7 replies to this topic

[beach]

As I become more comfortable and confident in my AG process I'm wanting to increase the quality of my beer as well as the efficiency of my opperation. I have a simple, getto 3-tier set up and my MLT is a 48-qt rectangular cooler with a copper manifold for lautering and a CPVC manifold in the lid for fly sparging.I've been doing single infusion mashes w/no mash out, collecting all the wort, then flame on to the boil. How are the Brothers who mash in coolers raising mash temps for a mash-out? Are you adding hot water, using steam, using a heat stick, heating the sparge water higher to raise the grist temp...? I direct fire my HLT so I could do an infusion of hot h2o (although the times I've tried this I've blown my SG #'s), I have a good sized pressure cooker and could tap that energy and raise temps with steam, I could build a heat stick and go that way, or I could.....do what?What are your experiences? My budget is quite tight so a RIMS, HERMS, whatever involves the dreaded March pump are simply out of range until I find a job (if that actully occurs someday in the mythical, happy future .)Beach

[consumptionjunction]

As I become more comfortable and confident in my AG process I'm wanting to increase the quality of my beer as well as the efficiency of my opperation. I have a simple, getto 3-tier set up and my MLT is a 48-qt rectangular cooler with a copper manifold for lautering and a CPVC manifold in the lid for fly sparging.I've been doing single infusion mashes w/no mash out, collecting all the wort, then flame on to the boil. How are the Brothers who mash in coolers raising mash temps for a mash-out? Are you adding hot water, using steam, using a heat stick, heating the sparge water higher to raise the grist temp...? I direct fire my HLT so I could do an infusion of hot h2o (although the times I've tried this I've blown my SG #'s), I have a good sized pressure cooker and could tap that energy and raise temps with steam, I could build a heat stick and go that way, or I could.....do what?What are your experiences? My budget is quite tight so a RIMS, HERMS, whatever involves the dreaded March pump are simply out of range until I find a job (if that actully occurs someday in the mythical, happy future .)Beach

Using hot water according to these equations provided by John Palmer in How to Brew:Initial Infusion Equation:Strike Water Temperature Tw = (.2/r)(T2 - T1) + T2Mash Infusion Equation:Wa = (T2 - T1)(.2G + Wm)/(Tw - T2)where:r = The ratio of water to grain in quarts per pound.Wa = The amount of boiling water added (in quarts).Wm = The total amount of water in the mash (in quarts).T1 = The initial temperature (F) of the mash (or grain)T2 = The target temperature (F) of the mash.Tw = The actual temperature (F) of the infusion water.G = The amount of grain in the mash (in pounds).I've done this for a protein rest before a saccharification rest, for multiple saccharification rests, and to mash out. They have proven quite accurate given accurate temperature measuring devices, and depending on the thermal loss to your mash tun (which really is only a problem with the initial infusion). The limiting factor for doing above three rests seems to be the amount of space in the mash-tun, and you have to keep a low water to grain ratio for the initial infusion.This is probably the cheapest way to go about multiple rests with your system, and it works irrespective of your method of sparging. I'm not sure why you would blow your SG #'s with this method.

[djinkc]

The few times I've attempted protien rests have been a total disaster..... Most malt around now doesn't need it - I wouldn't bother with it. Now if you have a lot more knowlege about acid rests, specific protien rests ect., than most of us don't let me stop you.I don't think step mashing will help with efficiency or quality unless you have some very specific brewing needs/goals. Just my .02

Edited by dj in kc, 11 October 2009 - 03:29 PM.

[zymot]

You could always start decotion mashing. It will add on another few hours to your brew day unfortunately. It IS a simple BUT lengthy process. This guy makes it look pretty easy and have been considering doing one at least once in my life.

That video series is what allowed me to understand about decoction mashing. The tricky part, wrapping your head around bringing grains to a boil. Something about the density of grains, allows your to boil the grains without extracting tannins.Decoction does not have to add a great amount of time to you brew day. You can pull a decoction only use it to raise the temp of your mash. So only the time added is the time it takes to bring roughly 1/3 you grains to a boil.If you cannot add heat directly to your mashtun, it is very difficult to get two bumps in temp by simply adding boiling water. I put together a spreadsheet that used the formulas in Palmer's book. I am not going to say it is impossible, if I did, someone will prove me wrong. From what I could tell, you can't get there from here.zymot

[consumptionjunction]

I've yet to do a decoction mash yet, but this website really helped me figure out the theory and history behind them, and how to do one. Honestly, I don't see how this takes much longer than other step mashes, and the only added difficulty seems to be the extra stirring of the decoction.

[Jimmy James]

Did a couple triple decoction mashes this summer, mashed in a cooler and boil the decoction in a 20-quart pot on my burner. I figured out how to use Promash and how thick of a decoction to pull to hit the numbers within a couple degrees. The beers turned out good. All that aside it added 3 hours to the day. It was an experience and worth doing a couple times but there won't be many more in my future. Probably the easiest way is to direct-fire your mash tun. Obviously there's tremendous potential for scorching so it's also the easiest way to ruin a brew if you aren't really careful. Go slow/low, get a long, big spoon and stir a lot while heating the mash and kill the flame a few degrees before your desired temp to account for the lag in your thermo readings.EDIT: Obviously the above only works if you use a pot instead of cooler to mash

[denny]

The few times I've attempted protien rests have been a total disaster..... Most malt around now doesn't need it - I wouldn't bother with it. Now if you have a lot more knowlege about acid rests, specific protien rests ect., than most of us don't let me stop you.I don't think step mashing will help with efficiency or quality unless you have some very specific brewing needs/goals. Just my .02

I agree completely. So many people seem to think step mashing will improve their beer without stopping to ask themselves why that's true or what the steps will do.