slnies said:
Thank you for posting your set up. I set the thread up for anyone with a RIMS to post, so don't feel like you are intruding. Since you were nice enough to show off your pride and joy, I have couple of questions for you.
1. How long does it take you to get from one step tmp to the next?
2. Do you have any problems with carmelization of the wort?
3. What does your typical brewday look like?
4. What wattage element are you using?
By the way, nice set up. You executed an organized lay out. I am not surprised that it works well for you. S.
1) When I step mash my 5 gallon batches using a 9-10 lb. grain bill, it takes 10 minutes to go from 130 degree protein rest to the 150 degree sacrification rest. I raise the mash up to 168 degrees at mash out and that takes right at 10 minutes as well.
So the temperature rise-time is right around 2 degrees per minute across the scale.
2) I have done some very pale wheat beers and pilsners and have not experienced carmalization. My heater element is one of the 220 volt, 4500 watt folded elements and I operate it on 120 volts like a lot of the references recommend. I think the low heat density concept helps avoid carmalization.
I also have my heating element circuit interlocked to the circulating pump, so I don't accidently over-heat any wort that is not being recirculated through the system.
My typical brew day looks like a big mess... just kidding.
My typical brew day starts with a hot cup of coffee to get me motivated enough to grind my grain. Actually, I rigged up my corona mill to my Milwaukee drill recently to take the hard work out of grinding the grist.
I also have filled the MLT with water and have it set to heat up to my brewing liquor to the desired strike temperature.
By the time I am done grinding and have finished my coffee, I am ready to mash in.
Depending on the style, mashing will take from 60 to 90 minutes.
While I am mashing grain, I have my sparge water heating on a propane burner set up on the work bench to the left of the MLT that you saw in the photo.
At the end of the mash, I ramp up the setpoint to mash out temperature and begin sparging. It was not pictured, but my sparge arm is just a 1/4 inch copper tubing ring with holes drilled in that just sits on top of the grist in the MLT.
I am pretty conservative with my run-off time and don't push it too fast, 45-60 minutes tops.
I runoff directly into my keggle which is sitting on the floor below the MLT. Then I hoist the keggle up on to another raised burner for the boil.
I drain off the wort at the end of a 60-90 min. boil through a home-made CFC into a 1/4 barrel keg that I use for a fermenter.
After aeration and pitching yeast, I tear everythingdown and do the dishes.
If I start at 7 am I can have everything cleaned and stowed by 1pm.
Thanks for your kind words regarding my system. As I said, it is one of the more fun and rewarding projects I have undertaken over the years.