ATTN Kaiser, my Decoction mash mixer....

squiggy · 07-04-2009, 02:48 PM

Back in March and April I spent some time in Germany and the Czech Republic. I toured a few breweries and drank a lot of beer. When I got home I decided to modify my home-brew mash mixer for decoction mashing. I made some copper chain out of solid copper ground wire. I then attached it to the bottom of my mixing paddles. I am pretty sure that I am the only kid on my block that has drag chains on his home brewery...
Here are some pics of my home brewery along with some pics of German brew kettles designed for decoction mashing...

30HL brew house

40HL brew house

mine

Pre drag chains

**CharlosCarlies** · 07-04-2009, 08:54 PM

Man, I don't know what half that stuff does but it looks awesome!

**Yuri_Rage** · 07-04-2009, 09:15 PM

How well does that mixer design work? If you had to do it over again, would you change anything?

Have you tried out the drag chains yet? Looks like a fine idea for a direct fired mash tun or decoction kettle.

tokolosh · 07-04-2009, 09:26 PM

That is pretty darn impressive! Did you weld all that yourself?

I have to ask, does it really make that big of a difference for 5 or 10gl batches to have a motorized mixer? Or did you just do it for fun of it?

squiggy · 07-04-2009, 11:06 PM

I welded the paddles, motor mount and some other stuff. The part that goes across the top of the keg was welded by my father, the cup under the bearings was welded by my buddy (it is tricky to weld thin stuff).
Yes, watching a 10 gal. batch get mixed for hours beats the heck out of mixing it…

eschatz · 07-04-2009, 11:34 PM

nice, I'd love to do a decoction on some of my batches and see the difference it makes.

EvilTOJ · 07-05-2009, 09:16 AM

What does the rust impart as far as flavor goes? Man I don't know if I'd ever want a beer that came from that thing. Does 40 HL mean 40 hectoliters?

squiggy · 07-05-2009, 04:55 PM

HL is hectoliters. "that thing" is no longer in use. That is the old 40bbl kettle from Kloster brau Bamberg. They now use a 20HL Steam fired kettle. They are no longer doing decoction brewing at this brewery. This kettle was origanally cole fired and then at some point it was converted to "oil". I was told that the bottom had worn very thin, and I think you can see a crack in it @ about 10 'O-clock.