Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Steam bottom heated MT, enough for step mash?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Steam bottom heated MT, enough for step mash?

    Hi, we are getting done our 15 bbl brewhouse and the mash tun is finished. The problem is that we just decided that want to make step mashing to improve attenuation in belgian beers. The tank is insolated and has a mixer, but does not currently have any kind of steam jacket. We already talked to the manufacturer and he said installing a steam jacket on tank sides is now imposible (would have to destroy the tank), but he instead offer to install it on the botton if that works for me. The best scenario would allow me to do a 135-145-165-170 F mash temp profile. The tank has also a false bottom so recirculating would be a must. Since I dont want a major useless surgery on my already made tank, have a couple of questions:
    Do you think a bottom heating jacket would make it for the necesary temp increments in a reasonable amount of time (maybe 20 minutes each).?
    Anyone doing step infusion mashing (adding hot water batches) on this size system?

    Thanks a lot for any help!

  • #2
    i think that having a bottom jacket will be enough to heat up the the mash as long as you mix the mash while you are heating

    Comment


    • #3
      I have worked with a similar set up in the past, and I do not think a bottom jacket would be sufficient for increasing your temperature in a timely manner.
      I currently brew on a system that has bottom and side jackets and we struggle to get the temp increase that we desire in a timely manner, although we do use it to the best of its ability for step mashing. Just takes a long time sometimes to get the temp to where we want it without over shooting it sometimes.

      This is just my experience and who knows, maybe the steam set up this guy is talking about will be sufficient, I have just never seen it work that well. You will absolutely need stirring rakes or big muscles to keep your mash moving otherwise you will get 'scorched' areas.
      Last edited by MatthewS; 11-04-2012, 03:34 PM.
      ________________
      Matthew Steinberg
      Co-Founder
      Exhibit 'A' Brewing Co.
      Framingham, MA USA

      Head Brewer
      Filler of Vessels
      Seller of Liquid
      Barreled Beer Aging Specialist
      Yeast Wrangler
      Microbe Handler
      Malt Slinger
      Hop Sniffer
      Food Eater
      Music Listener

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks a lot for your replies! Considering that the tank has to be cut and rewelded, and cosidering that this jacket may no work for my application, I think going to stay with the tank as is.

        Anyone doing step mash with hot water infusions? I assume is going to be hard to do more than 3 step mash profile (strike - step temp - mash out), but any advise or tip would be ve much appreciated!

        Thanks again!

        Comment


        • #5
          You could try injecting clean steam !!

          Seriously. Meura reckon they have cracked it, and Pursuit Dynamics have got proven mash mixers.

          My only concern with any sort of heating above a false floor is that you will have to mix it, of course, but his knocks air out of the mash and will cause some of the flour etc to pass through the false floor, and the mash to settle like concrete on the false floor once stirring has finished. In my experience you would need lauter rakes to be able to run off with any decent extract. If you already have decent rakes for use during runoff, then it is worth a try.
          dick

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by dick murton
            You could try injecting clean steam !!

            Seriously. Meura reckon they have cracked it, and Pursuit Dynamics have got proven mash mixers.

            My only concern with any sort of heating above a false floor is that you will have to mix it, of course, but his knocks air out of the mash and will cause some of the flour etc to pass through the false floor, and the mash to settle like concrete on the false floor once stirring has finished. In my experience you would need lauter rakes to be able to run off with any decent extract. If you already have decent rakes for use during runoff, then it is worth a try.
            Thanks! I read about injecting live steam in Kunze´s book and in fact I already request Meura a quote (no response yet). Meura system also uses a dedicated special mixer that works along with their steam jets.

            Comment


            • #7
              Big pump, big pipe, decoction? Obviously not helping with length of brewday or micro-level rest temp control... but gets you steps.

              Either way, not a pretty/inexpensive thing to solve post-delivery. Infusion won't get you there; water volumes required are too great.

              Or big pump, big pipe, and run that pipe from the kettle floor through the bottom of the lauter tun, with the exit coming in flush with the false bottom in the form of a popup valve you can get closed again once all the mash has been transferred. Mash in to your kettle, step to your heart's content. After having achieved mash out temp in the kettle, pump the entire mash up and into your lauter tun. Chase with hot water. Also, preheat the lauter tun pretty good with hot water before transfer so your mash temp doesn't drop wildly as resut of transfer.

              Both options actually require roughly the same modifications, decoction or no.
              Last edited by NinkasiSwain; 11-07-2012, 12:21 AM.

              Comment

              Working...
              X