Mash stirring if using HERMS

OK, in the process of getting my build on and had a question about mashing. Obviously you need to stir at dough in, but if you are using a HERMS coil to maintain mash temps and recirculating is there a need to stir after dough in? I'm just wondering if I need to price out a stir motor for the mash tun.

EuBrew said:

OK, in the process of getting my build on and had a question about mashing. Obviously you need to stir at dough in, but if you are using a HERMS coil to maintain mash temps and recirculating is there a need to stir after dough in? I'm just wondering if I need to price out a stir motor for the mash tun.

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No, in my opinion you do not need to stir the mash but you will need to stir the HLT frequently if you are using it as your HERMS heat source. You will still need a motor but it just won't be in the mash tun.

Thanks, I knew I was going to need one in the HLT which wouldn't need to have near as much torque as a mash stir motor. All the high torque motors I've seen are either too small, or too expensive.

I don't stir my mash whether using my HERMS or not. Once it's stirred well at dough in, and the temperature is equalized throughout, I walk away.

Depending on what type of manifold/mash tun setup you are using, will determine if you need to stir or not. Probing the bed will tell you if the grain bed temperature is equal throughout, or if you have hot and cold spots.

I use a keggle with full false bottom and get pretty even temps just by recirculating when step mashing.
Before the sparge at mashout rest, I will stir the mash and reset the bed just to loosen it up some.