Reverse HERMS?

[Rich_S]

Not sure if that's the name or not, but I remember reading about it awhile back. Basically, the idea was to put the immersion chiller into the mash tun. Then instead of pumping wort through the IC in the HLT, you pump heated water from the HLT through the IC in the MT. This way you're not pumping hot wort around.

Can anyone point me to where I can read more about this? Also, are there drawbacks like efficiency/temp control?

Thanks.

 

[novahokie09]

It's on BYO. It should still be on the main page.

From this design without agitating or stirring the mash, the mash will have a non-uniform mash temp with that design. I see only one benefit to that design compared to a single infusion mash. It will allow a multistep infusion, but since you're not recirculating wort, the mash will have a temperature gradient and receive no clarity benefit from recirculating. You'll still need to vorlauf similar to a non-recirculating mash. It seems like a lot of effort for little benefit when compared to a non-recirculating single step infusions. Also, you will need to keep the HLT temperature controlled too, or the temps in the HLT and MLT will converge.

I believe HSA is largely overstated on homebrew scales. It's more a concern on commercial sized batches. If you design the RIMS/HERMS mash return properly and ensure pump is primed, you will not splash wort on the top of the grain bed or risk wort cavitating in the tubing.

 

[atreid]

The very last issue of Brew Your Own has a nice 3-4 pages articles with pictures exactly about that...

Actually, I just found a link to their website :

http://www.byo.com/stories/issue/ar...eb-2013/2643-build-a-heated-mash-tun-projects

I plan on doing exactly that, even if I'm still hesitating, as the coil might get in the way of my next project: a motorized impeller for the mash tun...

 

[novahokie09]

Why would you want an impeller in your mash tun?

 

[CadillacAndy]

Why would you want an impeller in your mash tun?

I was thinking about doing something similar to keep the temps and liquid from stratifying.

 

[atreid]

For mash agitation why else? ;-)

I'm talking about slow rotation of course... something like 5 rpm...