HERMS coil de-naturing enzymes?

So I just finished my 3rd batch on my new B3 rig and got to thinking: what temp do you guys generally keep your HLT at for the HERMS?

I have just been setting it to 168 so it's ready for the sparge and having the pump kick on when the mash drops below my set point, but wouldn't the small amount of wort in the HERMS coil get de-natured when the pump kicks off and it's sitting for a few minutes in 168F water?

Prob a duh moment, but appreciate the help.

I keep mine at +2ºF above my desired mash temp during recirculation,I am using 25' convoluted copper HEX from more beer. Thats said my Mash is recirculating almost the entire mash.I also do a mash out step, so I set the HLT to 170 and the mash to 165. About the time the mash reaches 165 the HLT is at 170 and ready to start the sparge after my 10min rest at 165.

If yours is set at 168 and it is only recirculating a couple times during the mash that little bit that is being heated to 168 is probably a small amount of the total mash so It most likely wont effect the final product.

I guess a good question to ask is, what are your calculated OG's and FG's, and are your actual numbers significantly different?

+1 on Bsquared said. I set mine for +2 of what I'm supposed to be mashing at and I never turn off the pump. Wort is constantly recirculating/Vorlaufing (which is why I run a HERMS)

2 degrees Same Here. I have a Stout Mash Tun and HLT with a SS Herms Coil. Constantlly recycle Wort. I heat the HLT starting at about 60 minutes to get to 165 Wort.

It's the MASH temp you need to worry about so any bit of liquid that gets up to 168 won't do anything, the sugar in the liquid has already been converted. When doing a mash out you are stopping the conversion of the grain so the entire grain bed needs to get up to 168.

I think the "Mash Out" is one of those brewing myths for a Home Brewer. You get the Wort up to temp so fast you do not need to worry about a "Mash Out" in the MLT.

I have my HERMS coil in my HLT, and it's 3 degrees higher than my mash temp. But I constantly recirculate. When it's time to bring the temperature up to mash out, then I raise the HLT to 172. It takes about 20 minutes to ramp up to mash out temps with my 5500 watt element and constant recirculation.

Since you're not recirculating, the HLT at 168 won't do any harm if you're just having it kick on to maintain the temperature.

I'm just starting to brew with my HERMS coil. I've done a couple of batches constantly recirculating, but pulling the liquid out and returning it to the bottom of the MLT. I need to look up the term "Vorlaufing" I think. I thought maybe I should be returning it to the top of the grain bed, but worried about channeling through it. Maybe that's ok during re-circ, because my intention is not to sparge at this point, but rather to keep the whole mash volume at 153 or whatever.

What do y'all think?

beerFacedotkom said:

I'm just starting to brew with my HERMS coil. I've done a couple of batches constantly recirculating, but pulling the liquid out and returning it to the bottom of the MLT. I need to look up the term "Vorlaufing" I think. I thought maybe I should be returning it to the top of the grain bed, but worried about channeling through it. Maybe that's ok during re-circ, because my intention is not to sparge at this point, but rather to keep the whole mash volume at 153 or whatever.

What do y'all think?

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I return through the top. I think most people do, but there may be others (side, bottom, etc).

oakbarn said:

I think the "Mash Out" is one of those brewing myths for a Home Brewer. You get the Wort up to temp so fast you do not need to worry about a "Mash Out" in the MLT.

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I don't know, I think its a good practice, and keeps from over mashing and getting one note beers. I know it seams like a short period of time to get the mash to the kettle and start the boil, but for enzymatic reactions it is an eternity. That whole time you are going to have all the mixture of long chain carbohydrates available at the end of the mash being cleaved,and after a short period of time you are going to have almost a homogeneous group of non-fermentable sugars,resulting in a flabby beer.

If any thing too I think most home brewers mash too long. Talking to some of the local pro's, ti seems that most of them mash in under 30min, and I've heard as quick as 8min's.

CharlosCarlies said:

So I just finished my 3rd batch on my new B3 rig and got to thinking: what temp do you guys generally keep your HLT at for the HERMS?

I have just been setting it to 168 so it's ready for the sparge and having the pump kick on when the mash drops below my set point, but wouldn't the small amount of wort in the HERMS coil get de-natured when the pump kicks off and it's sitting for a few minutes in 168F water?

Prob a duh moment, but appreciate the help.

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Kind of off topic, CharlosCarlies how do you like your B3 system? I ordered one last week. Which system did you get? Any tips to offer after 3 batches?

Bsquared said:

If any thing too I think most home brewers mash too long. Talking to some of the local pro's, ti seems that most of them mash in under 30min, and I've heard as quick as 8min's.

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*nod* you mash until you hit your numbers. It can take 10 minutes, or 90, it all depends.

As for returning the wort to the kettle. Yes, return it to the top. Some rice hulls in the mash will prevent channeling and allow everything to flow without getting stuck.