# Removing spent grain from MT, has anyone..... **URL:** \ **Category:** Brewing Processes\ **Created:** [November 2, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707 "2010-11-02T23:42:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kvp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@kvp](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/kvp)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/1 "2010-11-02T23:42:31Z")
Hello all, Has anyone used a shopvac to suck the grain out of the mash tun? I’m looking at a new system I’m about to put into action and will be dealing with 44 lb +/- of grain. Currently I just pick it up and dump but that is 12 +/- lbs. I know I could scoop it out, but thought the shopvac might be easier and faster. Thoughts? Thanks, Kevin ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/1X/f1a2211dcb353b921ed70873794a31db2031eccc.png) [@system](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/2 "2010-11-03T00:12:18Z")
What type of system are you using? 2 tier, 3 tier, one level?  How far off the ground is your MT? ---
**Author:** ![mikeybrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mikeybrew/32/3971_2.png) [@mikeybrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mikeybrew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/3 "2010-11-03T00:43:47Z")
Why don’t you just shovel it out and into manageable buckets. A good shop vac might do it, but now you have 2 things to clean up. Of course you still have to clean the buckets. ---
**Author:** ![kvp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@kvp](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/kvp)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/4 "2010-11-03T02:20:09Z")
It’s one level so yes I can shovel it out. Just wondered if anyone had tried the shopvac. Didn’t know if it was worth trying. If I did try it I’d put the vac head on top of the wheelbarrow with a false top of wood for the vac head to sit on. ---
**Author:** ![euge](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/euge/32/5060_2.png) [@euge](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/euge)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:47am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/5 "2010-11-03T07:47:30Z")
> [@kvp](#): > > …If I did try it I’d put the vac head on top of the wheelbarrow with a false top of wood for the vac head to sit on. Will that work? Interesting. Might be useful for those that have the 120qt tuns. ---
**Author:** ![mikeybrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mikeybrew/32/3971_2.png) [@mikeybrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mikeybrew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 9:40am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/6 "2010-11-03T09:40:24Z")
It will work only if the vac head is sealed to the wheel barrow or other container. ---
**Author:** ![thehorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@thehorse](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/thehorse)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/7 "2010-11-03T19:31:21Z")
I use a shop-vac all the time and it’s great.  I’ve only got a 1/2" drain in the middle of my MLT so I shovel everything out into a bucket and then cleanup the rest of the small stuff with my shop-vac.  It’s amazingly easy.  It’s also great for getting the sludge out of the bottom of the Boil Kettle after moving the beer to the fermenter. ---
**Author:** ![weithman5](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/weithman5/32/9958_2.png) [@weithman5](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/weithman5)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/8 "2010-11-03T19:52:47Z")
> [@euge](#): > > > [@kvp](#): > > > > …If I did try it I’d put the vac head on top of the wheelbarrow with a false top of wood for the vac head to sit on. > > Will that work? Interesting. Might be useful for those that have the 120qt tuns. should work fine.  my son actually took the head of my shop vac off and put it on a piece of plywood with a tarp skirt.  used the blower end and made a hovercraft. very easy, but limited by extension cords. ---
**Author:** ![6thstreetbrewer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/71e660/32.png) [@6thstreetbrewer](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/6thstreetbrewer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/9 "2010-11-03T20:44:23Z")
I use a shop vac to clean out my sabco MT and boil kettle everytime and it works great.  Sometimes I need to add a little water to the grains.  I’ll never go back to scooping. ---
**Author:** ![mikeybrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mikeybrew/32/3971_2.png) [@mikeybrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mikeybrew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/10 "2010-11-03T21:24:22Z")
As a shop vac it should work fine, but when you remove the head and place it on something else that doesn’t provide for a seal, it won’t work. At least none of the ones I ever owned would. That said, it would still work well as a blower, but not as a vac.  The material is sucked into the container, not directly into the vacuum head. ---
**Author:** ![dano14041](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/dano14041/32/7162_2.png) [@dano14041](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/dano14041)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/11 "2010-11-03T23:27:55Z")
You could use this, [http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Wet-Dry-Vacuums/h\_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhmZb8pi/R-202017218/h\_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053](http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Wet-Dry-Vacuums/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhmZb8pi/R-202017218/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) with a bunch of Homer buckets. ---
**Author:** ![mikeybrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mikeybrew/32/3971_2.png) [@mikeybrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mikeybrew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/12 "2010-11-03T23:51:35Z")
WOW that’s a great deal for $20 and since buckets are standard, you can use it on any of them. ---
**Author:** ![tygo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/tygo/32/2134_2.png) [@tygo](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/tygo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/13 "2010-11-04T00:29:19Z")
> [@mikey](#): > > WOW that’s a great deal for $20 and since buckets are standard, you can use it on any of them. +1 I might need to pick one of those up just for general use on my next home depot trip. ---
**Author:** ![jwaldner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/jwaldner/32/7947_2.png) [@jwaldner](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/jwaldner)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/14 "2010-11-04T02:43:14Z")
That’s a great idea but I’m wondering if the 1.5HP is enough to handle that much grain without any issues. ---
**Author:** ![majorvices](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/majorvices/32/12825_2.png) [@majorvices](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/majorvices)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/15 "2010-11-04T03:05:22Z")
I just have to say, over the years I have seen many posts about people shop vaccing grain out of mash tuns. And I just don;t get it. How the hell can you carry a carboy if you can’t tip a MT? I am currently emptying a 55 gallon MT by hand and will soon be emptying one 4 or 5Xs that big. And for the 55 gallon one I find it easy to dump. Just can’t see the problem with emptying one for a 5 or 10 gallon batch. In fact, dragging the shop vac out would be a bigger PITA IMO. ---
**Author:** ![mikeybrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mikeybrew/32/3971_2.png) [@mikeybrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mikeybrew)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/16 "2010-11-04T03:24:30Z")
Maybe some people have bad backs or maybe they just aren’t as virile as you. I’ve never considered using a shop vac for grain and probably never will, but it’s a good idea, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![majorvices](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/majorvices/32/12825_2.png) [@majorvices](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/majorvices)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 11:28am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/17 "2010-11-04T11:28:00Z")
Bad back? Don’t you still have to empty the shop vac? I just don’t get where the convenience is, thats all I’m sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![mikeybrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mikeybrew/32/3971_2.png) [@mikeybrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mikeybrew)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 12:29pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/18 "2010-11-04T12:29:17Z")
Well, when you split up 40 pounds into 4, 10 pound batches, you only have to lift 10 pounds rather than 40. Also, it may be that you need to get the tun down to a manageable weight just to move it from a difficult spot. ---
**Author:** ![majorvices](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/majorvices/32/12825_2.png) [@majorvices](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/majorvices)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/19 "2010-11-04T13:01:04Z")
A scoop would work for that, and you wouldn’t even have to plug it in. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mikeybrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mikeybrew/32/3971_2.png) [@mikeybrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mikeybrew)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707/20 "2010-11-04T13:47:07Z")
Okay, you’re right. [Next page](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/removing-spent-grain-from-mt-has-anyone/3707.md?page=2)