Multiple mash schedules....how?

Hello,

I brew on a RIMS system. My HLT has a burner, the MLT has no burner and the BK has a burner. The stand is a two tier stand one pump.

I have run across several recipes that call for different mash temperatures at different times in the schedule and am confused on how I can accomplish this.

I understand the concept of time/temperature needed for this mash schedule...my concern is this:

My MLT is regulated by a PID and a 4500W heater element (no burner) wired @110V which inturn gives me less output, but great results when I have only dealt with ONE mash temp. By having to increase the mash temps for particular types of beers, I would naturally up the target temp on my PID, slow the flow a bit and wait for the temperature to reach the desired setting. This would naturally increase the time the grain sits in the water waiting for the temperature to reach its target, which makes me concerned if it is ok for this to happen this way.

For this particular recipe, the temperature needs to rise 16*. Realistically this will take 20-30 minutes with my setup since I do not have a burner under the MLT. I have never brewed mutliple temperature MASH beers so I don't know if my situation is abnormal or I am just overthinking.


Thanks for the help

Joe

You have a few options:

1) Step with the RIMS. It'll be more of a slow ramp but it can be done. The only thing I'm curious about in your process is why you slow down the flow rate when stepping up. If you leave it going full speed you should be able to ramp up a bit faster.

2) Heat up some water in your HLT and do an infusion to get to your next step. Then you can use the RIMS to maintain it for the next rest.

I thought that by slowing down my mash it would stay in the heat exchanger longer and heat quicker....but I could be wrong.

I thought of the heated water in the HLT for an infusion step up (I would subtract some of the sparge water at the end and use it to bring my mash to the next temp)...but by adding extra water to the preset water the recipe asks for (pre-sparge), would that not change the outcome of the beer?

Thanks for helping with my dumb questions

Joe

ILOVEBEER said:

I thought that by slowing down my mash it would stay in the heat exchanger longer and heat quicker....but I could be wrong.

Click to expand...

Maybe some thermal dynamics whiz will step in and prove me wrong, but I think that you get better heat transfer with higher flow rates.

I thought of the heated water in the HLT for an infusion step up (I would subtract some of the sparge water at the end and use it to bring my mash to the next temp)...but by adding extra water to the preset water the recipe asks for (pre-sparge), would that not change the outcome of the beer?

Click to expand...

From what I've read, it's preferable to start off with a thick mash for a step mash and reserve the rest of your strike water to do the infusion. That way you're not stealing from your sparge volume, either.

That does make sense...thanks for the help.

Well, it's tricky because recirculation mash systems don't tolerate thick mashes very well. If you want to use the heating tube to change temps, you have to think of step mashes more like ramp mashes.

If the step schedule is 15 minutes at 122, 45 minutes at 155, start ramping the temp after 10 minutes. I've had plenty of success by ramp mashing rather than abrupt steps.

You can try to mash a little thicker and add a gallon of boiling water to help the steps along.

Bobby M,


That makes alot of sense. It would definitely lower the time needed to reach my target mash temp....I like that idea better than adding more/less water prior to sparging....I think I will go with that routine...Thanks alot!

Joe

BTW...the sight glasses I got from you last year worked out fantastic..thanks