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Volume under False Bottom

 
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lucianthorr




Joined: 26 Feb 2017
Posts: 19



PostLink    Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 3:07 pm    Post subject: Volume under False Bottom Reply with quote


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From my understanding, when you're calculating the volume of water to use during mashing, you fill the mash tun up to where it's level with the false bottom and then you add the calculated volume of water.

Can anyone explain why the volume of water under the false bottom isn't considered in the calculation? In the case of my mash kettle, the volume under the false bottom is like 2.5 gallons. My typical recipes call for 5-7 gallons of mash liquid so I'm really mashing with almost 50% extra water because of the false bottom dead space. Does that seem excessive to anyone?

I honestly wish I could get a false bottom that lies under the output value but my mash tun is sort of unconventionally wide and I haven't been able to find anything that works.
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do count the amount of water under the false bottom (and water in the hoses) in my strike water calculations. From my BREW DAY STEP BY STEP article:

Quote:
STEP 4: TRANSFER STRIKE WATER TO MASH / LAUTER TUN

We need to figure out how much strike water to transfer to the Mash/Lauter Tun in order to soak (mash) our grain.

Like mash temperature, the water to grain ratio (often called 'liquor to grist ratio') used when mashing also affects the beer you produce (to a much lesser degree however). Generally speaking, a thicker mash (less water) produces a beer that is fuller / sweeter as it creates more unfermentable sugars while a thinner mash (more water) produces a thinner / dryer beer as it creates more fermentable sugars.

This mash thickness is usually expressed as the number of quarts of water per pound of grain. A mash thickness of about 1.25 quarts per pound is a common ratio used for most ales. For beers such as this one that we want to be a bit thinner / dryer, 1.5 to 2.0 quarts per pound is common.

For our Blonde Ale recipe we will be using 1.5 quarts per pound mash thickness so the amount of strike water required is:

Strike water = (Mash Thickness * Pounds of Grain / 4) + dead space under false bottom + liquid in hoses = (1.5 * 18 / 4) + 0.22 + 0.5 = 7.5 gallons

Our 20 gallon Blichmann kettle holds 0.22 gallons under the false bottom and there is approximately 0.5 gallons of liquid in our hoses and the 50 foot HERMS coil, so we account for these in our equation.


Kal

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lucianthorr




Joined: 26 Feb 2017
Posts: 19



PostLink    Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2020 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the reply. I think I just misphrased the question. I guess I should have asked why it IS considered in the calculation.

But after a little more thinking on the question, I think I understand why. The mash thickness requires the water to AT LEAST make it to the top of the grain bed, so you have to fill the water to the bottom of the grain bed before really creating a mash. (If that makes any sense...)

Anyway, thanks again!
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2020 12:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup! You need to include it as everyone's setup is slightly different and not enough water wouldn't be a good thing. Cheers!

Kal

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