Hi All,
I’ve recently started thinking about getting some better control over my mash temps and wanted to run an idea past everyone and get some thoughts. I’m not claiming that this is something new I just wasn’t able to bring up much info on it in my searches.
I got a march pump for Christmas and am eager to put it to use as soon and as many ways as possible. I’m thinking about using it while I mash to pump hot/boiling water through an immersion coil (copper or stainless) that is resting in my MLT. I’ll also use my temp controller to control the pump so that I can dial in a temp.
I see this helping me both hold an exact (± 3*) temp and allowing me to step mash much easier… Any thoughts on this or does anyone have an resources on the subject?
Cliff
Could be wrong on this but I think most people recirculate wort through some tubing in the hot liquid tank and that water is maintained at the correct temp by a controller. Seems less messy than having a immersion chiller in the mash.
Right now I’m brainstorming a electric BIAB system which recirculates wort and has a controller to turn on and off a water heating element that will maintain temperature or the mash to within a degree.
Using the pump to circulate the mash could be useful, but boiling water might be to hot for for any parts that are plastic.
What type of tubing are you thinking of using?
The typical food grade vinyl tubing most people use for everything except permanent setups is only good to about 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-vinyl-tubing/=krewrh
Midwest supply has some tubing that isn’t cheap but is resistant up to 350* degrees. I’m sure I’d be able to fine something that meets this heat requirement at a better cost somewhere else though since the tubing would never be in contact with the actual grain/liquor.
I guess I don’t fully understand the wort recirculating process but this just seemed easier since you wouldn’t be disrupting the grain bed by constantly drawing liquid off or having to risk channeling when you reintroduce the wort to the MLT.
I think there will be a problem with getting the heat to distribute through the MT with your idea.
Better to drain the MT with the pump and run it through a coil in a water bath or through a tube with a heating element. Like this person did. Similar to a SABCO system.
http://www.johnsubasavage.com/Brewing/RIMS/
[quote=“Clifford25”]Hi All,
I’ve recently started thinking about getting some better control over my mash temps and wanted to run an idea past everyone and get some thoughts. I’m not claiming that this is something new I just wasn’t able to bring up much info on it in my searches.
I got a march pump for Christmas and am eager to put it to use as soon and as many ways as possible. I’m thinking about using it while I mash to pump hot/boiling water through an immersion coil (copper or stainless) that is resting in my MLT. I’ll also use my temp controller to control the pump so that I can dial in a temp.
I see this helping me both hold an exact (± 3*) temp and allowing me to step mash much easier… Any thoughts on this or does anyone have an resources on the subject?
Cliff[/quote]
It can be done. I have a friend who has a patent pending mash tun that works on this same principle. He took it one step further though. His heat exchanger rotates so it also stirs the mash as it heats it.
[quote=“ScottieBoy”][quote=“Clifford25”]Hi All,
I’ve recently started thinking about getting some better control over my mash temps and wanted to run an idea past everyone and get some thoughts. I’m not claiming that this is something new I just wasn’t able to bring up much info on it in my searches.
I got a march pump for Christmas and am eager to put it to use as soon and as many ways as possible. I’m thinking about using it while I mash to pump hot/boiling water through an immersion coil (copper or stainless) that is resting in my MLT. I’ll also use my temp controller to control the pump so that I can dial in a temp.
I see this helping me both hold an exact (± 3*) temp and allowing me to step mash much easier… Any thoughts on this or does anyone have an resources on the subject?
Cliff[/quote]
It can be done. I have a friend who has a patent pending mash tun that works on this same principle. He took it one step further though. His heat exchanger rotates so it also stirs the mash as it heats it.[/quote]
Neat!
Got me thinking about a false bottom / heat exchanger for a mash tun!
Scottie Boy…Where in Atlanta are you located?
[quote=“Stealthcruiser”]
Neat!
Got me thinking about a false bottom / heat exchanger for a mash tun!
Scottie Boy…Where in Atlanta are you located?[/quote]
I’m in Acworth.
I think you want to research RIMS & HERMS systems.
If I were building a system like this I’d recirculate the mash thorough a coil in a hot water tank. It would be easier to control the temperature, unless you were going to somehow stir the mash constantly. That said I’m lazy and like to keep it simple so I’ll be sticking with my cooler MT.
