I nominate this for Stuck Mash of the Decade

Brewing Processes
1

We made a wit on Monday. We batch sparge in a rubbermaid cooler with a false bottom. The moment the valve on the mash tun was opened - STUCK. Immediately! Tried cutting the grain, scraping the false bottom with a long spoon, blowing back through the valve, stirring the mash, nothing would get it past a slow trickle. Frustration all around, wife was swearing like a sailor, it was epic. Finally, I stuck my keg dip tube brush up through the drain hose and through the valve. - THIS got it going, though I had to keep reaming it out to keep the line clear. So about two hours later than planned, we had wort to boil.

A few hours later when cleaning, I saw the problem. The hose that connects the false bottom to the valve came disconnected, so we were just draining through the valve.

##&$&#^$##)@($

It’s pretty hazy, looks like fermenting milk right now.

2

Second!

3

Well, it doesn’t seem like a true stuck mash though, if you know what I’m saying.  There was an equipment malfunction.  Still sucks a bunch though.  But it’s a wit, it’s supposed to be cloudy.

4

That’s true beersk.

5

[quote]A few hours later when cleaning, I saw the problem. The hose that connects the false bottom to the valve came disconnected, so we were just draining through the valve.
[/quote]

Same thing happened to me on my 1st allgrain batch. Knocked the hose loose stirring in the grains. Ended up dumping the whole works into my BK, reattaching the hose and clamp, then it ran off fine. Took a minute to figure it out though

6

That’s a bummer, for sure.  I started using rice hulls as insurance.  Don’t always need them, but I haven’t had a stuck runoff when using them.

7

Wow…that’s a bummer.  You brew and you learn.  Better luck next time Jim.

+1 to rice hulls for better lautering.

8

I think this has happened to all of us at some point. Part of the experience.  ;D

9

We were all screaming “and there’s a mother-%#%$^& pound of rice hulls in there!” too.

10

Stuck mashes are how I eventually learned that you can’t run a grain mill at 10,000 RPM and expect otherwise.

11

Yeah, that happened a few times for us with our Igloo and a false bottom.  Had to be really careful when mashing in.  The Igloo has been retired, using a Coleman Xtreme with a braid now.

12

yep been there. Stuck my arm in a trash bag reached into the 170F mash and re-attached the fricken thing. a Brewers gotta do what a brewers gotta do!

At least it was a Wit and cloudy is a good thing!

13

Did the same thing with Blichmann gloves - hand tightened the compression fitting and thought I had cooked my arm!  Live and learn - I check the false bottom connection every time now and stir more carefully…