Brewzilla false bottom hack - securing the false bottom

[stripeyjoe]

Have a look at this guy’s newer videos, he’s replaced the false bottom of his AIO with the sort of filter you usually see in a mash tun and his beers are coming out very clear indeed. He also has his mash a lot thicker than I usually see.
https://youtube.com/channel/UCDXOgiZmJgFFUD4ozADA4fA

 

[hoppyscotty]

The only problem with putting a silicone tube around the outside of something is that the friction makes it very difficult to fit into the vessel. In my mash tun I have a SS plate false bottom, which is a bit undersized and has a split silicone tube around the edge as a gasket. I found when making this that, if the tube filled the gap between the bottom and the sides, it was very difficult to fit and remove, so I changed it for a thinner tube and used four 75mm long pieces of a larger tube over that, to act as spacers. The gap is still too small for anything to get past, but fitting and removal is now easy.

yep, already tried that and it was impossible but I was thinking about using a second/spare malt pipe support, the wire thing that goes around the rim, and securing the FB as per my original photo and getting some silicone hose or tube to slide around that. Or get some stainless rod and bend it around and do it that way.

 

[HiOctaine]

Hoppy Scotty, did you have any luck using the malt pipe support on the FB, only asking as i had a bit of a mare brewing today as my FB got lifted up during the boil and i had 100g of Dried hops in there which ended up blocking my pump and the tap, so the only way i could get my wort out of the brewzilla was to scoop it out with a water jug and use a sieve to filter out the hops so they didnt go into the fermenter.

so now looking for a way to weigh down the FB to stop it happening again.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Well my mate forgot to bring his malt pipe support with him on brew day so we didn't get a chance to test it. I did however turn off the 500w element and that did help, I didn't notice the FB moving around in the less vigorous boil. however I still think it is a good thing to test because my version 2 would be a circular ring with a rubber seal to properly seal the edge of the FB as there are gaps due to the actual vessel not being perfectly circular that hops can get through. Even when I use my whirlpool arm as the last of the wort trickles through it brings some of the hops from the hop cone in the centre of the FB with it and is sucked through the gaps around the edge of the GB.

In reality its not really an issue of hops and debris getting into the fermentor as it just drops out of suspension with the rest of the trub, especially if you cold crash, but pump blockage is a potential issue.

Will be brewing this weekend so will give it a whirl then. I've also got myself a plate chiller so minimising any matter coming through is even more beneficial now.

 

[HiOctaine]

im with you on not worrying to much about debris but the pump getting blocked is a big pain.

let us know how you get on this weekend with the malt pipe support.

 

[dcbrookes]

im with you on not worrying to much about debris but the pump getting blocked is a big pain.

Have a look at the Blockages thread - that might help.

 

[HiOctaine]

Dcbrookes thanks for that yes I saw it after I posted on this thread, and I have now bought a helix coil, so I will give that a go on my next brew day and seen how it goes

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hioctain, i bought a helix coil but have not used it yet, the pump inlet is to central think i may have to shorten it, if and when you use yours a pic would be most appreciated

 

[martin1256]

Wouldn’t it be easier to get a large grain bag & put the hops in that, that way they can move about freely without causing blockage issues?