Mash tun size

[radu]

Hi,

Maybe a experienced brewer can help me with this problem. I'm trying to buy a stainless steel pot to transform it in a a mash tun. Unfortunatelly here in Romania I need to wait more than 3 weeks to get one with the right size. So I found one at the supermarket which has this size:

Diameter: 15.7"
Height: 13.7"

From what I read on John Palmer's How to brew I will have a small bed size. Will I have problems with that size? Thank's

 

[Peyope]

http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter17-2.html

Check out this link for some info.

Edit, I think I meant to post this link

http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD-1.html

Sounds like you already read it, but use the calculations to figure out the minimum height required of your grain.

 

[radu]

Thank's but I allready read that. I was thinking if someone allready tried brewing with a small grain bed size and what were the results.

 

[duboman]

That size pot/kettle seems kind of small, what size batches are you looking to brew? Have you considered converting a cooler into a mash tun and batch sparging? http://www.dennybrew.com

 

[wilserbrewer]

If you batch sparge, which I recommend, grain bed depth is not important.

Do you have access to a cooler? Or perhaps a 50 - 60 liter HDPE bucket / drum type vessel that you could insulate and mash in?

 

[Peyope]

I believe he says the grain bed should be at least /2 the height of the diameter... so >8 inches of grain. Look into the volume and see if you'll get what you need.

 

[radu]

If you batch sparge, which I recommend, grain bed depth is not important.

Do you have access to a cooler? Or perhaps a 50 - 60 liter HDPE bucket / drum type vessel that you could insulate and mash in?

Yes, I will batch sparge. I have another stainless steel pot, with the same size that I will use for boil.

 

[radu]

So if I batch sparge, the grain bed depth is not important?

 

[wilserbrewer]

So if I batch sparge, the grain bed depth is not important?

Yes, NOT one bit!!!

Grain bed depth has zero impact if batch sparging. If fly sparging, the sparge water can "channel" or shorcut a path through the grain and do a poor job rinsing. With batch sparging, the rinsing occurs when you STIR in your sparge water, why grain bed depth does NOT matter batch sparging.

IMHO Palmer's discussion on sparging is overly complicated as it applies to fly sparging. Many noobs get caught up on this and waste a lot of energy when they will be batch sparging anyways....