Draining mash

[slammin_salmon]

Ok. This morning I drained my wash off my Booner's mash in preparation for running it. Mission accomplished...but man did I make a mess. Does anyone have any tips/special gear for draining off your mash? My wife will shoot me if there's corn all over the floor again....

[brick]

Siphon it off, use a pump (a peristaltic pump is nice), or install a drain valve on your fermenter above the level of the yeast/grain sediment. Any way it helps to have your fermenter elevated to facilitate the process of transfer.

[MichiganCornhusker]

I put a paint strainer bag (Home Depot) in a 5 gallon bucket, then ladle out the ferment with a 3 quart sauce pan. When I think I have enough in the strainer bag, I lift it out and squeeze it. Pour the strained liquid into another bucket or carboy, dump the spent grain into the trash, and repeat. Lots of folks do it this way, some use a clean, new, dedicated mop bucket do help with the squeezing.

[OBX Phantom]

I have a 6 gal bucket that I drilled lots of 1/8 inch holes in (like a sieve) Then I drilled 2, 3/8 inch holes directly across from one another so I could put a steel rod through them and hang the bucket in a larger 12 gal. bucket. note all holes are in the bottom 1/2 of the bucket, with the hanging holes just above the last of the drain holes. I am then able to pour my wash into the sieve bucket and let the liquid drain out. after the liquid is drained, I take the sieve bucket and put it into another 6 gal bucket which leaves some space between the bottoms of the 2 buckets. I then take a 3rd. 6 gal bucket and place it on top of the sieve bucket and sit on it, this acts as a press and squeezes the rest of the liquid out of the grain into the bottom bucket. Then I pour that into the 12 gal. bucket with the rest of the wash and let settle for a day, then rack it off.

[bentstick]

I put a paint strainer bag (Home Depot) in a 5 gallon bucket, then ladle out the ferment with a 3 quart sauce pan. When I think I have enough in the strainer bag, I lift it out and squeeze it. Pour the strained liquid into another bucket or carboy, dump the spent grain into the trash, and repeat. Lots of folks do it this way, some use a clean, new, dedicated mop bucket do help with the squeezing.

Started using the mop bucket,and paint strainer bag and have had a 1/4 to 1/3 more return then just Siphoning!

[thatguy1313]

Paint strainer bag. PS that is a funny freakin movie!

[shadylane]

Some times I use a mop wringer and a brewing bag.
But my preference is to distill on the grain with steam.

[OBX Phantom]

I've tried the paint strainer bag before, and it just clogged up and drained way to slow. Also I found them to be messier than my method because they are small and don't hold much and have to be emptied and cleaned several times per batch of mash, and they also have to be replaced every so often which cost money. My method will hold all of the grains from a 12 gallon batch at once, and all I have to do is dump the grain, and wash the sieve. I never have to spend more money replacing the bags, or time running to the hardware store.

[corene1]

I love my mop wringer and paint strainer bags. Just did a 10 gallon mash in about 30 minuets and lost less than a gallon to the grain. I will run it in the morning.

[rager]

I love my mop wringer and paint strainer bags. Just did a 10 gallon mash in about 30 minuets and lost less than a gallon to the grain. I will run it in the morning.

probably my next purchase. im at like 20% loss to the grain

what are people doing to get the liquid out of the mop wringer?

[One Sock]

It all seems like a lot of excessive work to me, I put a 5 gallon paint strainer in my 6 gallon ferment bucket with tap, pour in my mash and start the fermentation. When it's ready, place another bucket under spigot, open and drain till it just drips then close spigot. Wait 2 hours and open spigot again, tilting fermenter. Repeat. From a 6 gallon mash I get over 5 gallons and the remaining grain is just damp.

Oh, and I've been using the same bag for over a year!

[hawgwrench]

I've used a cotton pillow case for years, cheap and works real good. Once it gets bout half full twist the top over and squeeze the hell outta it.!!!WARNING!!! Best round up yer own pillow case, as digging in the linen closet for one will lead to a real high spirited marital spat and potentially a two day sulking. Hit the Wally World an get one for yerself....they're cheap.

[slammin_salmon]

I actually did end up trying a pillow case. Yep, it worked, and might have worked great had I something to put it in while I filled it up. Just not enough hands, puke-lookin' corn mash spilled all over the floor. Wife, as accurately predicted by hawgwrench, was not pleased.

