Homebrewing: All Grain Mash Tun

Do you have an idea about what type of straining mechanism you want to use? For instance I use a false bottom that I bought from MoreBeer I believe. Other people use the stainless steal mesh tubing.

Once you decide that the only other thing you really need is the valve to go on the cooler. Once again I use one that I bought from a homebrew supply store, probably Brewstock. It's a weldless stainless ball valve.

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Is this the correct thinking for all-grain brewing?

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From extract to all grain

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I was going to use a false bottom.

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yes, or this.
LINK

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anybody have any plans/materials list for one?

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- Rubbermaid 10 gallon round beverage cooler
- all stainless steel ¼” hose clamps x 2
- brass square head plug (Watts A-737)
- ½” x 12” (or larger) braided stainless steel supply hose
- 3/8” female barb adapter (Watts A-298)
- 5/8” stainless steel fender washer (sometimes hard to find, but try Fastenal or read this thread if you are stuck)
- 3/8” MIP x 1-1/2” brass nipple (Watts A-786)
- seal from plastic spigot of cooler (shown below)
- Teflon tape (note: everything to the left of the tape in the picture above goes inside the cooler, and everything to the right goes outside)
- 5/8” O-ring (preferably heat resistant, if you can find one)
- 3 x 5/8” fender washers
- 3/8” threaded ball valve
- 3/8” male barb adapter (Watts A-294)

Link to HBT thread on it.

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Link to HBT thread on it.

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Work filters block the site, dammit.

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I hear your beer sucks.

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lol, wtf.

heard it through the grapevine.

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heard it through the grapevine.

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sure you did

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i did. broham. btw i want to get a bourbon barrel as well.

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congrats you searched my posts

So, got home, had a couple beers, and watched some video's on youtube on brewing all-grain.

I watched one video from a Virginia Tech guy (about 30 minutes long) that was very good at explaining.

So here is the technique from what i gather.

1. Heat water up to 170 (depending on your recipe). Pour water into your mash tun (in this case 10 gallon round cooler). Put on lid, let the cooler heat up a bit, then drain back into the pot. Add some 5.2 ph stabilizer.
2. Add grains to mash tun (doughing in). Pour water in slowly, stirring constantly to avoid clumps. Once added, your temp should be about 154 degrees. Let sit for an hour.
3. While sitting, heat up some sparge water (about 3 gallons depending on your recipe).
4. Drain mash tun slowly into a pitcher, and keep recirculating into your mash tun until your wort extract is clear. (has a german name for the process, i forgot what it is). Be careful when pouring back to not disturb grain bed.
5. Once your extract is clear, drain into brewpot very slowly. Once the water gets down to the top of the grain bed, add sparge water (should take about 30 minutes to an hour).
6. Once complete, measure your pre boil gravity. Then brew as normal.

I bolded the sections i have questions on.

1) Is the PH stabilizer necessary? or is this mainly for "bad" water? Do yall use it?
2) All the videos i've seen, show adding water to your mash tun first, then adding the grains. However, in how to brew, and complete joy, they say to add the grain first. Does it matter?
3) What temps should the sparge water be? below 170?
4) All of the videos i've seen, either a manifold or SS filter was used. What are the benefits of a false bottom over the other 2 options? Better grain bed stability?

ETA: Also, how much sparge water is typically needed? I have a 5 gallon old brewpot, and would rather use that, than buy a new one if i don't have to.

Couple of things then I will answer the questions below. That list of steps is really vague and generalized. Mashing at 154 will be fine for some beers, but not all beers are mashed at that high of a temp. Also starting with 170 is high in my opinion as well. Your brewing software will give you a better number and I use a formula since I have given up my software for the time being.

You will need much more than 3 gallons of sparge water unless you start with a lot of mash water, regardless of your recipe.

Ok now onto your questions.

1. 5.2 is not necessary per say however, starch converts better at 5.2 pH so if you want to just take that factor off the table then use 5.2. I didn't for a long time but will use it all the time now.

2. Personal preference. If you are going to use a large spoon, I would suggest adding the water first. I have a mash paddle so it really doesn't matter either way for me. I typically add water first.

3. 170 is where I sparge

4. For me the SS filter didn't work at all, but my cooler is one of the tall round ones, and I hear that the SS filter works better with a rectangle cooler. A false bottom is more permanent in my opinion. Once again that is personal preference probably.