Kettle mashing temperature controlling

[kojinakata]

Hi,
My recipe calls for a mash temperature of 67 degrees celcius and at the end of the mash to reach a mash out temp of 76 degrees celcius and spargin with 77 degrees.

1) Is it possible to keep the temperature of the mash in the kettle by heating it on a stove?
2) Instead of infusing liquor at the end to increase the temp, can I add the same volume of water at the beginning and heat using the stove?
3) Any ideas on sparging, since I am only using a kettle without a spigot?

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[Queequeg]

basically from my experience ist difficult to keep a constant temp when you use a kettle for a mash tun. My experience is limited, but on my PM setup I have a 19L kettle with a diffuser between the kettle and the burner and a stainless steel steamer insert in the bottle (to stop the grain bag touching the kettle base).

I bring the mash water up to strike temp, switch off the burner, add the grain bill in a straining bag, recheck the temp and add additional hot/cold water to hit the mash temp.

I then cover with the lid and a bunch of towels. Over about a 20 min period it will lose approximately 3 degrees. So I will make the journey to the kitchen every 10 mins and give it a few minutes of burner (on low) whilst checking the temp with a digital thermometer.

That way I keep the temp in a +/- 1-2 degrees C zone. Not perfect but it what I have.

So in answer to your questions

1) not continously but peroidcally you can get something that is close to a constant temp

2) I'm not sure what your getting at here, there are calculators for strike temp so its quite easy.

3)If you kettle is big enough you can sparge when using the BIAB, or you can do a no sparge and simply adjust efficancy. I don't sparge and I get higher than the 65% I estimated, I need to do the math but probably 68% ish.

 

[PRE66_6TART]

1. It's possible but can be kind of tricky. I used to do it this way but my temps bounced around quite a bit, so now I just put my kettle in a warm oven (I turn it off before putting my kettle in). Larger volumes hold temps better so some people mash with their entire amount of water (like 8 gallons) and say that works fine.

2. I would just add the extra water to the sparge if you're going to sparge

3. Look up BIAB. I've been transferring to a bucket to sparge, but after reading up on this I feel like I'm wasting my time and might just get a bag and start either dunk-sparging in a seperate pot or rinsing the bag over the pot or just not sparge at all and just squeeze.

 

[Queequeg]

Personally I BIAB, give the grains a good stir and a light squeezing. As I said I get 68% efficency at least.