All-grain, false bottom, grain particles in wort question

Yes, there will be some/modest all-grain stragglers in all mashes and boils. Bottom line, keep most out of the fermenter by straining/aerating, whirlpooling with whirfloc/Irish Moss and/or use of a hopback/Hoprocket.

Not familiar with "The Grainfather", but all false bottoms should be "seated" against the bottom of the mash tun so as to preclude seepage underneath....it's sort of self-correcting, but not absolutely depending on the bottom of your mash tun. Some people will split a piece of silicone tubing around the circumference of the false bottom to enhance the seal.

 

I also use a stainless steel kitchen scrubber pad under mine to help even more.

 

<== envies limitless HB equipment budgets

 

Yep. Just one.

 

I set it in the bottom of my keggle, and put the false bottom over it. It sits right under the dip tube heading out to the ball valve.

 

That wouldn't be as difficult to clean as I think, would it?

 

I don't get solid pieces of grain in my wort. After vorlaufing, the wort is pretty clear. A tad hazy at worst.
I'm not too familiar with the grainfather, but it sounds its the vorlauf process/false bottom configuration may not be ideal if you're getting solid chucks of grains.

OTOH, I brewed on a 15 BBL system where some solids in the wort was unavoidable. I can't say it did any harm, and that brewery makes decent (not generally great) beers.

 

I use distilled water. I put the salts in the bottom of the mash tun, add the heated strike water, and give it a quick stir. The standard brewing salts (with the exception of chalk) dissolve very easily in 160F+ water. I do let it sit for 10 minutes to equalize the water/tun temperature before I dough in, but I suspect the salts are mostly dissolved and dispersed without that extra time anyway. And even if there is anything left undissolved, there's also the dough-in stirring.

 

Nope, I will take pics the next time I brew and post here.