Mash Caps... Let me see what you got!

[Unicorn_Platypus]

I liked this idea from the other lodo forum, it is quite a challenge finding a light kettle cap that floats and fits nicely in my kettle. I saw these sous-vide balls available in Amazon that are cheap, maybe i pull the trigger to use them on my mash and post-boil.

If you want to get the ones I use you can contact this vendor and ask for 1000 of the 20mm polypropylene balls (FDA grade)


[email protected]

https://eccllc.us/


The amazon ones look comparable, but I prefer ordering from the manufacturer as I don't always trust amazon. Especially to ensure these are food grade.

IMPRESA [500 Count] Sous Vide Balls for Anova Sous Vide Container, for Inkbird Sous Vide Container & Other Models - Sous Vide Container Balls to Reduce Heat Loss & Evaporation - Accessories

https://a.co/d/8erQFTK

 

[bwible]

The only place I’ve seen anything like this is in the variable capacity tanks they use for wine making. Those all have a lid that can be moved up or down with the volume in the tank. I’m not sure if anything can be gained by looking at those - I’m figuring they are used for fermentation so probably not designed to be used with any heat. Those kind of tanks are expensive. I don’t know anything about those lids, how they work, or if anything sold for that purpose might be adaptable for what you’re after? But it seems like they use some kind of pump to pump up something to hold the lid where they want it.

 

[Bobby_M]

I finally found a floating pan that fits my 15G Blichmann kettle like it was designed for it. With the BIAB bag in place, there is JUST enough clearance to slide the pan in and it floats perfectly on the surface of the mash.

I drilled and press fit in a piece of 1/2" OD SS tubing with a TC cap welded to the end on the underside of the cap as a recirc diffusor.

I could see dropping in a disc of closed cell foam on the top for even better insulation and then I'd probably not use the kettle lid at all. Without the extra insulation, the air gap seems like a good idea. It's just a pain to connect the hoses with the lid as an intermediate barrier.

The main frustration that will absolutely need some workaround if I keep using a cap, is not being able to determine my recirculation rate. I have to lift the cap and it splashes like crazy. Oh, the other problem is that it's really hard to pull samples for pH and gravity. I used to just lift the lid and steal samples from the end of the loc-line. This can probably be solved by adding another tee and a sample valve but it's a lot of hardware to throw at a simple problem.

 

[day_trippr]

The main frustration that will absolutely need some workaround if I keep using a cap, is not being able to determine my recirculation rate.

<cough> You have three of these still in stock
I'll be using mine soon.

I periodically continue my search for a pan that fits my 20 gallon G1 kettles. A 17-1/2" diameter SS pan or lid or whatever that'd float would be perfect but I've yet to find one. My notion of a diffuser is pretty much embodied by your example. Nicely done!


Cheers!

 

[Bassman2003]

I finally found a floating pan that fits my 15G Blichmann kettle like it was designed for it. With the BIAB bag in place, there is JUST enough clearance to slide the pan in and it floats perfectly on the surface of the mash.

View attachment 864794

I drilled and press fit in a piece of 1/2" OD SS tubing with a TC cap welded to the end on the underside of the cap as a recirc diffusor.
View attachment 864795

I could see dropping in a disc of closed cell foam on the top for even better insulation and then I'd probably not use the kettle lid at all. Without the extra insulation, the air gap seems like a good idea. It's just a pain to connect the hoses with the lid as an intermediate barrier.

The main frustration that will absolutely need some workaround if I keep using a cap, is not being able to determine my recirculation rate. I have to lift the cap and it splashes like crazy. Oh, the other problem is that it's really hard to pull samples for pH and gravity. I used to just lift the lid and steal samples from the end of the loc-line. This can probably be solved by adding another tee and a sample valve but it's a lot of hardware to throw at a simple problem.

Looks good Bobby. I found some long plastic pipettes that I take gravity samples with. So I can check by just inserting it around the edge of the mash cap. pH has a little more liquid involved so I have a little SS scoop that I put under the recirc flow for a short bit. Pain to lift the cap but pH is only once during the mash and often is not needed for repeat recipes.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I'm still searching for something that might work, too. I still use a keggle as my MT, so I need something to fold like the false bottom I have. Anyone try using those silicone baking mats and cutting it down? Just don't think they would float/stay on top of the mash when recirculating.

 

[Broothru]

Wouldn’t O2 permeate the silicon? It might slow down splashing while at the same time permitting what a mash cap tries to prevent.

 

[k-daddy]

Do you all find a significant impact/improvement on the final product using these mash caps?

 

[duelerx]

Wouldn’t O2 permeate the silicon? It might slow down splashing while at the same time permitting what a mash cap tries to prevent.

You are correct, I highly recommend this stuff, all my brewhouse have it: https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=36307&catid=864

 

[Bobby_M]

Do you all find a significant impact/improvement on the final product using these mash caps?

It's a can 'o worms question. The general consensus is that oxygen is detrimental to wort, full stop. The debate is around "to what degree?" and "will you notice?"

 

[Bobby_M]

<cough> You have three of these still in stock
I'll be using mine soon.

View attachment 864796

I periodically continue my search for a pan that fits my 20 gallon G1 kettles. A 17-1/2" diameter SS pan or lid or whatever that'd float would be perfect but I've yet to find one. My notion of a diffuser is pretty much embodied by your example. Nicely done!


Cheers!

It's just a question of whether I want to throw a $150 piece of hardware at it to enable the use of the cap. Well, that in addition to another tee and sample valve for pH and EasyDens gravity readings.

 

[day_trippr]

Talk to the owner, I'm sure you can get that meter at his cost

Cheers!

 

[mabrungard]

It's a can 'o worms question. The general consensus is that oxygen is detrimental to wort, full stop. The debate is around "to what degree?" and "will you notice?"

Detrimental? Yes. Appropriate for all beer styles? No.

I make a number of English styles and found that LODO techniques don't make those beers better. There are probably other styles that rely on a more oxidized malt flavor as their signature too.

But for beer styles that rely on fresh and unoxidized malt flavor, I find that LODO definitely is worth the effort.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

Wouldn’t O2 permeate the silicon? It might slow down splashing while at the same time permitting what a mash cap tries to prevent.

I suppose it would, but right now I just put a cover on my MT, so i would like to believe something at/on the surface would be better then the lid i use now. No splashing on my recirc or sparge. I use a hose (not silcone) that floats/lies on the surface.

I guess the same question regarding silicone hose apply to folks who recirc with multiple feet of silicone hose. My system is hard piped except for the last piece of pipe in the keggle, lying on the surface of the mash.

 

[Bobby_M]

Detrimental? Yes. Appropriate for all beer styles? No.

I make a number of English styles and found that LODO techniques don't make those beers better. There are probably other styles that rely on a more oxidized malt flavor as their signature too.

But for beer styles that rely on fresh and unoxidized malt flavor, I find that LODO definitely is worth the effort.

It's kind of like Bollywood vocal recordings still sounding like a junkyard microphone is plugged into a fisherprice tape recorder. It's how the style was created so engineers are intentionally nerfing the sound.

 

[Bassman2003]

I like how the low oxygen beers are brighter in flavor and stay fresh longer in the keg. If you tend to take a while to empty kegs, low oxygen even on the English styles is good because the beer starts at a better place and improves as you go. Where if you start at an oxidized state it can only go down from there.

To answer the specific question, no. Using a mash cap will show no improvement unless other more potent low oxygen steps like de-aerating your strike water, underletting the mash and using sulfites are already in place. Mash caps are closer to the "fine tuning" steps along with using a PWM control to slow down your recirc pump etc...