Wow! Just read Kettle's "How I brew" By comparison, I am a stodgy old, luddite, geezer. And now, for something really different...
I've encountered a lot of unfamiliar terminology on this site and the learning curve has been steep. Apparently, I "fly sparge" - never knew that. I have been brewing sporadically for 50 years (pre-Carter) and for the last 10 years I have been brewing 2 @ 5 gallon batches per month. This year, a grandson has joined me (I really am an old geezer) as he can hoist the 65 lb brew pot and I can't.
I seems that from what I have read on this site, that combination mashing - lautering tuns cause a lot of problems. I have no statistics to verify this conclusion. However, I have hit upon the following logic for keeping them physically separate. First, my tuns.
- mash: Coleman Extreme 36 qt picnic cooler with 2" thick, closed cell, walls.
- lauter: 6 gallon bucket with false bottom and spigot.
The footprint of the mash tun is > 400 sq in. and the footprint of the lauter tun is < 100 sq in.
The mash tun's large footprint simplifies striking the grain, stirring, taking temperature readings, drawing the decoction, and general mucking about with the mash.
The lauter tun's small footprint gives me a spent grain column (for 10 lbs of grain) of at least 10" above the false bottom. An earthquake would be needed to disturb the grain bed.
Pumps, sprinkler heads, spinning arms, automation - forget about it. My trusty, garage sale, broken handled, Revere Ware, 3 pint pot is my solution.
- I use it to scoop mash from one tun to the other
- I use it to vorlouf the lauter tun
- I use it to add sparge water to the lautering tun
I don't measure the sparge water per se, but it is metered. From my brewing practice:
- Keep water level at the ring (of the lautering tun - usually 1-2" above the grain bed) until the wort reaches 5” below the bottom rivet (3 gallons in brew pot).
- Let the water level fall to where the grain can be seen – wort at 3” below the bottom rivet (4 gallons in brew pot).
- Gingerly, add more sparge water until water reaches ¾” below the bottom rivet (5½ gallons in brew pot).
- Drain lauter tun. Wort should almost cover the top rivet of the brew pot (7½ gallons in the brew pot).
At this point, the running is as transparent as water. I have never had a failure... so far.
I use Corney kegs (three of them) so I am always doing 5 gallon batches with 10 to 15 lbs. of grain (which I personally crush).
Simple, reliable, and repeatable - an engineers dream
Yes, my equipment is boring. Especially, when compared to Kettle's really ingenious setup. I would like to read about how it works. This post might seem like a put down, but it isn't. It is absolutely amazing to read about all the incredibly different approaches that successfully produce beer. The choices might be bewildering for a beginner - but they all work. Go where your heart and budget take you and enjoy the benefits of really fresh beer. This is a very labor intensive process, so having fun while brewing is the most important aspect of all.
Addendum: the beer gear is stored inside the tuns when not in use (saves a lot of space).
And feel free to throw some rocks or whatever at this. I really enjoy reading about alternative approaches.
I've encountered a lot of unfamiliar terminology on this site and the learning curve has been steep. Apparently, I "fly sparge" - never knew that. I have been brewing sporadically for 50 years (pre-Carter) and for the last 10 years I have been brewing 2 @ 5 gallon batches per month. This year, a grandson has joined me (I really am an old geezer) as he can hoist the 65 lb brew pot and I can't.
I seems that from what I have read on this site, that combination mashing - lautering tuns cause a lot of problems. I have no statistics to verify this conclusion. However, I have hit upon the following logic for keeping them physically separate. First, my tuns.
- mash: Coleman Extreme 36 qt picnic cooler with 2" thick, closed cell, walls.
- lauter: 6 gallon bucket with false bottom and spigot.
The footprint of the mash tun is > 400 sq in. and the footprint of the lauter tun is < 100 sq in.
The mash tun's large footprint simplifies striking the grain, stirring, taking temperature readings, drawing the decoction, and general mucking about with the mash.
The lauter tun's small footprint gives me a spent grain column (for 10 lbs of grain) of at least 10" above the false bottom. An earthquake would be needed to disturb the grain bed.
Pumps, sprinkler heads, spinning arms, automation - forget about it. My trusty, garage sale, broken handled, Revere Ware, 3 pint pot is my solution.
- I use it to scoop mash from one tun to the other
- I use it to vorlouf the lauter tun
- I use it to add sparge water to the lautering tun
I don't measure the sparge water per se, but it is metered. From my brewing practice:
- Keep water level at the ring (of the lautering tun - usually 1-2" above the grain bed) until the wort reaches 5” below the bottom rivet (3 gallons in brew pot).
- Let the water level fall to where the grain can be seen – wort at 3” below the bottom rivet (4 gallons in brew pot).
- Gingerly, add more sparge water until water reaches ¾” below the bottom rivet (5½ gallons in brew pot).
- Drain lauter tun. Wort should almost cover the top rivet of the brew pot (7½ gallons in the brew pot).
At this point, the running is as transparent as water. I have never had a failure... so far.
I use Corney kegs (three of them) so I am always doing 5 gallon batches with 10 to 15 lbs. of grain (which I personally crush).
Simple, reliable, and repeatable - an engineers dream
Yes, my equipment is boring. Especially, when compared to Kettle's really ingenious setup. I would like to read about how it works. This post might seem like a put down, but it isn't. It is absolutely amazing to read about all the incredibly different approaches that successfully produce beer. The choices might be bewildering for a beginner - but they all work. Go where your heart and budget take you and enjoy the benefits of really fresh beer. This is a very labor intensive process, so having fun while brewing is the most important aspect of all.Addendum: the beer gear is stored inside the tuns when not in use (saves a lot of space).
And feel free to throw some rocks or whatever at this. I really enjoy reading about alternative approaches.
