Babysitting the Brew pump

[tjmac5071]

I currently do not use a brew pump and I am curious as to others experience on the need to babysit the pump during the Brew day. I switched over to an electric single vessel brew in a basket a bit under a year ago and I notice a decent difference between measured temp on the top vs the bottom of the kettle. When I had my kettle built by spike I had a port added at the top in the event I decided to recirculate at any point.

After making the switch I got scared off of pumps after reading of others who have trouble properly regulating flow, getting prime, etc. I switched to single vessel to shave time off my brew day, specifically hands on time given I have 2 little kids, so felt I might be taking a step in the wrong direction getting a pump I had to watch and worry about. I am brewing mostly brut ipas right now so I am more than happy to mash in and walk away for a couple hours dealing with all the assorted things that having a young family entails, and my system is working okay for that.

The temp variations are something I would like to fix if it's minimal additional time needed from me, I have figured out to set my temp controller to around 6 under my goal after I mash in the ensure a bulk of the mash is at proper temp, but wouldn't mind seeing that more consistent. Additionally I would like to use the pump for whirlpool, since there is a lot more trub to deal with on my current set up. Also being able to run ice water pump through the immersion chiller would be nice if I begin brewing indoors more.

So those worth pumps, can you turn the pump on an leave for an hour, or so you need to check on it regularly?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

This isnt what your looking answered but I've never found a pump necessary. I do it a little different than you. I raise the temp before added grain to account for the cooler grain will drop water temp. Maybe 156 for a 152 target. I dump the grain. Stir it up and kill the power. Cover. and forget about it for an hour. It only drops a few degrees and they say most/all of the conversion is done in the first 15 minutes anyway and at 15 I'm still at 152. I give it a stir here or there just to make myself feel good

AS far as the IC pump a little Tetra fish tank pump is the perfect flow for my 1/2" copper tubing

I suck up all the trub into the fermenter. Its been said the proteins in the trub actually help the yeast...I have no idea about that but I know it doesnt hurt anything and I get more beer not leaving wort in the BK

Half the time I'm mashing I leave the house and do some running around...no power on nothing to worry about

 

[Blazinlow86]

I currently do not use a brew pump and I am curious as to others experience on the need to babysit the pump during the Brew day. I switched over to an electric single vessel brew in a basket a bit under a year ago and I notice a decent difference between measured temp on the top vs the bottom of the kettle. When I had my kettle built by spike I had a port added at the top in the event I decided to recirculate at any point.

After making the switch I got scared off of pumps after reading of others who have trouble properly regulating flow, getting prime, etc. I switched to single vessel to shave time off my brew day, specifically hands on time given I have 2 little kids, so felt I might be taking a step in the wrong direction getting a pump I had to watch and worry about. I am brewing mostly brut ipas right now so I am more than happy to mash in and walk away for a couple hours dealing with all the assorted things that having a young family entails, and my system is working okay for that.

The temp variations are something I would like to fix if it's minimal additional time needed from me, I have figured out to set my temp controller to around 6 under my goal after I mash in the ensure a bulk of the mash is at proper temp, but wouldn't mind seeing that more consistent. Additionally I would like to use the pump for whirlpool, since there is a lot more trub to deal with on my current set up. Also being able to run ice water pump through the immersion chiller would be nice if I begin brewing indoors more.

So those worth pumps, can you turn the pump on an leave for an hour, or so you need to check on it regularly?

You can definitely leave the pump's running unattended for long periods of time. What you have to watch for however is a stuck mash/sparge causing the pump to cavitate unattended. Because your biabing your setup could be more susceptible to that. You would probably need to restrict the flow quite abit. Cheers

 

[RM-MN]

they say most/all of the conversion is done in the first 15 minutes anyway and at 15 I'm still at 152. I give it a stir here or there just to make myself feel good

I think you are overestimating the time necessary for conversion given a good crush for BIAB. My conversion is over long before the 15 minute mark.

Being concerned with temperature differences in the mash or the temperature drop over an hour long mash does not equate with reality. Go ahead and add a pump if it makes you happy but it isn't likely to do more than spend a little of your money and take a little more time for cleanup.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I think you are overestimating the time necessary for conversion given a good crush for BIAB. My conversion is over long before the 15 minute mark.

Being concerned with temperature differences in the mash or the temperature drop over an hour long mash does not equate with reality. Go ahead and add a pump if it makes you happy but it isn't likely to do more than spend a little of your money and take a little more time for cleanup.

