Build motorized mash mixer? Debate?

kickflip_mj · Apr 7, 2011

Bad idea? i wanted to build a herms system but maybe incorporate a motorized mixer to run the whole mash process, large scale breweries do it. why not us?.. this one is open for debate.

Catt22 · Apr 7, 2011

Not necessarily a bad idea, but IMO, not very practical on a home brew scale system and not worth the trouble. I say this mostly as I don't think there is a lot to be gained with automated stirring.

jafo28 · Apr 7, 2011

I think I saw someone on here that used a ice cream maker to do this, here ya go.https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/mash-stirrer-build-video-228249/

shortyjacobs · Apr 7, 2011

I also saw one somewhere where a guy cannibalized a garage door opener.

ImperialLover · Apr 8, 2011

I think it depends on your overall goal as a homebrewer and where you're at in relation to accomplishment.

I definitely think it adds value to a brewery and helps efficiency for your brews. Having said that, it depends on where you're at in your milestone list. I don't think you should have a single propane burner, with two pots and think you need a mash stirer.

I think this is a project on the "finish work" list instead of on the "required" list. Meaning, I think someone with a brew sculpture who's looking at perfecting their process and replicating beers could use a mash stirer very effectively. I'll probably be making gadgets to improve the brewery for decades to come; but that's part of my enjoyment.. Cheers!:rockin:

tolip_ck1 · Apr 8, 2011

I do things because I can.....Almost never because I should! If you don't want to stir stuff then make one.

kickflip_mj · Apr 8, 2011

I am in the process of making my next rig. still in the planning stages. Mash mixer sounds like a fun idea, but idont know the practicality of it.

sanch · Apr 8, 2011

I have never even brewed all grain and i am incorperating one in to my rig. I am turning it from below the kettle with a gear motor. I dont know if it will help, and i know it is not toataly nessasary, but it is fun to work on.

ps i am tired of mixing in extract or just tired of extract all together.

tprokop · Apr 8, 2011

I do not think you could use a herms system and a mash mixer together.

I use rims, and if I stir my mash even a little while recirculating it quickly plugs up my SS screen completely and flow stops. I can't think of anything that would keep that from happening, though maybe it would work better with a manifold.

The breweries that do this generally have direct-fired MTs, no?

camiller · Apr 8, 2011

I think Jamil talked about it in one of the Brewstrong episodes. IIRC big breweries do it to keep temperature even throughout the mash. Big breweries also usually have a separate lauter tun where most home breweries use a combined vessel for mash/lauter. Part of the benefit or HERMS or RIMS is that during the recirculation the grain bed gets "set" and your wort gets very clear due to the filtering properties of the grain bed itself. You lose this benefit by mixing during the mash. Granted, that is not the only benefit of recirculating mash systems but it is one. One of my concerns would be that as you stir lighter weight materials (husks) would tend to rise to the top and heavier stuff will tend to sink down which I would think would increase the possibility of a stuck mash.

I think if you are going to do this plan on removing the stirring assembly at the end of mashout and resume recirculation for a time to let the grain bed set and clear the wort.

Ultimately I don't think it is terribly useful on a homebrew scale because the mash is so much smaller that distributing heat is not that big of a concern (assuming you engineer your wort return to prevent channeling in the grain bed). As someone else mentioned, there are probably higher priority projects.

Best of luck with whatever you decide on.

Edit: Should have read all the posts, tprokop's comment confirms my guess about stuck sparges.

ClaudiusB · Apr 8, 2011

kickflip_mj said:
Bad idea? i wanted to build a herms system but maybe incorporate a motorized mixer to run the whole mash process, large scale breweries do it. why not us?.. this one is open for debate.

They do not use a HERMS brewing system
My set up is not a HERMS or a RIMS system and requires a mash mixer.

I installed mash mixers in both of my mash tuns for the following reasons:
1. Direct fired
2. Step mashing
3. No brewer required to stir during mashing, process automated

The mash tuns are combination Mash/Lauter and require a mash-out rest with the mixer off for the grain bed to settle.
After the rest a normal vorlauf clears the wort.

200 liter two position mash tun mixer.
One position is for mashing and the second is for clean-out (grain dump).

During grain dumping

50 liter mash tun mixer

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

Lonnie Mac · Apr 8, 2011

Damn you Claudius, you kill me every time man!

I did this one back in '05. I used it for some time and loved it. It is very handy for keeping the temps consistent in the mash with my recirc. Actually have been wanting to make a new one to use on Brutus Ten. This one was for my old "five" system years ago...

ClaudiusB · Apr 8, 2011

Lonnie Mac said:
I did this one back in '05. I used it for some time and loved it. It is very handy for keeping the temps consistent in the mash with my recirc. Actually have been wanting to make a new one to use on Brutus Ten. This one was for my old "five" system years ago...

Great set-up and we both use same type motor.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

eanzelc · Nov 26, 2011

ClaudiusB said:
They do not use a HERMS brewing system
My set up is not a HERMS or a RIMS system and requires a mash mixer.

I installed mash mixers in both of my mash tuns for the following reasons:
1. Direct fired
2. Step mashing
3. No brewer required to stir during mashing, process automated

The mash tuns are combination Mash/Lauter and require a mash-out rest with the mixer off for the grain bed to settle.
After the rest a normal vorlauf clears the wort.

200 liter two position mash tun mixer.
One position is for mashing and the second is for clean-out (grain dump).

During grain dumping

50 liter mash tun mixer

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

I'm am building a 1 barrel system and, I am interested in what motor you are using for the 200L mash mixer

day_trippr · Nov 26, 2011

ClaudiusB said:
Great set-up and we both use same type motor.

Is this a test? What's up with that safety ground wire?

