First Look: SS Brewtech Infussion Mash Tun
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dmcman73
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I believe it's a bottom drain MT, if so, no loss at all.
AfroHopster
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Like someone stated above zero
Agreed. Once I get my stand built I'm gonna use 1/32 DIN temp controller as a passive readout and just ram a probe into the thermowell.
I just made the switch over to AG brewing from extract and this caught my eye.
I would like to do 10 gallon batches so would the 10gal Mash Tun be large enough or should I be considering the 20?
I would like to do 10 gallon batches so would the 10gal Mash Tun be large enough or should I be considering the 20?
You can do 10 gallon batches in it, but you cant do big beers in it. They have a chart on their website that shows batch sizes, so check it out. Two warnings that I have on these.
First, the 20 gallon pot is enormous and extremely heavy.You don't want to be moving that around a lot. I returned mine for a 10 gallon simply because I didn't want to move it up and down my stairs every brew day
Second, contrary to a lot of other posts I've seen, mine doesnt hold temperature well at all. SS Brewtech customer service suggested that I add at least the amount of water I'm planning to mash to warm it up. They also suggested that I put aluminum foil over my grain to trap the heat, since in a normal batch there is 4 gallons or more of head space.
First, the 20 gallon pot is enormous and extremely heavy.You don't want to be moving that around a lot. I returned mine for a 10 gallon simply because I didn't want to move it up and down my stairs every brew day
Second, contrary to a lot of other posts I've seen, mine doesnt hold temperature well at all. SS Brewtech customer service suggested that I add at least the amount of water I'm planning to mash to warm it up. They also suggested that I put aluminum foil over my grain to trap the heat, since in a normal batch there is 4 gallons or more of head space.
flatchulense
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My 10 gallon has been great. Ordered temp controller, holds the temp. After several uses, noted that water heated 20F over desired temp hit the mark. Ordered re-circulation installation kit, and am using the Vorlauf attachment and re-circulation manifold.
Next, am adding a RIMS tube setup from Brewnandgrow.com (110V). Want to take running's from a 5 gallon batch of a big beer, pump into kettle, then use that for strike water in another batch soon as grains removed. Think will allow me to hit OG better, and any leftover I'll make into a small beer.
NOTE: This is only a hobby, and I enjoy tinkering & brewing as a source of fun & relaxation. My system is made just for me, and I do not work for SSbrewtech, but my system is now 100% SSbrewtech, and am satisfied with every dollar spent on it.
Cheers!
Next, am adding a RIMS tube setup from Brewnandgrow.com (110V). Want to take running's from a 5 gallon batch of a big beer, pump into kettle, then use that for strike water in another batch soon as grains removed. Think will allow me to hit OG better, and any leftover I'll make into a small beer.
NOTE: This is only a hobby, and I enjoy tinkering & brewing as a source of fun & relaxation. My system is made just for me, and I do not work for SSbrewtech, but my system is now 100% SSbrewtech, and am satisfied with every dollar spent on it.
Cheers!
For any reason is a 20 Gal too large to do a 5 Gal batch?
dmcman73
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Nope. I built an insulated mashtun using a 15 gallon keg and i make 5 gallon batches occasionally. You'll want to pre-heat the mashtun first though so you don't loose a lot of heat on your mash.
What I do is boil some water in a tea kettle as soon as I start heating my strike water. Once the kettle is close to boiling, I pour the whole thing into the mashtun and seal it up. That water will pre-heat the mashtun and by the time you're ready to mash in, it will be good to go. You can either leave the hot water in the mash or rain it out prior to dumping your grains in.
I'm digging up this post from quite awhile ago, but I have the 10 Gal InfuSsion MT and love it! I am looking at installing the recirc bulkhead but the thought of drilling into the beautiful MT is freaking me out haha. I am working towards a Herms build so I need to do it anyway, but is there any advice you have other then follow the instructions given from SS Brewtec, and I would love to see some pictures if possible even
Cheers!
augiedoggy
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I'm digging up this post from quite awhile ago, but I have the 10 Gal InfuSsion MT and love it! I am looking at installing the recirc bulkhead but the thought of drilling into the beautiful MT is freaking me out haha. I am working towards a Herms build so I need to do it anyway, but is there any advice you have other then follow the instructions given from SS Brewtec, and I would love to see some pictures if possible even
Cheers!
Actually if your going with a herms it makes more sense to just sell it and go with a larger stainless kettle based mashtun really... a herms will make the whole insulation aspect pointless... But thats only if you look at the system from an open minded practical standpoint. The kettle mashun is more versatile and able to do larger mashes, easier to move around and clean and you dont have to worry about any leaks or damage when drilling holes in it..
The whole point of an insulated mash tun is to hold temps in a system where the temps arent already being controlled by a herms or rims..
augiedoggy
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I have no issues with using a 16 gallon mash tun for 5 gallons.