[bentstick]

It all seems like a lot of excessive work to me, I put a 5 gallon paint strainer in my 6 gallon ferment bucket with tap, pour in my mash and start the fermentation. When it's ready, place another bucket under spigot, open and drain till it just drips then close spigot. Wait 2 hours and open spigot again, tilting fermenter. Repeat. From a 6 gallon mash I get over 5 gallons and the remaining grain is just damp.

Oh, and I've been using the same bag for over a year!

It is a bit of Xtra work but I dont have 2 days to do that with 50 lbs of grain,and with doing AG's it is all xrta work but well worth it in the end!

[MichiganCornhusker]

I think a big part of the choices here is what kind of mash you are doing.
I could easily drain and sparge an all malted barley mash, no problem.
Where I run into trouble is with mashes that are heavy with unmalted corn, rye, flour, etc.
With those I only find the strainer bag to work, and even then I have to sort of roll and knead the bag to get it to strain well. I've developed some good bag handling skills.
I've tried the holey bucket technique (sit on it, richie!) and it did work ok, but I got bored just sitting there!

[OBX Phantom]

I've tried the holey bucket technique (sit on it, richie!) and it did work ok, but I got bored just sitting there!

This what I like about the bucket method, you don't have to sit there and keep needing the bag in order to get it to drain. I have always got other things I can be doing while the liquid is draining.

[Hound Dog]

I've used a cotton pillow case for years, cheap and works real good. Once it gets bout half full twist the top over and squeeze the hell outta it.!!!WARNING!!! Best round up yer own pillow case, as digging in the linen closet for one will lead to a real high spirited marital spat and potentially a two day sulking. Hit the Wally World an get one for yerself....they're cheap.

Great advice Hawgwrench! Yea, my ol' lady is pretty patient but she draws the line sometimes. Like when she caught me trying to put bike parts in the dishwasher.....

I just make a bigger ferment, rack off the liquid and dump the rest of the mess for the woodland critters to get drunk on.

[bellybuster]

surprised no one has suggested a false bottom setup. Been brewing like that for years with minimal loss to the grain.

[HDNB]

i took corene's advise on the mop bucket a while ago. just sit there and wring out a brewers bag full of corn is too easy. 2.5 gallons of mush takes 3 loads into the bag and wringer, and about 4 minutes a bag to wring out. you get about 1/2 what you start with in liquid, and half grain.
your hands smell like AG for a couple days however...

[bentstick]

surprised no one has suggested a false bottom setup. Been brewing like that for years with minimal loss to the grain.

For buckets is good idea, i priced them for 2 55's ouch, I will wait untill I have my pennies saved!

[bellybuster]

surprised no one has suggested a false bottom setup. Been brewing like that for years with minimal loss to the grain.

For buckets is good idea, i priced them for 2 55's ouch, I will wait untill I have my pennies saved!

ok, SS hose wrap, works a charm.

Just can't imagine everyone going to all this trouble for a couple quarts of wort in the grain. If you're losing gallons you're in too much of a hurry. Mop buckets?? Really?? Brewers have been removing wort from grain for centuries and never have I heard of anyone using a mop bucket until I came to distilling.

[HDNB]

spent most of the day squeezing grain. i'm thinking centrifuge.

[woodshed]

Cheap false bottom you can easily make and no worries. Little bit of copper and a hacksaw.

[One Sock]

I just don't see the need to work so freaking hard to squeeze the grain! Yeah, gravity takes a few hours, hours you can use to sleep, spend time with the family, go to work, etc... We take patiently take the time for converting the starches and fermenting the mash, so why the rush to drain it?

[shadylane]

Never underestimate the ability of corn to plug up holes.

[bellybuster]

I guess if it works, why not?? Open mind right?

[S-Cackalacky]

I tend to over-analyze things. This thread is making me crazy - multiple bags, buckets with holes, ss hoses, mop buckets, butts, ...

[MichiganCornhusker]

I was just happy to see that OBX used the ass-press as well, I felt a little foolish thinking I was the only one....

[bellybuster]

had to go back up and find "ass press" a fine technique and you can even have a drink while doing said technique.

[MichiganCornhusker]

had to go back up and find "ass press" a fine technique and you can even have a drink while doing said technique.

Yep, I find that a 12oz press is just about right.