Straining grain questions?

[Knew2Brew]

First off, I used the search function and don’t doubt my questions have been answered but I did not find them.

I mashed my first all grain last night and am fermenting on the grain but do not want to distill on the grain. After mashing and putting in my fermenter, it appears as though I have 4 ½ gallons of grain and ½ gallon of fluid. So, me being inquisitive, this spawned a ton of questions like:



Does the grain shrink during the ferment and give back some of the wort?

What is the best way to strain grain….colander, pillow case, paint strainer bag, etc…..

Do you press the grain to purge the wort out of it?

Do you sparge the grain like brewing?

Is it required or generally preferred to let the wort settle after straining to remove yeast etc, or is it acceptable to go straight to charging the still?

Thanks in advance

[Durace11]

Does the grain shrink during the ferment and give back some of the wort?
No, it actually swells
What is the best way to strain grain….colander, pillow case, paint strainer bag, etc…..
pillow case, paint strainer bag, homebrew grain bag
Do you press the grain to purge the wort out of it?
you can but it gets messy, I typically hang it in the pot over night
Do you sparge the grain like brewing?
if you sprage it after fermenting then there's no need to press or hang it but you also dilute your ferment
Is it required or generally preferred to let the wort settle after straining to remove yeast etc, or is it acceptable to go straight to charging the still?
internal heat elements like it clean, gas you can run it dirty
Thanks in advance

[Prairiepiss]

Many different ways to do this.

Rack off clear liquid to boiler and toss out grain bed.

Pour all of it through a strainer of some sort.
This liquid van either be but into a secondary fermenter and allowed to clear.
It put right into the still boiler. If you don't mind running it dirty.

You could rack off the clear then strain the grain bed.

You could pour it all into a Lauter tun and Lauter it. If you have one?

What ever works best for you.

And grains swell to what 3 times the size of dry.

Posting while Duracell was.

[Knew2Brew]

So after fermenting is complete, how much wort is there compared to the original amount of water used? For example, I used 5 gallons of water to begin with. About how much will I have after grains are strained off? Reason I ask is I have a 10 gallon still and enough grain to start a second ferment. If I'm going to get, say, 3 gallons out of this, I'll start a second ferment tonight and then charge the still with both when they are both complete.

[Durace11]

For a 10 gallon still I would run 2 5 gallon ferments side-by-side and after you strain off teh grain you'll probably end up in the 8 gallon range for distilling, which is perfect to allow some headspace for foaming during the boil.

[stinkypete]

a good search tip i find is to use google and add homedistiller to the search querie and pretty much bingo every time

[Samohon]

I treat my AG's like making a good beer without the hobs and always fly-sparge using a mash-tun...
Its a lot easier than trying lift out a bag of wet grain...
Heres a piccie...

[mgkbean]

whears the holes in that manifold? I guess on the bottom.

[mgkbean]

whears the holes in that manifold? I guess on the bottom.

[Uncle Jemima]

If you look close you can see ten on the side. Does that thing work better than the braided SS mesh hose? That's what I have in the same igloo cooler. May have to consider a new project.

[Uncle Jemima]

See "them" on the side. iPhone typing gets me.

[Monty671]

I do not use bags. I ferment in buckets. When they are done and I am ready to "cook" I pour them into a BOP with a false bottom.
All of the grains stay in the pot and I drain the golden liquid out the bottom drain. For this I use my small 10 gallon pot. Found it is perfect to hold the grains from 3 buckets. I excellent run on my 15 gallon "cooker".