Simple Questions Thread

[bierdeblanche]

I've a lot of simple questions, and don't want to spam this forum with tons of individual posts.

1. What is the most sanitary form of fittings for kettles?

2. Do automatic pump systems rely on constant recirculation via pumps, or do they have valves on the kettles they can turn on and off via a control panel?

3. With MLTs that fill the "strike water" from below, can this just be done from the bottom valve? Is coming from the actual bottom of the MLT better than through the side at the very bottom of the kettle?

4. What is the best or most consistent way of introducing more water to your MLT, assuming a HERMS coil setup? Either initially or during the sparge. Can they both be done from below? Is this the best way?

5. Is there a benefit to temperature controlling your decoctions?

6. If using a HERMS coil, do you even have to stir your mash, or does constantly recycling the wort ensure a constant temperature?

I may come up with more questions, but that's it for now. Sorry if I'm not understanding something that seems obvious! Thanks for any help.

 

[SilverZero]

1. What is the most sanitary form of fittings for kettles?

Triclamp fittings with clean welds or solders. Threads are where bacteria can hide. Easy disassembly means better cleaning!

2. Do automatic pump systems rely on constant recirculation via pumps, or do they have valves on the kettles they can turn on and off via a control panel?

You could do either. Most people have continuous pump recirculation during mashing, a very few have tried hooking pumps up to PIDs (not a great idea IMHO). I'm not aware of any that use controlled valves, but it could be done. I'm not sure why you'd do that when you can just control temperature and gain the benefits of recirculating your mash, or wort for a hop stand or what have you. Running the pump while the valve is closed is a waste of energy. Either let it run or turn it off.

3. With MLTs that fill the "strike water" from below, can this just be done from the bottom valve? Is coming from the actual bottom of the MLT better than through the side at the very bottom of the kettle?

It shouldn't make a difference for strike water. Again, I'd argue that the real benefit to the setup is having the temperature-controlled recirculation, making the initial strike pretty unremarkable in terms of both hitting your mash temp right on (not really necessary with recirc) and mixing your mash (again with the recirc).

4. What is the best or most consistent way of introducing more water to your MLT, assuming a HERMS coil setup? Either initially or during the sparge. Can they both be done from below? Is this the best way?

You can fill from below if you want. You'll just need a separate valve, or else you'll be switching hoses for one valve that's serving as both an input and output at different times. This would be especially troublesome during a sparge. That's why most people either batch sparge (with or without draining first) or fly sparge, but that would almost certainly have to be done from the top.

5. Is there a benefit to temperature controlling your decoctions?

Pass.

6. If using a HERMS coil, do you even have to stir your mash, or does constantly recycling the wort ensure a constant temperature?

You might want to check up on Kal's website for a better overview of the e-HERMS process. Recirculation is the big benefit. Did I already mention that?

 

[brucebeernut]

I'll jump in...
How large an element do I need to MAINTAIN a boil in my 16gal Bayou Classic kettle doing a 14gal boil for 10gal batch?

 

[iijakii]

I'll jump in...
How large an element do I need to MAINTAIN a boil in my 16gal Bayou Classic kettle doing a 14gal boil for 10gal batch?

4500 would probably work. I just did a 10gal batch in my 15gal pot using a 5500w element and I had to turn it down to about 75%.

 

[dyqik]

On 1) Yes, triclover is cleaner, and threads can trap muck. But almost any bacteria that do grow in the muck between batches will be killed by sitting at 212F for an hour during the boil. I don't think anyone has got an infection from threaded fittings on a kettle, or anything else on the hot/preboil side (unless deliberately mash or kettle souring).

On 3) and 4). I tried filling strike liquor under my rice hulls and grains on a recent batch from the bottom of my cooler mash tun (with domed false bottom), but got a repeatedly stuck mash when I tried to reverse the flow to recirculate through my RIMS tube. That was probably due to the way the grain bed set up when I reversed things. I also got very low efficiency on that batch. Adding grain to strike water in the mash tun, and then vorlaufing seems to have always worked much better for me, whether recirculating and fly-sparging, or infusing and then batch sparging.

You really do want to get the grain bed set with a vorlauf before recirculating, so that the recirculating wort moves as evenly as possible through the grain bed (which will try to sink to the bottom), and then you also gain the nice clear wort due to the filtering action of the grain bed. This also helps keep grain out of your pumps (particularly important for the small 12 or 24V little tan pumps). This will only really work if you flow the wort down through the grain bed, as otherwise it will try and lift the grain bed and stir things up. You are also then all set up to fly sparge without an additional vorlauf.

 

[kombat]

5. Is there a benefit to temperature controlling your decoctions?

No. You're boiling them. They're at 212° F, what else do you need to know?

 

[brucebeernut]

4500 would probably work. I just did a 10gal batch in my 15gal pot using a 5500w element and I had to turn it down to about 75%.

Thanks!
Thought I MIGHT get away with something 110vac just to maintain...

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks!
Thought I MIGHT get away with something 110vac just to maintain...

2 elements at 120v 2000w would likely work.

On two different gfi circuits.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks!
Thought I MIGHT get away with something 110vac just to maintain...

2 elements at 120v 2000w would likely work.

On two different gfi circuits.