Brewer's Edge Conversion

[robby6pack]

If this has been asked, pleae forgive me. I bought a Brewer's Edge a little over a year ago. I have the inexpensive one without a pump. I have a pump from my old ice chest mash tun and was thinking about converting my basket with an overflow tube and stainless steel strainer. Pardon my ignorance, but could someone explain the benefits of the circulation of water in a heated vessel? I thought that the only bene in the mash tun was clarity (filtering). I would imagingine that you would have some temperature advandages, more stabile.

1. Is it worth the effort?
2. Benefits?
3. If I converted, can I use more water (pumped during mash) and reduce sparge water?

Thanks.

 

[McKnuckle]

Circulation during the mash normalizes the temperature throughout, assuming there is an active heating element. It also improves or at least accelerates conversion by continually rinsing wort through the grain.

As you mention, recirculation is like a constant vorlauf, so small particles are deposited on top of the grain bed, leading to clear wort (assuming you don't disturb the bed when pulling the mash pipe).

You can easily perform a full volume mash (i.e. no sparge) with a setup like this; in fact, it's what many people do simply out of convenience. It works well. Totally worth the effort in my opinion.

 

[robby6pack]

Circulation during the mash normalizes the temperature throughout, assuming there is an active heating element. It also improves or at least accelerates conversion by continually rinsing wort through the grain.

As you mention, recirculation is like a constant vorlauf, so small particles are deposited on top of the grain bed, leading to clear wort (assuming you don't disturb the bed when pulling the mash pipe).

You can easily perform a full volume mash (i.e. no sparge) with a setup like this; in fact, it's what many people do simply out of convenience. It works well. Totally worth the effort in my opinion.

Mr. Mcknuckle,doing a
Thanks for the speedy reply. I think I'll go ahead with the conversion. When doing a full volume mash, do I just need to adjust the water to achive my desired boil volume?
Again, Thanks.

 

[McKnuckle]

A full volume mash is just mashing with all the water for the entire recipe. There is no separate sparge. So you take your fermenter target volume, and add to it all of the predicted losses that apply to your system. In a mash pipe system that's boil-off and grain absorption at the very least. If you leave any wort behind in the kettle (as it were), you would add that too.

 

[Rick Crane]

I just bought one with the pump. Played with it today with just water, and cooled it with a cold crank chiller, which fits the pot well. It did take an hour to cool 5 gallons. In Florida my tap water is 80 degrees. I will make my first all grain with this tomorrow. I have done 5 extract batches previously through the years.

The stock market was good to me the other day, so I bought this unit. The stock market is not usually so kind to me in the short term. I ordered a water analysis from Ward and have not received it yet. I will use supermarket brand spring water I got some PH strips too, and bought the 5.2 PH stabilizer to "super Charge"my mash, but not going to use. I do not believe this is a magic bullet, like a pill to take care of every sickness. I have the Sierra Madre all grain kit from Northern brewers. This is my first post here. Hope it's a cool and fun Forum. I though maybe paying $25.00 for a membership would make advertisements go away. :-(