Adding a 4th [HERMS] kettle to my build

[goingmad]

Hi all!

Currently, for those haven't seen my build thread, my build has three 26 gal kettles, the usual HLT-MT-BK, with LP Gas fire burners for HLT and BK.

My system is following the HERMS approach, with a ss coil into the HLT and the target temperature for the wort steps is reached recirculating the wort into the coil in the heated HLT water.

Looking around other builds and after some batches, I'm planning to add a 4th kettle, just for the HERMS coil, smaller in size compared to the other kettle. This kettle will have an electrical heating element to reach and maintain the target temperature.

This should reduce the time to reach each target temperature during the mashing and for sure will optimise the flow length for the wort during the HERMS recirculation.

My doubt is about the right size of the HERMS dedicated kettle and the inside coil, since right now my pots are 26 gal each, but It could be I'll double their capacity in the next future.

What do you think?


thanks


gm

 

[slakwhere]

why the desire to move away from the HLT with HERMS? for a while my HLT was hybrid electric/propane, so i could use both heat sources to get up to temp, then using electric to keep electric going at precise temps. might be something to consider instead of needing 2 separate hot water vessels...

something else to consider: heating mash water in your BK and your HERMS water in the HLT. this gives you the temps you need in parallel and all your volumes at once.

 

[goingmad]

I was thinking about heating mash water in BK, but in my flows it should be easier having a specific HERMS coil kettle, especially with a smaller kettle. I'm thinking of around 5-6 gals for this, much faster to heat.

I'm not sure on which should be the better way to follow, that's why I'm asking here!

Thanks for your suggestions!

gm

 

[tally350z]

I heat my mash water in my BK then mash, at the same time I heat my sparge water in the hlt that has my herms coil. Once I transfer my mash water to the mt my hlt water is just about my desire mash temp so it maintains really well. Then I run my sparge water through my coil to get the mash water that is trapped during recirculate. Works great for me..

 

[slakwhere]

I do the same and love it

 

[insp79]

That"s how I roll too.
A fourth might be helpful to decrease the time it takes to reach the mash temp before fly sparge.
(ie. 152°F to 168°F)