Hi all I'm making a mash tun out of two old buckets that I used to use as FV's. Done a bit of research a while ago on it and spoken to bloke at my LHBS. I have now fitted a tap to one of the buckets and about to start drilling holes in the bottom of the other, I'm wondering what size would be best 1 mm or 2mm. I have also got a bit of 15 mm copper pipe which I have blocked of one end and will screw onto tap of boiler for sparging I am wondering how big the holes should be for this and should it spray to edge of mash tun or would you just move it a little during sparge
Mash Tun
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Morning Ian
I used a aluminium plate in the bottom of my converted FV and the holes are approx. 2.5mm. This has served me well for over 40 brews
For the sparge fitting you probably want much smaller holes, the ones on my rotating sparge arm look to be <1mm. You can always make them bigger if it doesn't work. Ideally you want an even spray pattern across the top of the grain bed.
I used a aluminium plate in the bottom of my converted FV and the holes are approx. 2.5mm. This has served me well for over 40 brews
For the sparge fitting you probably want much smaller holes, the ones on my rotating sparge arm look to be <1mm. You can always make them bigger if it doesn't work. Ideally you want an even spray pattern across the top of the grain bed.
wfr42
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http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Brewery-for-Under-100-STEP-1-/
Sounds like you're trying something like this guy did.
Sounds like you're trying something like this guy did.
JapanBrew
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I wouldn't go any smaller than 2.5. I made a bunch and all the smaller holes really clogged up.
There are a few sellers on eBay that have decent, inexpensive false bottoms that work great. Come with fittings and all. Well worth the bit extra
There are a few sellers on eBay that have decent, inexpensive false bottoms that work great. Come with fittings and all. Well worth the bit extra
I believe you can also use a bazooka hop filter in mash tuns. The Home Brew Shop in Aldershot has these fitted to their cool box mash tuns.
I have not tried one yet but am planning to on my spare unit.
I have not tried one yet but am planning to on my spare unit.
Ok I will try a bit bigger. Probably doing this Sunday so will do 2.5mm holes
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My plan was to use the two buckets so I have extra insulation, I use them already for mashing in the BIAG method and stick an old fleece over them which works well. I have been thinking of wrapping the outer bucket with some sort of insulation but may just stick to the fleece
I use the insulation you put behind radiators (the thicker one not the thin foil). This works a treat.
Just be aware that the more holes you drill the weaker the base will become and you may get some warping or sagging at mash temp.
I used a 2.5 mm bit here. It takes a bit of time to lauter the mash to get it to run clear but after that it does a great job.
Thank you.
It came from looking at the Post from His Dudeness ...
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58049
... and being totally unable to cut precision slots!! :whistle: :whistle:
The joy of the design is that:
o I pre-heat the tun with a few litres of boiling water then empty it out.
o Introduce the Strike Water at 2.6 litres per kilo of grain at 75 degrees.
o Thoroughly mix in the grain to avoid lumps and when the temperature drops to +/-65 degrees slap the lid on and cover it with an old sheepskin jacket.
I only see a +/-2 degree loss in an hour so I don't open up he tun to stir the mash on the basis that it is already well mixed. There is less than one litre of "dead-space" under the manifold so very little is lost after sparging.
It came from looking at the Post from His Dudeness ...
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58049
... and being totally unable to cut precision slots!! :whistle: :whistle:
The joy of the design is that:
o I pre-heat the tun with a few litres of boiling water then empty it out.
o Introduce the Strike Water at 2.6 litres per kilo of grain at 75 degrees.
o Thoroughly mix in the grain to avoid lumps and when the temperature drops to +/-65 degrees slap the lid on and cover it with an old sheepskin jacket.
I only see a +/-2 degree loss in an hour so I don't open up he tun to stir the mash on the basis that it is already well mixed. There is less than one litre of "dead-space" under the manifold so very little is lost after sparging.
I made a bucket in a bucket, inwent for about 4mm holes, it sounds big but remember the grain bed becomes a filter after running a few litres through it, so making them too small is a bad thing, as they're more likely to plug and then you won't get an even flow through the grain bed.
It seemed to to take forever to drill the holes! I cut the base off one bucket an put it in the other, drill the holes over a piece of hardwood to help prevent plastic burrs.
The bucket I had was a really tight fit, so I cut a v onnone side so it would bend a bit when trying to remove, stopps it getting stuck.
Also, I bought some cheap kebab skewers and bent them into handles so I could pull it out easier, they're stainless steel so this worked great.
It works well!
Forgot to add, I cut the bottom off the inner bucket to turn it into a sieve
Last edited:
Morning Ian
I used a aluminium plate in the bottom of my converted FV and the holes are approx. 2.5mm. This has served me well for over 40 brews
For the sparge fitting you probably want much smaller holes, the ones on my rotating sparge arm look to be <1mm. You can always make them bigger if it doesn't work. Ideally you want an even spray pattern across the top of the grain bed.
I have the same thermometer as you, I also have a couple of digi's which I've checked at 0 and 100 deg c, they seem to be within 0.5 degrees, my point is that those big SS thermometers tend to read about 4 or 5 degrees under by the end if the mash, all I can put it down to is that they act like a heatsink, and therefore cool the mash around the probe.. I go by the digi ones these days
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