Solution to herms grain bed compaction

[Wheelspin]

Just thought I'd share this you guys as it has really helped me.

I used to have big problems with grain bed compaction in my HERMS system. Seems that the wort being sucked out through the bottom compacted the bed quite severely and i had to constantly stir it up. It seas like a solid lump.


Then i tried conditioning/wet milling my grains. What a difference !!! Now I can run my Chugger virtually wide open and not worry about the grain bed.

All I do is spray each measured 1 kg of grain with about 25 ML of water (± 2% water to grain ratio), mix it up well in the bucket and let it stand for 30 min. The difference in the grain bed is amazing. Instead of cracked up small husks i get sort of flattened out/ squashed husks with make for a very good grain bed that flows wort easily and doesn't seem to compact. Even my weiss i brewed last week with 50% wheat was a pleasure.

 

[PlexVector]

I'm planning to try this next brew day if I can get ever get one scheduled again, but did it effect efficiency?

 

[Hello]

I'm definitely going to keep this in mind; however, did you ever try dialing down the flow before to prevent compaction?

 

[The_Bishop]

I've been conditioning my grain since I got a grain mill. Makes lautering a dream.

 

[Wheelspin]

I never re measured my effiency again but it did seem to come up a bit. It was ± 80% now I'm guessing it's risen to about 83%.

And yes i did try choking the flow to a trickle which helped, but only marginally.

Main thing is now I don't have to worry about stirring up the grain bed every 15 minutes. It just seems to "float" nicely now.

 

[Hello]

That is good info to have. I certainly don't intend to stir my grain a bunch, its not really how it should work anyway. I get my HERMs coil today and will likely be up and running with it in the next few weeks. I'm going to keep the idea of conditioning in mind.

 

[Smellyglove]

I'm in the same situation.

But, conditioning the grains should actually not be necessary if you mill the grains at correct RPMs. faster RPMs means more flour/less intact husks. Slower means the opposite. If you can't control the RPMs (and it's going to fast), the this is the solution, but you mill might start to rust if if's not SS.

And also, recirculation speed has a big thing to say about the compacting. There's absolutely no need to run the pump at full speed as long as you can maintain temps and ramp up steps in a step mash regime within reasonable time. A valve on the output of the pump should exist on all rims/herms setups.

 

[Yooper]

I had grainbed compaction issues with my HERMS as well. I tried everything- a new false bottom, bottom draining the MLT, priming the pump before hand, slowing the flow to a trickle, etc, but it happened all the time. I used to have to blow into the outlet to get rid of the vacuum- not fun with hot wort and tubing!

I solved my problems by using a big BIAB bag to line the MLT. When the vacuum formed, even before recirculating, I just pulled the bag away from the side of the MLT, and I heard "glug, glug" and it started flowing. For some reason, whenever I mashed in (even with a coarse crush), I got a vaccum in the bottom draining MLT.

I'm happy now, as the bag also makes clean up easier, even with a tippy dump!

 

[Smellyglove]

I had grainbed compaction issues with my HERMS as well. I tried everything- a new false bottom, bottom draining the MLT, priming the pump before hand, slowing the flow to a trickle, etc, but it happened all the time. I used to have to blow into the outlet to get rid of the vacuum- not fun with hot wort and tubing!

I solved my problems by using a big BIAB bag to line the MLT. When the vacuum formed, even before recirculating, I just pulled the bag away from the side of the MLT, and I heard "glug, glug" and it started flowing. For some reason, whenever I mashed in (even with a coarse crush), I got a vaccum in the bottom draining MLT.

I'm happy now, as the bag also makes clean up easier, even with a tippy dump!

You're usually the one pointing me in the right direction, so maybe we can do it the oppostite way this time.

What's your process From strike to vacuum? I've had tonnes of issues with my setup, and dealt with all of them.

 

[Yooper]

You're usually the one pointing me in the right direction, so maybe we can do it the oppostite way this time.

What's your process From strike to vacuum? I've had tonnes of issues with my setup, and dealt with all of them.

Just mashing in, without even starting the pump. I'm certain it's related to the bottom draining piping form the MLT. It's totally fixed now. I thought it was grain sneaking through/around the false bottom, but that wasn't it at all. I added the bag, thinking that was it, and when I saw that the bottom draining piping had air bubbles, the light dawned on me. I am satisfied with using the bag in the MLT, and it works great.