denver brewhoo
03-15-2004, 11:59 AM
I enjoy and learn a lot from these threads--but I made a mistake Saturday I've never seen before so here goes.
First, I had a semi-stuck sparge last time I brewed, which came unstuck fortunately.
Second, as I was putting the brewery together Saturday AM, I happened to notice that on one side of my bazooka T screen, the seam was about halfway undone...hmm, maybe that explains the semi-stuck sparge...well, we'll use it today and hope for the best....probably can't plug up 'cause it's on the bottom, right? Sort of folded it together and pressed on it to reduce the gap. Maybe this explains the sparge problem last time, though
I use two Rubbermaid 10 gal "Victory" round coolers for HLT and MLT...they differ in appearance only in that the MLT has a bulkhead installed into the top so I can recirculate and sparge without opening it up and losing heat (I brew outdoors all winter, and was losing a lot of heat during the times I had the top off in, say, 15 degeree weather)...with a pump and QD fittings and a homemade imitation zymie bulkhead, no problem)
Sure enough, stuck sparge...why did I chance it? Visualizing bazooka stuffed with grain, forced in through open bottom seam. Damn. Quick call to the homebrew stores, nobody has a Bazooka T-screen in stock, but they can sell me a Phil's phalse bottom. OK, got to do something to save this batch. To the store, back, gently scoop out the mash into a couple of spare 5 gal coolers...
What's this? There's no bazooka screen in here? What the?
Light bulb appears in cartoon balloon above my head. Check the HLT. There's the bazooka screen, right where it should be--not plugged up with grain because it's attached where it should be, in the bottom of the mash tun which I'm, evidently, accidentally using as a hot liquor tank today.
install phalse bottom; gently scoop mash back in. Getting dark, so no time to recirc, and I have to sort of rush through my batch sparges...But it's an inky black stout, what the hey. Did end up, after a 75 minute boil, with ten gallons of appropriately sweet and bitter wort, OG 1.052 (.006 above target)....From kettle to fermenter in the light of my car headlights.
what a maroon......
First, I had a semi-stuck sparge last time I brewed, which came unstuck fortunately.
Second, as I was putting the brewery together Saturday AM, I happened to notice that on one side of my bazooka T screen, the seam was about halfway undone...hmm, maybe that explains the semi-stuck sparge...well, we'll use it today and hope for the best....probably can't plug up 'cause it's on the bottom, right? Sort of folded it together and pressed on it to reduce the gap. Maybe this explains the sparge problem last time, though
I use two Rubbermaid 10 gal "Victory" round coolers for HLT and MLT...they differ in appearance only in that the MLT has a bulkhead installed into the top so I can recirculate and sparge without opening it up and losing heat (I brew outdoors all winter, and was losing a lot of heat during the times I had the top off in, say, 15 degeree weather)...with a pump and QD fittings and a homemade imitation zymie bulkhead, no problem)
Sure enough, stuck sparge...why did I chance it? Visualizing bazooka stuffed with grain, forced in through open bottom seam. Damn. Quick call to the homebrew stores, nobody has a Bazooka T-screen in stock, but they can sell me a Phil's phalse bottom. OK, got to do something to save this batch. To the store, back, gently scoop out the mash into a couple of spare 5 gal coolers...
What's this? There's no bazooka screen in here? What the?
Light bulb appears in cartoon balloon above my head. Check the HLT. There's the bazooka screen, right where it should be--not plugged up with grain because it's attached where it should be, in the bottom of the mash tun which I'm, evidently, accidentally using as a hot liquor tank today.
install phalse bottom; gently scoop mash back in. Getting dark, so no time to recirc, and I have to sort of rush through my batch sparges...But it's an inky black stout, what the hey. Did end up, after a 75 minute boil, with ten gallons of appropriately sweet and bitter wort, OG 1.052 (.006 above target)....From kettle to fermenter in the light of my car headlights.
what a maroon......