1st all grain with mash tun!

[valhalla76]

Hello people, just had a brew day today with my 28l coolbox mash tun and all went suprisingly well, just one thing, does anyone else experience the grain packing down so tight that it stops the wort filthering out? I had to stick my stirrer in a few places to get the thing going as it packed down really tight, is there anyway to prevent this? As i said all went well and going outside in a minute to cool it down and pitch the yeast.

[Befuddler]

Everyone gets a stuck mash from time to time. If it happens regularly you might want slow down your runoff or look at your filter design.

The easiest way to free it up is to blow up the tube!

[GrowlingDogBeer]

Glad it went well.

What you experienced is generally known as a stuck mash, this is either due to there being insufficient holes in your manifold, or the grain being too floury. Wheat beers are more prone to sticking than beer with primarily Pale Malt.

Show us a picture of your manifold and we may be able to offer you some advice.

[Eric]

I've had it set like concrete with a particular recipe and I understand the same can happen with an incorrect liquor/grist ratio.
Filter design must be a possibility, but if you didn't have to dig right down to clear it, maybe it's OK.
Another type, with a batch sparge, when excessive recycling causes a thin impervious covering of finer material to form on top of the grain.
It's been a bit of bad luck for this to happen first time.

[valhalla76]

Cheers! My manifold could do with a few more slots in it but it all ended up well, i probably used too much hot water in the mash and poured it off too fast, its a steep learning curve at the mo but enjoying it all the same.

[scuppeteer]

I've found with mine that if I tilt it slightly the run off is much better. I think the tap sits at a angle so it can't flow properly.

[Texy]

It is a steep learning curving, but thats part of the fun and keeps your interest up, well it has for me, LOL. The process is very forgiving however as long as you keep roughly on the right path. I have found it is easy to make very drinkable beers despite not getting everything right. Whick beer have you gone for AG#1 ?

Texy

[valhalla76]

Hi Texy, it is a great hobby and much more rewarding than my other hobby of metal detecting at this time of the year :p Went for a lightish easy drinking ale pale malt with a sprinkling of crystal malt, mashed at 65 and sparged about 80 og was 1040 and used rehydrated so4, my local hb shop is limited to hops so ended up with northdown in and fuggles then east kent golding at flame out, will check on it today, brew day went well, even the stuck mash wasnt much of a problem helped my a few cheeky light refreshments along the way! :p

[YorkshireTiger]

I had similar problem with my converted coolbox, I invested in a large mashing/sparging bag, so now place the grain in the bag whilst sitting in the mashing tun. problem solved! I got mine online from the Grimsby home brew shop, cost about £8-9 quid, think they are quite widely available, I'm very much a beginner and it seems to reduce the potential for the problems you've just had, so works for me! Cheers matt

[valhalla76]

Cheers matt, i started up biab so have a fairly big grain bag, will try it with a bag next time me duck

[valhalla76]

Well, this mash tun seems to have done the trick! Had a look at the fv and im very impressed, very clear down to 1012 so will leave it a few more days, taste wise i have never tasted a better ale that i have brewed ever. This must be down to keeping the mash at 65ish degrees for 90+ mins. Hoppy and bitter light and refreshing and thats with it being in the fv only a week! Very happy i bought a mash tun now

[Askari Joe]

The easiest way to free it up is to blow up the tube!

Brilliant tip!

Glad you had a good first experience like I did. You hear so many horror stories and people over complicating things you can get really anxious, so when it "just works" it's a pleasant surprise.

All the best.

[valhalla76]

Cheers joe and you too! Looking forward to trying it and getting some in stock for the spring/summer.

[Askari Joe]

Hey Valhalla,

How did it turn out?

I tested the gravity on Saturday evening on my 1st AG and it was down to 12 after 5 days in the FV. I'm properly pleased. It tastes alright too, but maybe a touch thin. It's OG was 45 so it'll be fine. I remember mashing slightly under temp what it shouldv'e been for an overnight mash, so that's probably why. Nevertheless I dry-hopped it to celebrate. 5 more days and I'm bottling it!

Joy! Hope yours turned out good too.

[Texy]

Now to plan the next brew!
T