RIMS and SRM

I have been brewing exclusively all-grain batches for about 12 years now. I am very methodical and OCD about my processes, have all the little toys and instruments and hit my gravity marks and temperature goals easily.

In 50+ batches, all of my beers have come out almost exactly as I had intended (thanks mostly to all of the incredible knowledge and experience the people on this forum have contributed).

I just brewed my first batch using a pump to recirculate my mash. It was an APA I have brewed several times before and all tools and procedures were identical in the process other than the recirculation of the mash (for the full 60 minutes).

The resulting wort looks WAY darker than it should (1/2lb crystal 60 and 1/2lb crystal 20 were used with ~9lbs of pale 2-row - total volume 6 gallons). I have to believe beyond any doubt that this is a 'RIMS-effect'. I have searched and searched, but there is hardly any information about this phenomenon. Obviously, there are several ways to minimize this effect - using less crystal malt or moving from 60L/20L to all 20L (or all 10L) would be my first remedy to this, but ...

Can anyone confirm this 'RIMS-effect' and shed some 'light' on the subject? Has anyone else had a similar realization when brewing with mash recirculation techniques?

Thanks for any conversation,

Tanagra

 

Ok, so I am straight, without any research you have come to your conclusion and want people to confirm your conclusion that you are already sure of, with next to no information to go off of?

 

Are you sure you didn't scorch your mash? How's it taste? Might not have been enough to ruin it, but enough to darken it slightly. Or, maybe it's possible that your recirculation increased your efficiency enough to pull more color from the c-60 and c-20. Just spitballin here though... Pictures may help.










Shaka, when the walls fell?

 

I have definitely had some pretty darn pale wort come out of my RIMS when intended.

 

Not at all, I am merely asking the community if they have also noticed darker wort when moving to RIMS from a more popular cooling mash-tun steeping system.

 

SHAKKA indeed!

I am pretty sure I didn't scorch the wort, as I never let it get above 168 degrees. I am using small blasts of steam through a counterflow wort-chiller to 're-heat' the wort from time to time before it reenters the mashtun to keep my mash temp consistent.

Thank you for your reply.

 

Any possibility that your crystal malts got substituted for ones of a different SRM?

 

I see! Interesting then... So your RIMS is not the "standard" tube-with-a-water-heather-element type thing? It's steam based? Pretty nifty. I suppose that would eliminate scorching. Still not sure why your wort is darker though. I'm in the process of adding a RIMS tube to my system, so I'm interested to see if there is a problem or remedy.

Good luck!





Mirab, his sails unfurled.

 

So you did a single step mash like you had always done?
If so, i would say your RIMS probably did pull more out of yiur crystals and that made it darker. Just my opinion though.

 

Yes, all processes were the same and I am leaning towards your conclusion myself.

I think next batch will be a pilsner - at least it will be very easy to determine if the wort is darker than normal.

 

I run a 2500 w heating element inside my kettle and have not had any darkening issues, I recently brewed two Czech pils batches and they are beautiful. But it's not to say that your system couldn't be causing it.

 

Saw this post from way back when. Figured I would respond. I moved over to Recirc mashing over direct fire about 2 years ago, and about 4 months ago moved over to a proper RIMS tube. Ive done at least 25 batches in that time, maybe more, and YES, I have noticed that my wort is considerable darker since the change. Specifically when using darker malts - Crystals, Caramunichs, roasteds, etc... My pale ales and blonde ale still come out very golden, but it does seem like darker colors are coming from darker malts.

Its been 2 years since you made this post - have you noticed anything since? Or any updates?
Thanks