Continuous Mash Circulation

[eastbaybrewer]

I'm setting up my new mash tun. It a 16 gallon ss mash tun with a false bottom that I will the direct fire. I got a pump and I have notched the lid for the out hose from the pump to go through and made a manifold. My question is do I want the manifold to be a little below the top of the mash or above it sprinkling down on the mash? Thanks

 

[day_trippr]

If you're blowing a hole in the kettle for a hard-piped sparge arm I'd put it as high up as you can.
I installed an autosparge just an inch below the rim of my 20g MLT.
When I do my 10 gallon batch of 11% ABV chocolate stout with 40 pounds of grain the autosparge valve is still partially submerged in wort.
For every bit lower it'd be even deeper in the soup.



"Really Full MLTs Happen"

If you're just draping the return over the open kettle then you'd probably want to set the sparge arm so there isn't a lot of splashing - ie: close to the mash surface...

Cheers!

 

[cabron99]

I love my autosparge! I do direct fire, also. Low flame, high volume.Make it as high as possible. You won't regret it.

Pat

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

what you want is no splashing so I add the hose to the top of the wort which is 1 to 2 inches above the grain and it sinks down a bit to create a good flow but no bubbles or splashing

 

[Oleson M.D.]

Our mash tun is direct fired, with a false bottom that sits 2" off the floor. We also have a false top, to diffuse the water flow evenly over the grain bed to avoid channeling / tunneling. A flow control valve is on the end of the discharge hose. We keep it right at the top of the false top. This avoids splashing.