"Numb Tongue Brewery" my 1 Barrel Home Brewery

[Tomabrew]

I was kinda hoping along with that malty flavor issue I was having, I was hoping somebody would have some thoughts on the mash mixer. One of the most useful pieces of equipment I have to keep a consistent mash temp when raising and sitting. I did not see a lot of info on them for the home brewer so I kinda flew by the seat of pants concerning angle, speed and direction of mix. I still not sure that I have maximized it.

 

[augiedoggy]

I dont think many constantly mix their mash...most use a herms or rims or just let them sit with one or two stirs before mashout.
I dont mix it at all after dough in...I recirculate using a rims and this way the wort is filtered naturely through the grainbed and the wort becomes clear... since I am recircultaing and keeping the liquid at a constant temp the mash stays consistently and evenly heated...I almost always get over 75% efficiency this way...

I would think more of the husk and broken down solids would find its way into the wort with constant mixing?

I used to use that same kettle (and repaired it a few times) to make sauce at an Italian restaurant I worked at for 15 years or so during/ after high school we certainly had to mix often since it had hot spots otherwise.

 

[Spellman]

Yeah most of us aren't using a 60g mash tun, but I think you may be borderline if recirculating will be enough. And yes, your mash rake is bad@ss! :rockin:

 

[jdieter]

I mash in a keg and use a stirrator/mash mixer running constantly. Here's a link to the BT article about constant mash mixing;

http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue2.6/put.html

I built the mixer for the same reason, no temp stratification and the ability to hold a consistent mash temp. I also use a 1000w band heater to maintain a consistent sparge temp. Currently using a 60rpm motor which is a little fast, but not getting any aeration. Designed the mash paddle similar to the noted BT article. One of these days I'll reduce the shaft speed closer to 30 rpm and maybe add a rest/reversing feature. I use a PLC to control the process so it would be fairly easy to program a timer in to alternate paddle rotation.

 

[Dcpcooks]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1434294155.801442.jpg


I've gotten really nice malt flavors with this mash schedule. It's a long mash but it bring some nice flavor for the effort. I don't decoct I just ramp through the ranges with a Herms set up. I'm sure you can find a digital thermostat that would work with your kettle. I'm a chef and the kettles are not really designed for precision temp control. In the kitchen we bring them to a boil and back them down to a simmer for soups and stocks. Have you played around with an external temp prob? I would think that could help achieve better temp control than the internal temp control inside the kettles.

 

[Dcpcooks]

It's a 90 to 120 min boil as well. I have a 10 gallon kettle I picked up cheap on the secondary market but I have been struggling with precise temp control so It's just sitting in my brewery waiting for the time and effort to make it work. Maybe I should sell it to you so you can decoct with it. You could go old school !

 

[crane]

View attachment 284462


I've gotten really nice malt flavors with this mash schedule. It's a long mash but it bring some nice flavor for the effort. I don't decoct I just ramp through the ranges with a Herms set up. I'm sure you can find a digital thermostat that would work with your kettle. I'm a chef and the kettles are not really designed for precision temp control. In the kitchen we bring them to a boil and back them down to a simmer for soups and stocks. Have you played around with an external temp prob? I would think that could help achieve better temp control than the internal temp control inside the kettles.

Wow that's 5 hours of mashing. No thanks. I thought protein rests were in the 110 to 120F range. Seems excessive to have so many low temp rests and only one sac rest.

My 3 step mash schedule goes like this. 10 min at 120F. Raise to 145F and sit for 45 min, raise to 156F and sit for another 45 min, raise to mash out.

 

[ScubaSteve]

So....how's things?

 

[Tomabrew]

I mash in a keg and use a stirrator/mash mixer running constantly. Here's a link to the BT article about constant mash mixing;

http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue2.6/put.html

I built the mixer for the same reason, no temp stratification and the ability to hold a consistent mash temp. I also use a 1000w band heater to maintain a consistent sparge temp. Currently using a 60rpm motor which is a little fast, but not getting any aeration. Designed the mash paddle similar to the noted BT article. One of these days I'll reduce the shaft speed closer to 30 rpm and maybe add a rest/reversing feature. I use a PLC to control the process so it would be fairly easy to program a timer in to alternate paddle rotation.

Your article is where I actually got the idea

 

[Veets]

I've never heard of that but I've heard of something similar after the beer is done. Couple years ago I went to the Griesbrau Brewery in Germany for a long saved up trip to visit our friends stationed out there. They had sort of a souped up heat stick that they would stick in the stein of beer and it would drastically change the taste (by carmelization) of that beer. Never heard of it anywhere else.

Sounds like a "stachlbier", basically putting a hot poker (stake) into a beer to carmelize sugars. The way I understand it, it's a gimmick invented by farmers after they've imbibed a few. Here's a picture from a place in Munich that does it at a Christmas market. The pokers are heated in an electric oven, probably a modified toaster oven (second picture).

 

[Nate R]

Bump here to the OP... how did the "perfect pilsner" search go? Success? I am sure you have it down and perfected, but did water have anything to do with it?

I like the idea of the path to a perfect brew... wish i was close by to "help" you clean up the extrs brews!! Lol.