Well there you go. I wasnt trying to rain on anyones pump parade as many/most here use one.
I plan my brew day around having a full day to spare and always do a full hour mash.
Do you still do a full hour mash. I know many do a 1/2 hour but I havent gotten there yet.

I have dropped down to a 30 minute boil which is my main concern with steam. I know no boil has been mentioned quite a bit lately but again I cant get myself to do that...yet.

I wonder how a 15 or 20 minute boil would work for basic grain like 2 row and some crystal which is most of my beers?

How do you boil?

 

[mongoose33]

I think you are overestimating the time necessary for conversion given a good crush for BIAB. My conversion is over long before the 15 minute mark.

Being concerned with temperature differences in the mash or the temperature drop over an hour long mash does not equate with reality. Go ahead and add a pump if it makes you happy but it isn't likely to do more than spend a little of your money and take a little more time for cleanup.

I've done BIAB; doing a recirculating mash using RIMS now, primarily to limit O2 pickup as well as control mash temps better.

Having done both, i can't think of a reason why I'd want to recirculate BIAB unless it was to control temp--but a well-insulated kettle will hold temps to a couple degrees. As you note, conversion is relatively fast (I never crushed as fine as you do, but within 30 minutes I was 95 percent there), and just a stir or two at the 15- and 30-minute marks is about all that's needed.

 

[McKnuckle]

Of course you can perform a single infusion mash, insulate, and just leave the mash tun alone. It will drop a couple to a few degrees and still make pretty much the same wort.

But if you want to perform any kind of direct-fired mash temperature adjustment, it pretty much requires recirculation. BIAB is no different. I use an induction burner, so step mashes and mash-outs are easy to accomplish. However, without recirculation, I'm stirring endlessly with a paddle. Recirc is much nicer, obviously.

Of course mash-out is not necessary; please don't say it. But in my empirical experience, it always adds a couple of gravity points. So I do it sometimes. It's nice to have the option.

I also use the pump at the chilling stage where it creates a whirlpool around my immersion chiller. So it's a dual purpose tool and worth using.

 

[brewbama]

I had problems using a fine crush, mash thickness, and fast flow at first. I learned to crush coarser, flow slower (~.7 gpm) which was aided by a linear flow valve on the pump output, and mash thinner (1.75 qts/lb). I have not had any problems since. I no longer babysit the pump.

Priming the pump is as easy as ensuring it is lower than the level of liquid you want to pump.

 

[LittleRiver]

I get great results with a fine crush (.025), insulating the kettle, and walking away. I wouldn't want to add a pump because I would not be comfortable leaving it unattended, plus it would add more things to clean up. I like to simplify, rather than complicate.

 

[Homergah]

I recirc the MT, but there's no way I would leave it unattended for more than a few minutes. Too much risk. I use a topsflo for mash and whirlpool, and a 1/2 horsepower shallow well pump for IC ice water recirc. I like things complicated.

 

[ABI Brewery]

I have a similar set up, i have a bayite 12V pump for the recirc., but I fitted an auto sparge with lock line to my kettle, and then have a MKII pump for the whirlpool and CFC, works great!! But still wont leave unattended..................no way, but since its electric it just sits on the counter in my bar, so I just have a couple brews and listen to the hum of wort recirculating

 

[RM-MN]

I plan my brew day around having a full day to spare and always do a full hour mash.
Do you still do a full hour mash. I know many do a 1/2 hour but I havent gotten there yet.

I have dropped down to a 30 minute boil which is my main concern with steam. I know no boil has been mentioned quite a bit lately but again I cant get myself to do that...yet.

I wonder how a 15 or 20 minute boil would work for basic grain like 2 row and some crystal which is most of my beers?

I quite often just do a 30 minute mash but it depends on what else I have going that day. A slow day I might mash for 40 minutes or a little more but days that I have lots of other things planned I might do a 30 or even a 20 minute mash. The grain has to be milled really fine if you want a 20 minute mash, not because of the conversion, but to extract color and flavor.

What i have seen says that at 30 minutes the hop bitterness is about 90% complete so I just estimate the amount of hops to get the bitterning I want and boil for 30 minutes. The type of grain seems to have little effect on the lenght of the boil. Those who use Pilsner malt may want to go longer but I have read that even shorter boils does not get them a problem with DMS.