Stirring with a RIMS?

[Phunhog]

I brewed my 4th batch today on my Brutus style RIMS. Today I recirculated almost the whole time and only stirred during dough-in. Missed my OG by .07. Supposed to be a 1.067 beer and only got 1.060. I think it was because I didn't stir every 10 minutes like I usually do, instead I just recirculated. What do you think? Every thing else in my process was my usual. Crush looked great too. So if you are recirculating do you still stir the mash? Thanks. Al

 

[samc]

I don't, that doesn't mean I am doing it correctly however.

 

[Reelale]

I don't stir after dough-in, kinda defeats the filtering function of an intact grain bed. I don't sparge, so I bump my grain bill up by about 10% and shoot for 67% efficiency to account for it.

 

[imperialipa]

I noticed that my efficency went up after I started recirculating.

I recirculated for 60 min @ 152 on my last dead guy clone using their recommended amounts of grain.

Projected 70% efficency which is what I usually got before I built my reciruculation equipment and my gravity was 10 points high. I jumped to 85% efficency.

I fly sparged to 7.5 gal and bolied 90 min.....

 

[Hammy71]

I went from a stainless braid in a cooler to a false bottom in a keg RIMS. My efficiency shot up by at least 10 %. I don't stir, just recirculate. Did you use the same water to grain ratio? The recirculating should be the same as stirring. You are moving water over the grains constantly instead of every 10 minutes.

 

[Phunhog]

Hammy I agree that recirculation should be the same as stirring. My water/ grain ratio was the same as always 1.33 qt/lb. That is why I can't account for the lost of efficiency of 10%....85 to 75. I think next brew I will just adjust for the lack of efficiency and see how that goes.

 

[samc]

As I stated above I don't stir, but I can see where stirring can be more efficient if your recirculation causes channeling. Really would depend on your set up, including recirculation flow rate and other factors like size of tun, insulation, etc.

 

[mabrungard]

You can either move the media or move the liquid. You don't need to do both when you have a RIMS. You're already moving the liquid. Brewers that don't have any way to move their liquid have no choice but to move their media (stir the mash).

You didn't mention if you perform a mash out temperature step to bring the mash to about 168F. I find that a mash out does improve efficiency significantly.

 

[Phunhog]

You know mabrungard I dont mash out. That might be just the ticket to bring my efficiency back up. Thanks for the tip!!

 

[RobbyBeers]

I don't see how stirring could hurt. It might break up some clumps, which would help efficiency.

I stir occasionally while recirculating---I just make sure to stop stirring towards the end of the mash, so that the grain bed can reset itself.

 

[malhal]

Same low efficiency happened to me. I'll be stirring up those channels from now on.

 

[Jeroen79]

Stiring > Pumping, you move it a lot more around that way., that is why the big breweries also still use stir paddles.

 

[BeerNsteadofH2O]

Instir every 15 minutes, or if I feel that my recirculation is not good

 

[TLaffey]

I recirculate and believe that there are only a few instances where stirring is necessary: Dough in, briefly at the end of a temperatures step (if step mashing), after refilling mash tun for a batch sparge. IMO, stirring more often is to be avoided so as not to stir in more air.

All that said, for me, the recirculation rate matters. I have two mash tuns (10G and 15G) and the larger tun needs more flow. Too little flow (on either) and I don't maintain temperature too well. Too much flow and the grain bed gets "pulled down" and the flow seems to be mostly at the outside edge. If either of those conditions arise, you might want to stir and try again.

Finally, I'm using a coarser grind with recirculation. That allows more flow before pulling down the grain bed.

 

[BeerNsteadofH2O]

Brewed a marzen today, just for sake of trying something different. resisted the urge to stir at 15 minute intervals, other than stirring at mash in and mash out,and then only disturbing the upper 2/3;of the mash, i.perfromed my normal process,not sure it made much differance, as this was my first "go round" with this recipe,I did have to shut the pump down to allow the drainage to keep up, normally I'd stir if it got too slow, Iodine test said complete conversion, I hit my OG dead on and my wert was clear after a brief vourloff .hard telling if anything was gained or lost.

 

[BeerNsteadofH2O]

Since my last post here. Ive brewed 2 more batches, I did not stir either one, today's Irish Red. Was ove 80% efficiency, I guess I wont be stirring any more once I've eliminated any dough balls.

 

[fljim]

I have a combination RIMS/HERMS system. Once I mix the grains with the water, I begin re-circulation. I have a pump that constantly moves the liquid for the entire mash, while maintaining the temperature through a coil in the HLT. I have found this works for me and I'm very satisfied with it. My efficiency is 85% and better.

You're probably just "used to" stirring the mash so it "feels wrong". As others have pointed out though, you can either move the grains or the liquid. You'll do just fine moving only the liquid.