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mash, sparge, and brew with only boil kettle and cooler ?

 
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goobersan




Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Posts: 3



PostLink    Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:36 pm    Post subject: mash, sparge, and brew with only boil kettle and cooler ? Reply with quote


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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)


PostLink    Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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?

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Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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goobersan




Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Posts: 3



PostLink    Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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)


PostLink    Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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).
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Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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goobersan




Joined: 29 Aug 2015
Posts: 3



PostLink    Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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)


PostLink    Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're welcome! Keep us updated as to how well it works out.
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Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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