Mashing with larger grain bill / high volume water

[RyPA]

For my last 2 NEIPA batches I used the below amounts/volumes in a 10.5 Foundry

Total water: 9.2 gallons
Mash: 7 gallons
Sparge: 2.2 gallons

Fermenter volume: 7 gallons
Keg volume: 6ish gallons - I fill a Torpedo 6g keg

Grain: 17.5 lbs, 1lb being wheat malt, and 1lb rolled oats
1lb or a little over of rice hulls

Mash efficiency: 78%

My problem is my mash temp towards the top is in the high 140's and I was aiming for 154. The mash recirculation has to be on very slow or it will begin overflowing out of the malt basket. What I ended up doing is lifting the basket every 8-10 minutes or so minutes and let it drain, then put it back in and put the recirculation return on top to get some hotter water onto the malt at the top, then stirring the top half a bit.

How do you guys manage a decent flow rate and desired mash temperatures when working with similar volumes/lbs of malt?

 

[Bobby_M]

Splitting your flow will help big time. The concept is that you let the pump run wide open while the recirculation into the malt pipe would be about 20% (slow) and the other 80% of pump flow would go to a whirlpool return to keep the heat flowing to the space between the malt pipe and kettle wall. That can be done from a hardware perspective two different ways.

1.You can install a through wall whirlpool return at about the 5 gallon height. This is probably the most neat way to do it since the malt pipe is unaffected and the whirlpool is usable after the boil to keep the chilling operation fast.

Here's one iteration of the concept. In this case the valved-splitter is attached to the whirlpool device so you can run one hose from the pump and then a short continuation hose up to the lid. You can just as easily put the tee on the pump output and run two hoses from there. There is JUST enough space for the whirlpool piece to fit between the wall and malt pipe.

2.You can make a relief cut or hole in the top flange of the malt pipe to allow a whirlpool arm like the "swirly" by Anvil to fit in the gap while the malt pipe is in place. Not as neat due to making notches and such. I'd even say a notch in the foundry's lid would help keep the heat in.

 

[RyPA]

Thanks @Bobby_M

Has anyone tried this with success? I would prefer to not drill a hole through the foundry and instead drill a hole into the lid and have the return tube slide down into the gap.

 

[Bobby_M]

Yes. I'm not just speculating. I've installed this solution in the Brewzilla, Vevor, and Foundry AIO's a few times each.

Sneaking a tube down the gap will work but it definitely needs a hook on it so that the outflow produces a pretty strong stirring motion.

I think the whirlpool would only add value to your Foundry and I could install it for you if you were apprehensive doing it yourself but that's up to you.

 

[RyPA]

Yes. I'm not just speculating. I've installed this solution in the Brewzilla, Vevor, and Foundry AIO's a few times each.

Sneaking a tube down the gap will work but it definitely needs a hook on it so that the outflow produces a pretty strong stirring motion.

I think the whirlpool would only add value to your Foundry and I could install it for you if you were apprehensive doing it yourself but that's up to you.

Is it pretty straightforward as long as I can drill the hole, and you provide the necessary hardware?

I do have the swirly arm, is that what you’ve used for past foundry installs?

 

[Bobby_M]

I forgot that the foundry's malt pipe doesn't have a top flange so the swirly will go down there without any cuts. You'd just have to position the outflow of the swirly as high up in the liquid as you can reasonably achieve and that will keep that whole gap up to temperature and that will keep the mash itself from losing heat.

Having the lid ajar for the swirly is a bit counterproductive but you may be able to cover with foil or something. If you like the performance I suppose you could slot the lid just enough.

You still need a tee on your hose and if you're currently using the Anvil "pinch clamp" style of flow regulation you'd need one more of those.

 

[RyPA]

@Bobby_M I have an aftermarket pump with one of your 3-piece ball valves attached to it.

I am thinking I would need either:

• A Y fitting for my pump output with another ball valve, so I would have a dedicated ball valve controlling both the swirly and lid flow
• A Y fitting for my ball valve output, and use a pinch clamp or in-line valve on only the lid flow.

The latter seems much more straight forward, and will make my pump not gain a pound.

I sized it up and having the swirly rest on the handle puts the output at the 6 gallon position. I do prefer something more buttoned up, so if I can get a dedicated tube for only this purpose, with a hole drilled in the lid, I think that's the way to go.

 

[wepeeler]

I just brewed a neipa with 18 1/2# of grain on the 10.5 with 80% mash efficiency (my usual), but I do not use the malt pipe. Never have. I use a "false bottom" and a Wilser bag. Full volume mash and 6 gal into fermenter. Might want to consider trying that before drilling holes into your Foundry. Just giving you another option!

 

[RyPA]

I just brewed a neipa with 18 1/2# of grain on the 10.5 with 80% mash efficiency (my usual), but I do not use the malt pipe. Never have. I use a "false bottom" and a Wilser bag. Full volume mash and 6 gal into fermenter. Might want to consider trying that before drilling holes into your Foundry. Just giving you another option!

Funny you say that, I have had the false bottom in my amazon cart for over 2 years, just never pulled the trigger.

That is probably the way to go, it would increase my mash volume which would be a bonus.

Does the BIAB setup give you a decent flow rate? Whats your circulation setup?

 

[Bobby_M]

Bags are great as long as you have a way to suspend it over the boiler for draining.