Suggestions for automatic addition of Calcium Sulphate when mashing in

[brewking69]

Hello

I was wondering if anybody has experience automating the addition of Calcium Sulphate when mashing in? It would be easy to add a solution but this is very difficult to achieve?

How do big breweries add Calcium Sulphate?

R.O. water is used in the process. Maybe the ion addition can be tackled by using something else? Calcium Chloride does also go into some of the beers.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

[dick murton]

The big breweries I have worked at add it to the grist case, or add it during mashing in. If you add it suring mashing in, it really needs a double valve assembly, with a flush system between the double valves to flush through the inevitable sticking powder into the mash vessel. But it is common if using a mash mixer and transfer after conversion to a separate lauter run to add it directly to the mixing mash through the manway door. A good fully automated system with flush etc will cost a comparative fortune.

Calcium chloride - solution dose in proportionally to mash in water (peristaltic or variable stroke piston pump), or simply batch dosed in, which is only acceptable if you have separate mash mixers and lauter tun / mash filter. You could consider adding liquid CaCl2 and H2SO4 as separately dosed additions if that gives you the required mineral ion concentration.

[dick murton]

Consider having a chat with Alectia UK - they have just put in this sort of system at a large brewery in Manchester