Cooler MashTun Tips

[Piperbrew]

I realise this might have been done to death but after taking all the information I could find for the best designs I came up with a few improvements when making a mash tun.

The cooler I used is the Camping Gaz 42 ltr , very solid and I am pleased with it. The first thing I will say is making the copper sparge is tricky as it is always difficult to solder a design which is square, ie working to two fixed ends. The way to approach the job is to work from right to left or you will find if you don't you wont be able to finish the job as it will be impossible to put the last parts of the puzzle together...hope that makes sense. I found it tricky and I used o be a plumber.

The lid of the cooler is hollow but if yo drill a few holes in it then it will readily fill with PU foam, use the adhesive version not the high expansion....or the lid might swell with the force of the foam expanding.

When drilling the holes use a brand new flat bit or a hole cutter of 1 mm above the size of the fittings you are using or pipe. Or if you want a really good finish on the hole in the cooler heat hole saw or a piece of pipe to red hot and push it through the plastic.....DO THIS OUTSIDE and DO NOT breathe in the fumes. The foam will melt and form a quite solid sided hole of good structural integrity which is exactly what you want.

When putting the fitting in the hole the is no need for putty, tonnes of thread tape, glue or any other crud. Just use two plastic washers as shown , they are designed for this job, the trick is do not over tighten.....most people will but it just needs hand tight and nipping up. If the hole drilled is sound and the edges cleaned of 'snots' then it should be fine.

You will see the sparge protrudes through the lis ( great design on youtube) ...once again, no need to glue the copper in place.....that is the last thing you need as you cannot remove to clean if needed. Simple solution, a rubber O ring below, pushed through it will seal and two O rings on the top.....it hold lovely :smile::smile:

I would advocate leaving the 15mm copper tail on top of the lid and just connect a hose with a jubilee clip. If you fit anything to is such as a compression fitting the olive and nut will be fixed in position and you will be unable to pull the sparge back through the lid for cleaning.

Hope this was easy to understand.

Pete

 

[Dutto]

Very neat!

The pipes in the photograph are for draining the wort from the Mash Tun. They aren't soldered and can be dismantled for cleaning and drying.

To distribute the sparge water I just lay a sheet of aluminium foil over the top of the grain bed and punch a load of holes in it with a Philips screwdriver. (Not very neat, but it works.) I then control the wort flowing from the Mash Tun to give the required "one litre per minute" and manually adjust the sparge water flow into the tun to keep the aluminium foil just covered. (i.e. the holes in the aluminium foil distributes the incoming sparge water and the holes in the copper tubing at the bottom distribute the washed wort.)

With your system I am wondering how you will control the flow of sparge water through the lid. Too much and the Mash Tun will overflow, too little and the sparge water won't be distributed evenly.

Also, what system do you have at the bottom to make sure that you are taking off the wort evenly across the grain bed? The problem with all systems of this nature is that the sparge water will take the path of least resistance and you can lose a lot of the "washing" efficiency if it just takes an easy path.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

PS

I advise you NOT to trust the handles on the Coolbox! A Coolbox isn't normally designed and built to take the weight that can be had from a load of grain and the strike water!

 

[Clint]

Yeah and don't tip it up to drain without remembering the lid....it will bash your nose....

 

[Dutto]

.... and don't try and move it during the mashing process without thinking everything through!

 

[Piperbrew]

Very neat!

The pipes in the photograph are for draining the wort from the Mash Tun. They aren't soldered and can be dismantled for cleaning and drying.

To distribute the sparge water I just lay a sheet of aluminium foil over the top of the grain bed and punch a load of holes in it with a Philips screwdriver. (Not very neat, but it works.) I then control the wort flowing from the Mash Tun to give the required "one litre per minute" and manually adjust the sparge water flow into the tun to keep the aluminium foil just covered. (i.e. the holes in the aluminium foil distributes the incoming sparge water and the holes in the copper tubing at the bottom distribute the washed wort.)

