash tun should lend itself to a falsie, but thats the only reason. I'd be interested to hear the pro-false bottom argument as the manifold's advantages are that it's quick and easy to make but thats about it.

BTW - finally getting round to making speed controls for the new pumps (110VAC brush motors). Will post details and feedback on their use when they're completed.

Cheers
Philip

[beermaker]

What have you been using up to now 'Dyce? I have a home made mash tun with a 15mm copper manifold in the bottom with slots cut into the underside and generally have no problems. I have the same affair in my copper and I can pump directly from it with a double headed impeller pump. Considering going to false bottom only because I'm rebuilding again following a brewery relocation and the new mash tun should lend itself to a falsie, but thats the only reason. I'd be interested to hear the pro-false bottom argument as the manifold's advantages are that it's quick and easy to make but thats about it.

BTW - finally getting round to making speed controls for the new pumps (110VAC brush motors). Will post details and feedback on their use when they're completed.

Cheers
Philip

[dyce]

Hi Philip
On 24 Feb 2010, at 14:18, beermaker wrote: