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goobersan
Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 3
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Link Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:36 pm Post subject: mash, sparge, and brew with only boil kettle and cooler ? |
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Having only completed my boil kettle before shoulder surgery, I'm curious if I could use just my boil kettle. My thought is to recirculate mash water thru boil kettle and cooler using two pumps. One from cooler drain to kettle and the other from kettle to sparge device. I would have to combine all water volumes and time the sparge duration after reaching 170°
Having used my kettle for two previous 10 gal. batches I'm confident in controlling temperatures.
Any thoughts ??
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wscottcross
Joined: 03 Jul 2015 Posts: 212 Location: CT
Drinking: Launch IPA, Double Sunshine clone, Maple Coffee breakfast stout
Working on: expanding my beer horizons (and my beltline)
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Link Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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You need at least one other vessel to hold sparge water. That's what I've been doing up to this point. I mash in a cooler and use another cooler to hold sparge water while I mash out.
Unless your intent is to mash with your total water volume. Then you would only need the cooler and boil kettle. You might end up with a little lower efficiency, but recirculating will reduce that, possibly to the point of insignificance. The down side is that you would need to make sure you match the flow in and out of each vessel to avoid overflowing either, especially the mash tun. That becomes no-sparge brewing. Is that what you're planning?
_________________ Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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goobersan
Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 3
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Link Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, that was my plan. After talking to another brewer it probably isn't a good idea. The heating element itself would be too hot for any enzymes that came close to it. The constant recirculation might help but probably not worth the risk considering the grain bill.
Thanks for the reply
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wscottcross
Joined: 03 Jul 2015 Posts: 212 Location: CT
Drinking: Launch IPA, Double Sunshine clone, Maple Coffee breakfast stout
Working on: expanding my beer horizons (and my beltline)
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Link Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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You could do a HERMS setup using a wort chiller as the HERMS coil in your boil kettle. You wouldn't be exposing the mash to the element directly, just maintaining the temp. Your total capacity would be limited by the size of your cooler as your total volume except the small amount in the pump and coil would be in your mash tun/cooler. That's part of the problem I had with 10 gallon batches and higher gravity beers (frequent for me). My 10 gallon cooler wasn't quite big enough for the mash. That's a big part of why I'm going to 30 gallon pots to be able to do 15-20 gallon bathes (depending on gravity).
_________________ Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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goobersan
Joined: 29 Aug 2015 Posts: 3
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Link Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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That's a great idea. I have copper tubing that could certainly be made into an immersion chiller. Thanks again for the help
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wscottcross
Joined: 03 Jul 2015 Posts: 212 Location: CT
Drinking: Launch IPA, Double Sunshine clone, Maple Coffee breakfast stout
Working on: expanding my beer horizons (and my beltline)
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Link Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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You're welcome! Keep us updated as to how well it works out.
_________________ Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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