First test of my stovetop RIMS

[JLeather]

I've scrounged up enough parts to give RIMS a try. March pump through a BrewHardware RIMS tube with an Amazon element and a Brew-Chief controller. 15 gallon kettle, 400 micron recirculating BIAB bag, and a false bottom just to make sure I always have suction evenly across the bottom of the bag. I use the stove top to help get to strike temp faster, and after mash-out I use the stove and a HotRod 2200W heat stick to boil. Test went well, no leaks, temps up pretty quickly, etc. One question though. When I set the controller for say 152°F I get 152°F water out of the discharge hose, but the kettle stays around 149°F I assume due to heat loss of the kettle. If I wanted a 152°F mash temp should I set the controller for 152°F so that's the temp of the water sparging the grains, or should I bump it up until my kettle liquid reads 152°F?

 

[augiedoggy]

a 1-2 degree difference is normal and yes you can increase the rims temp but I would make sure the 2 probes are calibrated. also keep in mind that some conversion will take place in the rims at the higher temp as well Most people have thier mash tun completely coverd during the mash so if your not covering it thats likely why your loosing more heat.

 

[JLeather]

Made a batch of NEIPA this weekend on the RIMS setup. My efficiency was a little bit low. Came in right around 70% just for the conversion (assuming my new refractometer is fairly accurate) and only around 62% brew-house (although being a super hoppy beer this didn't help me any). I left my mill at .039" to see how it would run and I'm sure that's where I can improve efficiency. No sign that the bag was being sucked down during the recirculation (I have a sight tube plumbed in under the bag I can use as a manometer. I will drop the crush way down to .030" or something for the next batch.

I also had a fairly significant temp drop between the RIMS and the grain bed. I had the RIMS set for 152°F and verified this was accurate by measuring the temp of the water right at the discharge, however my grain bed dropped to 147°F by the end of the mash. I suspect I need to figure out a way to cover the kettle during mash, but this is tricky with my sparge arm setup. Might need to permanently attach the sparge arm to the underside of the kettle lid.

Still, I overboiled a little to get to the proper OG (1.062) as I'd rather have a little bit less of the correct beer than a little bit more of the wrong beer, and i'm sure it'll be good. Already thinking about what I can do better next time. For one thing I'm going to have to set up some sort of vent hood over the kettle.

 

[augiedoggy]

a lot of heat is escaping out the top you also do not want to use that fly sparge arm for recirculating the mash unless its submerged under the mash liquid. your cooling, aerating and thus oxidizing your mash much more than you need to if you have that arm suspended like that. I own that same arm and honestly I ditched it years ago. you can use a simple hoselaying on the bed which is easier and works better. Those arms are best for fly sparging onto a dry grainbed which people rarely. But if you choose to use it, if you lower it onto the grainbed below surface and just wrap a towel around and across the top you should see the temps hold much better.

 

[JLeather]

Do I need to spread out the returning wort any, like a hose full of small holes, or it doesn't matter?

 

[augiedoggy]

Do I need to spread out the returning wort any, like a hose full of small holes, or it doesn't matter?

doesnt matter.. if you lay the hose across the top at the edge the liquid should swirl around and mix. I have found no difference in efficience doing it that way and many others do the same. some put a screen on the top and lay the hose on that to prevent the hose from sinking into the grainbed but if you have the corrct angle on the hose.

 

[augiedoggy]

the small holes often just plug eventually

 

[JLeather]

Cool, that'll be easier to clean too. How fast do you usually recirculate?

 

[augiedoggy]

Cool, that'll be easier to clean too. How fast do you usually recirculate?

I recirculate really low with a tan 24v pump.. I have a flow meter which shows 1.5-1.8 gallons per minute depending on mash.. I get 91% BH efficiency this way at home.