mashing question

[vwwvgolf]

hello all,
i brew in a bag in a 32liter in a bucket with electric element and temp controller.
i often have bit of a issue when all the grain is in there to keep the temp steady and evenly though out the bucket.

i would usally mash for 1.5 hours then batch sparge for another 30mins at 80c.

could i split the gain bill in half and mash one lot for a hour and then dump it, then mash the rest for another hour, then sparge that last half for the last half hour at 80c?

is there any effect of doing it this way? just want to get the mashing temp more even and accurate.
i havent brewed in a while but my targets where always a bit off not massively tho , cant remember by how much now tho.

thanks for any help :fro:

 

[Rockn_M]

Have you tried to insulate your bucket? I only a few degree drop for 60 min.

 

[vwwvgolf]

yeh i have. i use a good quality sleeping bag and bungee tie it around it then use blankets and a spare duvet.
i think the issue is that there is alot of grain in the bucket and not enough water. the mash is so thick that the heat from the element struggles to get to the top.
my thinking was if there was more water the heat could move around more? the bucket is controlled with a thermostat so when it drops below 66c it switchs back on but it comes on for to much making the lower half go up to about 75, and switch off but the top seems to stay at around 52c if i remember correctly.
at the moment a bigger and gas burner set up is a no unfortunately.

 

[jnacey]

Have you thought about maybe getting a pump to recirculate?

If its a problem where you just have a really thick mash, maybe upgrading to a larger vessel would help.

 

[jnacey]

Have you thought about maybe getting a pump to recirculate?

If its a problem where you just have a really thick mash, maybe upgrading to a larger vessel would help.

 

[vwwvgolf]

a bigger vessel i cant justify due to space and money. also the one i have isnt very old either.
same situation with the pump im afraid. lack of cash and space. also i would prefer to keep my set up as simple as possible.

would my theory not work well then??

 

[jnacey]

You'd lose some efficiency from not sparging the first half. What water/grain ratio are you currently using?

 

[vwwvgolf]

my next planned brew day, my brewmate software says 3l per kg??

 

[wilserbrewer]

At 3l /kg or roughly 1.5 qt per lb you should be able to mix the grain in and insulate the tun and not need to add heat during the rest.

Are you mixing well enough? I would not worry about losing a 2 or 3 degrees, just mash in a degree high.

When you add the grain, it will take a while for the temp to stabilize. Add grain and stir well, wait a few minutes and stir again well, then take your temp. Adjust temp if needed then wrap it up and leave it alone for the mash.

A plastic tun should hold heat well with insulation without adding heat during the mash. If you check the temp immediately after adding the grain, it will be false high, it takes several minutes with ample stirring to mix and distribute the heat.

You are fine, just practice technique. Your equipment sounds ample and should work well IMHO.

Keep a record and make minor adjustment on your next brew. Also rdwhahb. I would not bother doing two mashes, the smaller a mash is the more difficult it will be to keep a steady temp.

Edit...sorry I see you are using a controller, I believe if this is to work well you will need to move the wort or pump or stir. In order to heat a mash evenly it needs to move over the heat source. It is not as simple as putting the element on a controller, another reason I keep it simple and just insulate the mash.
Different strokes different folks.
Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[vwwvgolf]

thanks for the info guys. i think next time i will make sure i stir well and let sit for a bit then take a reading and insulate well and switch off the element and leave it alone.
this next day will be the first time ive done one with software to help so hopefully i will use the correct numbers ect and things might go a bit more smoothly anyway

thanks again people