Mash water volumn question

[BrianMac]

I've been working on a project, I have been 3 vessel brewing for some time now. I tried a BIAB and efficiency suffered, and I didn't really save that much time (I'm sure my efficiency and time savings would improve with time). That brings me to the set up I've been working out.
I have a 8gal classic pot with a false bottom I used as a mash tun and a keggle I use for a BK. I also have a new chugger and, this got me started. My plan is to mash in the 8gal, and use the keggle as a HLT/BK. I will place the 8gal on top of the keggle like the Blickman breweasy, I will recirculate from the keggle to the 8gal and drain from the 8gal in to the keggle.

My question is how much is too much water?

I would like to user as much as I can so I don't have to top off.
I also do not want to have too much and dilute my enzymes for starch conversion.

Working on mounting the pump, so....

Thanks,

Brian

 

[WayFrae]

I am fairly new to my 3 vessel system, just switched from BIAB, but I get a consistent 75% efficiency.

So usually you will start with around 1.25 quarts of water per pound of grain. So for a 5 gallon batch with a 10 lbs grain bill you would start your mash with 12.5 quarts of water.

Then when it is time to sparge ( i like to do 2 batch sparges) you will drain your tun which will most likely be around 2 gallons due to the grain absorbing water. So for my system I would still need about 5 more gallons of water to hit my pre-boil volume. I split that volume in half and do a batch sparge and drain and then repeat until I hit my preboil volume of 7 gallons. I always have an extra gallon of hot liquor left in my HLT just in case I come up short.

Like I said I am fairly new to 3 vessel brewing but this is what has been working for me.

 

[Hex23]

I wouldn't worry too much about grist dilution affecting conversion. If anything, thinner mashes are going to result in better overall conversion. BrewEasy and (commonly) BIAB systems both use full volume mashes. One thing you may want to investigate though is whether a full volume mash will result in a high mash pH. It depends on your water and grain but it's likely it would.

 

[BrianMac]

Thanks guys, good advise.