Gregory T
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Sorry to revive this but this is the best info I have seen about as SS Infusion and Blichman G2
I have been extract brewing for a few years and am looking to make the move to all grain. Things I want in a system are 1) a system I can add to rather than replace. 2) no interest in using plastic or brass
I typically brew Belgian quads, tripel or dubbels. I would start off with 6.5 gallons into a boil pot for 5.5 gallon fermenting, though I can see a future benefit to 10 gallon batches as long as I enjoy all grain brewing as much as I do extract brewing
I do full boils right now. I have a 10 gallon brew kettle, a 5 gallon brew kettle, a propane burner and an immersion chiller
I was thinking of staring with a mash tun 10-15 gallons and doing batch sparge using my 5 gallon kettle. Then eventually adding an HLT and a sparge arm
My questions are, does my plan seem plausible? will the 10 gallon infusion be able to mash 10 gallons of Belgian Quads? If I chose to go direct fire in the future would the 10'gallon infusion be able to work as an HLT? How much heat loss does a Blichman Boilermaker lose in a 60 minute mash? And does one fire a direct fire Mash Tun during the mash to regulate heat? (It just seems it could scorch the grain)
Thanks for your input
I have been extract brewing for a few years and am looking to make the move to all grain. Things I want in a system are 1) a system I can add to rather than replace. 2) no interest in using plastic or brass
I typically brew Belgian quads, tripel or dubbels. I would start off with 6.5 gallons into a boil pot for 5.5 gallon fermenting, though I can see a future benefit to 10 gallon batches as long as I enjoy all grain brewing as much as I do extract brewing
I do full boils right now. I have a 10 gallon brew kettle, a 5 gallon brew kettle, a propane burner and an immersion chiller
I was thinking of staring with a mash tun 10-15 gallons and doing batch sparge using my 5 gallon kettle. Then eventually adding an HLT and a sparge arm
My questions are, does my plan seem plausible? will the 10 gallon infusion be able to mash 10 gallons of Belgian Quads? If I chose to go direct fire in the future would the 10'gallon infusion be able to work as an HLT? How much heat loss does a Blichman Boilermaker lose in a 60 minute mash? And does one fire a direct fire Mash Tun during the mash to regulate heat? (It just seems it could scorch the grain)
Thanks for your input
augiedoggy
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You will want the 20 gallon version for 10 gallons of bigger beers. Its true the grain bills arent as high for beet sugar beers like Belgian triples and quads (when I was in Belgium they told me a quad isnt even a true recognized style there but is made for export and more of a marketing thing.. I found one brewery that sold it the whole time I was there). They really laughed at me when I told the my GF loves stella hard cider (not even available in Europe since its actually made by budwieser in baldwinsvill NY but they use the stella name for marketing reasons like guiness blond (made by rolling rock lol)
My advice would be to buy a 10 gallon beverage cooler and see if its big enough before committing to the purchase. The cooler will actually hold temps a bit better than the stainless tun since its less conductive. and this way once youve done all grain for a while you can make your decision on whether you want the SS tun which you have to spend time scooping out by hand or with a shop vac or something lighter and easier to just carry outside and dump... also you may find you want a rims or herms which would allow you to use a regular non insulated kettle MT.
I tried making 5 gallons of a belgian tripel once with a 5 gallon MT... didnt fit.
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Gregory T
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And that is my dilemma
If I buy a 10 gallon SS infusion that would work perfectly for the right now
If I buy a 15 gallon SB or BoilermakerG2 that would have more versatility for the future. I really like the looks of those SB kettles.
The SS being insulated seems like it would be a better stand alone choice
Also, if I added a bigger HLT I could still use the SS
And correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems if I then added a HERMS using a pump and coil in either the HLT or used my 5 gallon kettle as a heat exchanger, I could still use the SS infusion as the mash tun?
In order to go to 10 gallons I would need a bigger brew kettle for sure
I don't know how much volume the grains take up, however with my 10 gallon Tripel recipe at a 1.25 ratio would be around 8.5 gallons of water
So definitely pushing it..ugh
But a 20 gallon to do 5 gallon batches for now seems like such overkill and could even present its own problems
I love Belgium!! Was there last year for work for quite a few weeks.
If I buy a 10 gallon SS infusion that would work perfectly for the right now
If I buy a 15 gallon SB or BoilermakerG2 that would have more versatility for the future. I really like the looks of those SB kettles.
The SS being insulated seems like it would be a better stand alone choice
Also, if I added a bigger HLT I could still use the SS
And correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems if I then added a HERMS using a pump and coil in either the HLT or used my 5 gallon kettle as a heat exchanger, I could still use the SS infusion as the mash tun?
In order to go to 10 gallons I would need a bigger brew kettle for sure
I don't know how much volume the grains take up, however with my 10 gallon Tripel recipe at a 1.25 ratio would be around 8.5 gallons of water
So definitely pushing it..ugh
But a 20 gallon to do 5 gallon batches for now seems like such overkill and could even present its own problems
I love Belgium!! Was there last year for work for quite a few weeks.
augiedoggy
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The insulated mash tun will work ok with a rims or herms, The insulation just wont serve any appreciable functional purpose at that point and the size and weight of the insulated mash tun along with the difficulty emptying and cleaning it will be more of a hindrance than anything. Thats why from a practical standpoint using a cooler in the short term would be more logical. this way you can use a regular mash tun with the herms or rims that can be lifted and carried and dumped and rinsed.(I do this now with my 16 gallon MT and I brew on a second floor dedicated brew room. Plus if you have it on display and are concerned about cosmetics you can get a matching tun to match your other kettles.
I also was there for work (training) for almost a month.. My employer is based there. I hurt my shoulder carrying all the beer through the airport coming home...