Cheers!

ClaudiusB · Nov 27, 2011

eanzelc said:
I'm am building a 1 barrel system and, I am interested in what motor you are using for the 200L mash mixer

Bodine gear motor 34R6BFCI-WV3
1/9 HP
26 RPM
146 lb-in Torque

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

ClaudiusB · Nov 27, 2011

day_trippr said:
What's up with that safety ground wire?

Cheers!

I know I am guilty by default.

Is this a test?

Yes

Look closely at the picture and you will see the wire is not part of the motor harness.
The tie rap was a convenient third hand a the time.

The motor could be a double insulated, like drill motors and does not require grounding.
The motor pictured is grounded.

Have a great weekend,
ClaudiusB

jordanpace · Nov 27, 2011

eanzelc said:
I'm am building a 1 barrel system and, I am interested in what motor you are using for the 200L mash mixer

I am also interested in what motor you are using for the mash mixer. What is the RPM as well?

laizure · Nov 27, 2011

This method of brewing is used widely in Germany by small hobby brewers, even on the 50l and 100l level. You will find less herms in Germany and more motorized mash systems.

ClaudiusB · Nov 27, 2011

jordanpace said:
I am also interested in what motor you are using for the mash mixer. What is the RPM as well?

Go to post #16

This method of brewing is used widely in Germany by small hobby brewers, even on the 50l and 100l level. You will find less herms in Germany and more motorized mash systems.

I am a small German hobby brewer.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

Lost · Nov 27, 2011

Lonnie Mac said:

That's a very clever way to make fins out of the pipe. How did you flatten them so evenly? I can't imagine you did that with a hammer. Any problems with wort getting inside the tube and turning into a nasty mess?

I need a stirrer for my HLT and am looking for a simple way to make the fan blades.

day_trippr · Nov 27, 2011

A good bench vise can do that. And a little silver solder will seal up the flattened tips...

Cheers!

rico567 · Nov 27, 2011

Every time I think I need to add a feature to my nice 5-gal. KISS system, I can always come back to reality by reading a thread like this. Then I pour a homebrew.....

shelly_belly · Dec 3, 2011

Mixmasher, Brewing

hammis · Aug 1, 2012

lonnie what kind of motor is that?

ClaudiusB · Aug 3, 2012

hammis said:
lonnie what kind of motor is that?

Bodine gear-motor.
Looks like my motor, post #13 shows both

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

josesilva.af · Jun 10, 2022

ClaudiusB said:
They do not use a HERMS brewing system
My set up is not a HERMS or a RIMS system and requires a mash mixer.

I installed mash mixers in both of my mash tuns for the following reasons:
1. Direct fired
2. Step mashing
3. No brewer required to stir during mashing, process automated

The mash tuns are combination Mash/Lauter and require a mash-out rest with the mixer off for the grain bed to settle.
After the rest a normal vorlauf clears the wort.

200 liter two position mash tun mixer.
One position is for mashing and the second is for clean-out (grain dump).

During grain dumping

50 liter mash tun mixer

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

I'm building a mash mixer for a 400 liters mash tun made from a milk tank! Can you tell wich motor you use?
I've seen comercial stirrers rakes have arms on vertical; do you think better horizontal?

Dr_Jeff · Jun 15, 2022

josesilva.af said:
I'm building a mash mixer for a 400 liters mash tun made from a milk tank! Can you tell wich motor you use?
I've seen comercial stirrers rakes have arms on vertical; do you think better horizontal?

See post 13 & 16

Waffebier · Jan 17, 2023

camiller said:
Creo que Jamil habló de eso en uno de los episodios de Brewstrong. Las grandes cervecerías IIRC lo hacen para mantener la temperatura uniforme durante todo el macerado. Las grandes cervecerías también suelen tener una cuba de filtrado separada, mientras que la mayoría de las cervecerías caseras utilizan un recipiente combinado para puré/filtrado. Parte del beneficio de HERMS o RIMS es que durante la recirculación el lecho de granos se "fija" y el mosto se vuelve muy claro debido a las propiedades de filtrado del lecho de granos en sí. Pierdes este beneficio al mezclar durante el macerado. Por supuesto, ese no es el único beneficio de los sistemas de maceración recirculante, pero es uno. Una de mis preocupaciones sería que, a medida que revuelve, los materiales más livianos (cáscaras) tenderían a subir a la parte superior y los más pesados tenderían a hundirse, lo que creo que aumentaría la posibilidad de un macerado atascado.

Creo que si va a hacer este plan, retire el conjunto de agitación al final del mashout y reanude la recirculación por un tiempo para dejar que el lecho de granos se asiente y limpiar el mosto.

En última instancia, no creo que sea terriblemente útil en una escala casera porque el macerado es mucho más pequeño que distribuir el calor no es una gran preocupación (suponiendo que diseñe su retorno de mosto para evitar la canalización en el lecho de grano). Como alguien más mencionó, probablemente haya proyectos de mayor prioridad.

Mucha suerte con lo que decidas.

Editar: debería haber leído todas las publicaciones, el comentario de tprokop confirma mi suposición sobre los rociadores atascados.

Estoy de acuerdo con tu escrito. Hay otras prioridades en la elaboración de cerveza casera, incluso mucho más importantes. Un viejo maestro cervecero, lo mejor de lo mejor, siempre insistía en priorizar el control de la temperatura de fermentación. En mi caso lo hice con una heladera antigua y una bombilla simple de 100w, ambas controladas con una STC 1000. Esto me permitió constancia en las fermentaciones, pudiendo hacer lager en verano, ajustándome al 100% a lo indicado para el uso. de cada levadura. . ¡Saludos!

Build motorized mash mixer? Debate?

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