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- Nov 19, 2017
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I have a custom built E-HERMs system with two half barrel keggles (HLT and BK), but I'm still mashing in my 10 gallon Igloo cooler with a dome'd false bottom.
The cooler is a little over 3 years old and with 20-30 batches on it, it's starting to show some age. A bunch of scratches on the cooler wall, some discoloring, and the bulkhead has begun to sag because it's a little too heavy for the plastic cooler walls. I can only run my circulating pump at 20-30%, but the plus side is that I'm getting 82-85% mash efficiency (according to the Brewfather).
So on one hand, I have a very high performing vessel. On the other hand, the vessel is starting to show some age and eventually I'd like to move to a larger, stainless steel vessel.
So, if I design and build a new mash tun, here's what I'm thinking...
First, I exclusively brew 5 gallon batches. I'll probably never do a 10 gallon batch.
My HLT and BK are both half barrel Sanke kegs. I picked them up for $25-40 each on CL. I figured if I design a new MT, I'll probably start with another Sanke keg (price, volume, and material is hard to argue with).
I hear the Pico false bottom (https://www.homebrewing.org/PICO-KegKeggle-False-Bottom-Assembly_p_1010.html) is one of the highest flowing false bottoms you can buy. I really like the design of it, but it sounds like it creates ~3 gallons of volume under the false bottom. I mash in at 1.75qt/lb because I like a thin mash. Most batches are about 5-6 gallons of mash water, so at least half of the water would be under the false bottom. I feel like this could be a bad thing...
If I do go with a Pico FB, I'd probably solder a 1.5" TC ferrule on the bottom to minimize the need for a pickup tube and kill any possible dead space. I'll build detachable elbow with a ball valve to control the flow leaving the MT.
Currently, I have my MT temp probe on the recirculation input bulkhead. It sounds like probe placement is clearly preferential and if you ask 3 brewers, they'll probably give you 3 different answers. If I'm designing a new MT, I think I might add a bulkhead a few inches above the false bottom, so I can add an RTD probe to measure MT temps within the vessel.
As for the recirculation input port, I'm currently using a locline arm (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006R9OFGS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) with my cooler mash tun. It works well, so I'll probably continue to use that. I am tempted to consider a Blichmann AutoSparge because then I'd really be "hands off".
Any thoughts? Especially on the false bottom and AutoSparge? These are probably the most important decisions I need to make.
Or, should I keep rocking the cooler as long as I can because ultimately it's performing like a champ?
The cooler is a little over 3 years old and with 20-30 batches on it, it's starting to show some age. A bunch of scratches on the cooler wall, some discoloring, and the bulkhead has begun to sag because it's a little too heavy for the plastic cooler walls. I can only run my circulating pump at 20-30%, but the plus side is that I'm getting 82-85% mash efficiency (according to the Brewfather).
So on one hand, I have a very high performing vessel. On the other hand, the vessel is starting to show some age and eventually I'd like to move to a larger, stainless steel vessel.
So, if I design and build a new mash tun, here's what I'm thinking...
First, I exclusively brew 5 gallon batches. I'll probably never do a 10 gallon batch.
My HLT and BK are both half barrel Sanke kegs. I picked them up for $25-40 each on CL. I figured if I design a new MT, I'll probably start with another Sanke keg (price, volume, and material is hard to argue with).
I hear the Pico false bottom (https://www.homebrewing.org/PICO-KegKeggle-False-Bottom-Assembly_p_1010.html) is one of the highest flowing false bottoms you can buy. I really like the design of it, but it sounds like it creates ~3 gallons of volume under the false bottom. I mash in at 1.75qt/lb because I like a thin mash. Most batches are about 5-6 gallons of mash water, so at least half of the water would be under the false bottom. I feel like this could be a bad thing...
If I do go with a Pico FB, I'd probably solder a 1.5" TC ferrule on the bottom to minimize the need for a pickup tube and kill any possible dead space. I'll build detachable elbow with a ball valve to control the flow leaving the MT.
Currently, I have my MT temp probe on the recirculation input bulkhead. It sounds like probe placement is clearly preferential and if you ask 3 brewers, they'll probably give you 3 different answers. If I'm designing a new MT, I think I might add a bulkhead a few inches above the false bottom, so I can add an RTD probe to measure MT temps within the vessel.
As for the recirculation input port, I'm currently using a locline arm (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006R9OFGS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) with my cooler mash tun. It works well, so I'll probably continue to use that. I am tempted to consider a Blichmann AutoSparge because then I'd really be "hands off".
Any thoughts? Especially on the false bottom and AutoSparge? These are probably the most important decisions I need to make.
Or, should I keep rocking the cooler as long as I can because ultimately it's performing like a champ?