Keeping Mashtun clean

[Krimbos]

Just took apart mashtun and was not happy with what I saw below false bottom
What is best ie,easiest, way to clean? Do you need to disassemble every time?

It hard enough clearing all the grains.

Is there a trick?

 

[McKnuckle]

I use a cooler with a false bottom, and there isn't a trick I've discovered at least. Pretty much have to disassemble the bottom and valve connector every time. It's not a big deal to me though. A lot of grain gets trapped under there and will definitely harbor bugs if not cleaned up. Probably won't matter too much since wort always gets boiled, but I certainly don't want muck from a prior mash plugging up the drainage hardware.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I'm not sure how your set up but you want all the grain and sugar out every time you brew, mold and gnats love wet grain. take a strong hose and loosen everything you can and I boil mine every time i brew before hand, otherwise can end up with a sour mash

 

[Nosybear]

My connection from the false bottom to the port is flexible. That way I can pick up the false bottom and clean underneath it. Maybe that will work?

 

[DanC]

I mash in a bag in the cooler. Pick it up and toss the grains. There is small residue left in the tun. I just purchased a 10 gallon Igloo and was thinking about the false bottom instead of the bag but you guys have talked me out of it.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

you can buy a hinged false bottom that has a handle just for removing and cleaning

 

[SwampWater]

I can lift up my manifold to check to see if any grain is still in there. I use hot water and a blast from my hose to get it all out of there. I smell it a few days later to see if it smells and if so, I give it another cleaning. If you want to smell something bad, take your ball valve apart if you use one and smell it, bad, real bad. I take mine apart and clean it all the time.

 

[wolfie7873]

When I was putting my setup together, I noticed I didn't have to fully connect the manifold to the outlet. What I have on the inside of the bulkhead junction is a nylon hosebarb. The manifold I use is described on page 294 of HTB3 with a stainless steel braid looped end-to-end with a T-style connector. I found that that a reducing coupling on the T fit snugly (enough) over the hosebarb. I can easily remove the manifold for cleaning and then cleaning the tun is simple. Not saying you have to reinvent your MLT, but it works.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Don't be lazy Krimbos,
take it apart :mrgreen:
Somewhere, someone said, " Cleanliness is next to godliness"
I think I heard that a thousand times from my mother. I never thought I'd apply that to beer making though.
Haha
Brian

 

[GernBlanston]

Don't be lazy Krimbos,
take it apart

Yeah, what he said.

 

[Krimbos]

Ok ok ok
But will need to redesign so I don't have to remove ball valve every time. I would think that would shorten life of opening?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

you can create a quick release before the elbo or just slide the hose off and on like this.
this flexible hose will allow you to pull up the false bottom on its edge to clean underneath
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/elbarb.htm

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Boiling water works well too.
On my Ruby, even though it's taken apart and scrubbed thoroughly after every session, I still boil out the false bottom prior to brewing (mashing ) again.
You cant believe the amount of nasty crap that gets lodged in the false bottom .
Brian

 

[OAE Iceman]

you can create a quick release before the elbo or just slide the hose off and on like this
this flexible hose will allow you to pull up the false bottom on its edge to clean under neath
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/elbarb.htm

Thats the way mine is set up. Real easy to take apart!

 

[Nosybear]

you can create a quick release before the elbo or just slide the hose off and on like this
this flexible hose will allow you to pull up the false bottom on its edge to clean under neath
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/elbarb.htm

That looks just like what I use - no problems at all getting under the false bottom.

 

[MrBIP]

Do you actually remove the ball valve assembly after every brew?
I have a copper manifold set up in a rectangular cooler, nothing is soldered, all slip fit, so it gets tore down every brew and cleaned out.
However, the ball valve, washer and seals have only been taken out a couple of times (over about 25 brews)... because it's a pain and it has to go back together just so, with plumber tape and screwing around to check for leaks.... bla bla bla
Kinda figured everything that comes out is getting boiled anyway, so don't be too concerned?
I see not having gunk on the bottom of the false bottom, but now got me wondering about the valve assembly after reading this thread.

 

[jp_homebrew]

No matter what the setup, the best and only way to get it totally clean is to totally disassemble and give it a solid cleaning. I use a 5 gallon drink cooler and put my grain into a 5 gallon paint strainer bag on top of a homemade false bottom. It definitely minimizes the amount of grains floating around but I always take it fully apart. It is worth it to spend the time to do it the right way for sure.

 

[Nosybear]

One thing to keep in mind when cleaning your mash tun is that unless you mash then hold your wort for an extended period of time, you'll be boiling out any little beasties that may come from the ball valve or much more likely, be living on the grain husks. While "sanitary" is the rule for anything post-boil, "clean" is good enough for pre-boil. My mash tun cleaning routine is to clean out any visible particulates in the tun, wipe any stains to remove them, make sure nothing is hiding under the false bottom and run hot water through the ball valve and runoff hose to clean them. It hasn't failed me yet! As long as nothing is stinking in your mash tun, you're probably going to be okay.

 

[GernBlanston]

And don't put it away wet. I dry with a towel, and leave the lid off for a few days. I'll risk some spiders to be sure it drys out.

 

[sbaclimber]

And don't put it away wet. I dry with a towel, and leave the lid off for a few days. I'll risk some spiders to be sure it drys out.

Hehe, considering how many fruit flies have fallen in my bottling bucket in the summer (the kitchen is my "brewery", much to the consternation of SWHMBO... :lol: ) I also wouldn't think a spider or two would change the flavor much...