Solo Tri-Clamp Basket

I want to love it, but I have to be honest

I really hoped the bottom drain kettle coupled with the basket would result in any grain slipping through the basket to be recirculated and filtered by the grain bed. Unfortunately that didn’t happen and the grains that escaped went through the boil and then clogged my chiller. My efficiency was 55% compared to 70% with a bag. I think that’s because you can’t squeeze it and I also think the taper of the basket results in less grain water contact. Unfortunately I’m either going to have to put a bag in the basket or go back to the brewhardware false bottom and a bag.

First Impressions

I completed my first brew using the Solo Basket on a brew with 10.25 lbs of grain it came out with an OG of 1.050 and 69.6% efficiency. I conditioned the malt before crushing at .036". I did not wait the 5 to 10 minutes after dough in and proceeded to run the pump which plugged but upon increasing flow it cleaned itself out and was able to maintain a steady level in the basket. After boiling the wort was run through a counter flow chiller and whirlpooled. Kettle was drained into fermenter through a fine hop basket. All it collected was very fine malt residue and after emptying the kettle i found a small pile of grain. I had previously made the same recipe using a mesh basket with wort injected into the center through a tube with many small holes OG 1.050 70% efficiency. After whirlpooling there was always a lot of trub which I did not find with the Solo basket.The Solo was definitely easier to clean than the basket. Need to use some more to determine how it compares in the long run but so far seems very good.

Just okay

I was super excited about the idea with the basket and not needing a bag because I don’t have the opportunity to install a pulley. But the basket doesn’t work flawless without a bag. You will end up with a lot of grain in your kettle and I tried many different crush gaps (even bigger than Spike recommends)… With bag and other modifications it works, but it’s not what I was expecting and hoping for. Overall I wouldn’t buy the basket again and I wish I would have gotten a 2nd kettle to use it as a mash tun instead.