Running Chugger Entire Brew Session (BIAB)

[Piperlester]

I'm curious if anyone else has tried or knows of any reason that running a chugger (stainless head) in a whirlpool configuration from the moment you started heating your kettle, until you rack to the fermenter, would be detrimental?

My thoughts in support of this are:
-More consistent heat distribution throughout
-Lower chance of scorching wort (when initially heating - moving wort less likely to scorch, so more heat can be applied)
-Easier/more consistent addition of heat to entire kettle during mash

I'm new to using a pump and eager to see how it can possibly shorter up a brew day without doing something stupid

Thanks!

 

[Jtvann]

On a serious note, with a biab system, unless it is specifically designed for recirculation, such as the brew boss or grain father etc., recirculation is said to not be beneficial. In my experience, there are more temp swings and fluctuations from recirculation than just regular infusion and insulation. Biab also has the advantage of being able to grind a very fine grain and have fast extraction without the need of any recirculation. Biab is different in that a compact grain bed is not produced from recirculation as is in an infusion mash tun. You don't gain the same filtration and wort clarity in biab, as you do with a recirculating infusion mash tun. So as said above, unless the system is specifically designed for recirculation, in the mash for biab, it is not beneficial and could actually be worse.

On to the boil

Most systems are designed nowadays that you're not going to scorch wort from a normal boil. Whether propane, electric or induction, as wort heats its fluid properties will cause it to move and create currents in the pot. These currents are in effect stirring probably better than your pump will. Theres really no benefit to recirculating during the boil, you'll actually lose heat through the pump.

Just to clarify about not being able to scorch wort, if you're using a cheap thin aluminum pot and concentrated wort on top of a small surface area powerful burner, then yes there is a possibility of scorching.

 

[schematix]

low oxygen is completely irreverent here because everyone knows BIAB can't really be low oxygen.

back to the topic, recirculating all the way from dough in, until knock out to the fermenter is overkill. recirculating mashes are good but you'll find the pump doesn't like recirculating boiling liquid.

 

[Blazinlow86]

low oxygen is completely irreverent here because everyone knows BIAB can't really be low oxygen.

back to the topic, recirculating all the way from dough in, until knock out to the fermenter is overkill. recirculating mashes are good but you'll find the pump doesn't like recirculating boiling liquid.

I agree. My chugger doesn't really like pumping when at boil temps. It works but you can hear it cavitate at full speeds. I only circulate my mash and when im sterilizating my cfc

 

[Jayjay1976]

I used to recirculate throughout the mash to aid in step mashing routines but ran into a problem with compacting the grain bed and blocking up the bag. This caused my little Keg King MkII wort pump to pull enough vacuum under the false bottom to cause the legs to dent the bottom of my kettle outwards. I'm amazed that the false bottom itself didn't collapse, that would have bent both of the electric elements potentially causing the weldless element fittings to fail which would have spilled hot wort all over the floor of my kitchen not to mention potentially electrocuting me.

I don't recirculate for now and before I try it again I plan to fit a weldless sight glass to act as an emergency bypass so air can be sucked in to the bottom and avoid the vacuum buildup. It will also allow me to monitor the flow conditions through the bag as a partial blockage will show a drop in the wort level in the sight glass.

Be very careful recirculating with BIAB to avoid a catastrophic failure.

 

[Blazinlow86]

I used to recirculate throughout the mash to aid in step mashing routines but ran into a problem with compacting the grain bed and blocking up the bag. This caused my little Keg King MkII wort pump to pull enough vacuum under the false bottom to cause the legs to dent the bottom of my kettle outwards. I'm amazed that the false bottom itself didn't collapse, that would have bent both of the electric elements potentially causing the weldless element fittings to fail which would have spilled hot wort all over the floor of my kitchen not to mention potentially electrocuting me.

I don't recirculate for now and before I try it again I plan to fit a weldless sight glass to act as an emergency bypass so air can be sucked in to the bottom and avoid the vacuum buildup. It will also allow me to monitor the flow conditions through the bag as a partial blockage will show a drop in the wort level in the sight glass.

Be very careful recirculating with BIAB to avoid a catastrophic failure.

Good point. To clarify I only circulate the mash on my 3v. Cheers

 

[rabbitburger]

I just got hold of a Chugger today. I BIAB with a sous vide, and have noticed my temp in the center of the mash is about 10 degrees lower than at the sous vide. I plan on recirculating the wort from near the sous vide to the center of the mash. Have y'all tried that? Is it a sound idea?

 

[Wolfbayte]

I just got hold of a Chugger today. I BIAB with a sous vide, and have noticed my temp in the center of the mash is about 10 degrees lower than at the sous vide. I plan on recirculating the wort from near the sous vide to the center of the mash. Have y'all tried that? Is it a sound idea?

Could you stir the grains every 10 mins or so to even out the temp? That may be a simpler fix.

 

[Piperlester]

I ended up just running it for the last 15 minutes of the boil - it definitely did not care to run during the boil. Thanks all for the responses!

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I just got hold of a Chugger today. I BIAB with a sous vide, and have noticed my temp in the center of the mash is about 10 degrees lower than at the sous vide. I plan on recirculating the wort from near the sous vide to the center of the mash. Have y'all tried that? Is it a sound idea?

The sous vide recirculates itself, but I've always figured it wouldn't be sufficient since it would likely create its own little circulation path the bypasses much of the wort.

I would think coupling that with a full re-circulation (out the bottom, back in the top) combined with the sous vide would be a reasonable option. I've always wondered if the sous vide would be powerful enough for step mashing.