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Homemade False Bottom?
Hiya,
I am just about to begin brewing all-grain, but am currently setting up equipment.
The converted keg I bought off a friend that will serve as the mash/lauter tun currently has a Bazooka style mesh hose in it. From reading through the forum(s) it sounds like a false bottom is the way to go if your going to be using a keg as your mash tun.
I was thinking of making the false bottom out of an aluminum, copper, or stainless steel sheet cut to the proper diameter, drilling holes that are 1/2-->1 inch (the large metal plate with holes would act as a support for the mesh), and over this laying stainless steel screen mesh that would be bolted or soldered in place.
My mash tun is going to be directly heated by a propane burner, with the false bottom resting 3ish inches off the bottom of the keg, the grain would not be in direct contact with the bottom, and should avoid being scorched or burnt. But due to this would I need to circulate the wort via pump?
Thanks,
Guynmt-
I believe the perforation of choice for FBs is 3/32" holes, spaced 3/32" apart. This gives the proper lauter rate and avoids grain slipping, and stuck sparges. I would try and replicate a screen that would closely mimic this. So far sounds great!
Ok, looks like I am going to be using a .125 thick sheet of high strength aluminum. I'm not really sure how it is going to fit in the bottom of the keg because there is a two inch lip on the top from where the top was originally cut off.
The main way I can think of to fit the false bottom in is by using a hinge.
Not relating to the false bottom, but I was wondering, could one use an evaporative cooler water pump for an immersion wort cooler or possibly a HERMS set up? I know it would be pretty ghetto rigged, but I figure it might be worth a shot 
GuyNMT wrote:
. I'm not really sure how it is going to fit in the bottom of the keg because there is a two inch lip on the top from where the top was originally cut off.
The main way I can think of to fit the false bottom in is by using a hinge.
I dont usually recommend the method I used to most- because it was a HUGE PITA. However you sound pretty mechanically inept. What I did (actually had my father do it, he gets a kick out of metal working still) is to cut into the leftover ring on the top with some flower petal cuts every 2 inches or so, with a sawzall perpendicular to the rings edge, all the way to the keg wall. Then took vice grips and clamped onto each "petal" for lack of better words, and worked it up and down until it snapped off. Then went to the next one. This left a flush wall all the way around the top with no ring. he then took a grinder and smoothed off the roughness and it is like a sheer pot wall now. Would have no issue dropping in a FB.
Your hinge idea would work as well like Sabco's design http://www.brew-magic.com/ketl_acc_falsebtm.html
Ok, that sounds like a good way to get around the annoying lip, and don't really think that having the lip there benefits anything either.
Any idea about using an evaporative cooler pump for an immersion or HERMS system, the man I am getting the metal from, who used to own a plumbing/heating business claims the pump would be able to handle the boiling water. Anyone ever heard of someone using one for that purpose?
Are you talking about using the pump to push the hot wort through a seperate IC or HERMS coil, or using the evaporator itself for the purpose of heat exchange? Either way I havent heard of using one, I am just curious as to the direction you are thinking.
I was thinking of using the pump only to push water through an IC or HERMS. I'm almost positive the pump would work well for pumping cold water through an IC to cool the wort, but not so sure about the boiling water.
The main reason I was thinking of using an evaporative cooler pump is that I am just starting out all grain, and don't have the extra cash at the moment to invest in a ~$150 March Pump, compared to a $25 dollar swamp cooler pump.
As far as pumping cold water through an IC, I really dont see a need for a pump, all the water supplies will be forced anyway, faucet from sink or house, giving a quick flow anyhow. Unless you have a different arrangement?
As far as pumping hot water for a HERMS, the usual method is to pump the hot wort (not hot water) through a coil that is submersed in temperature controlled water, which keeps the mash wort at a constant temperature. So pumping hot water may be a moot point (?) Euther way you will want to double check on the temp rating and food grade level of the pump head.
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