With your system I am wondering how you will control the flow of sparge water through the lid. Too much and the Mash Tun will overflow, too little and the sparge water won't be distributed evenly.

Also, what system do you have at the bottom to make sure that you are taking off the wort evenly across the grain bed? The problem with all systems of this nature is that the sparge water will take the path of least resistance and you can lose a lot of the "washing" efficiency if it just takes an easy path.

Hope this helps. :thumb:

PS

I advise you NOT to trust the handles on the Coolbox! A Coolbox isn't normally designed and built to take the weight that can be had from a load of grain and the strike water!

Hopefully the sparge will work. I will fit a valve to control the flow , if it doesn't work I will try your foil method, such a simple idea, maybe I have over thought my tun?

I haven't made the collection pipework , that is tomorrows job and I will most likely do as you say and keep the pipes unsoldered in order they can be clean. Cheers for pointing that out.

This is where I go the idea from
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_rF7pp4Z-M[/ame]

 

[Piperbrew]

Yeah and don't tip it up to drain without remembering the lid....it will bash your nose....

And you can bet I will forget once but remember after smacking my konk!
Cheers for pointing that out.

 

[Dutto]

Just a few things from the video:

1. The man didn't fit the sparge pipes to the Mash Tun lid, so he can see what's happening.

2. Notice how the sparge water flows unevenly from the pipes. (The man has even put an aluminium tray on top of the grain to better distribute the sparge water. :lol:)

3. The sparge rate seems to be a lot more than the one I use. (i.e. 1 litre per minute.)

Enjoy! :thumb:

PS

Back in the days when I was working I commissioned a Glycol Regeneration Unit manufactured by a Canadian Company.

The design on all of these units is that the cold glycol/water mixture entering the unit is pre-heated by the hot regenerated glycol leaving the unit. For economic reasons the company had installed two small heat exchangers instead of one big one.

The problem was that no matter how we tweaked the valves on the two heat exchangers, the cold glycol/water went through one heat exchanger and the hot regenerated glycol went through the other heat exchanger. :lol:

With any distribution system a fluid will always take the path of least resistance; eventually.

Enjoy and never give up! :thumb:

PPS

Another memory of that Unit.

In Iran I always encouraged the local lads to get involved with commissioning so I was quite encouraged to see one of the Operators come up to the Unit and attempt to re-start it.

However, as I was up inside the burner system at the time (adjusting the secondary air supply to the burners), I was happier to tap my overalls and reassure myself that the burner relays were still in my pocket! :whistle: :whistle:

Happy Days? :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Piperbrew]

Just a few things from the video:

1. The man didn't fit the sparge pipes to the Mash Tun lid, so he can see what's happening.

2. Notice how the sparge water flows unevenly from the pipes. (The man has even put an aluminium tray on top of the grain to better distribute the sparge water. :lol:)

3. The sparge rate seems to be a lot more than the one I use. (i.e. 1 litre per minute.)

Enjoy! :thumb:

PS

Back in the days when I was working I commissioned a Glycol Regeneration Unit manufactured by a Canadian Company.

The design on all of these units is that the cold glycol/water mixture entering the unit is pre-heated by the hot regenerated glycol leaving the unit. For economic reasons the company had installed two small heat exchangers instead of one big one.

The problem was that no matter how we tweaked the valves on the two heat exchangers, the cold glycol/water went through one heat exchanger and the hot regenerated glycol went through the other heat exchanger. :lol:

With any distribution system a fluid will always take the path of least resistance; eventually.

Enjoy and never give up! :thumb:

PPS

Another memory of that Unit.

In Iran I always encouraged the local lads to get involved with commissioning so I was quite encouraged to see one of the Operators come up to the Unit and attempt to re-start it.

However, as I was up inside the burner system at the time (adjusting the secondary air supply to the burners), I was happier to tap my overalls and reassure myself that the burner relays were still in my pocket! :whistle: :whistle:

Happy Days? :thumb: :thumb:

I think I am understanding what you are saying but I suppose it will finally click when I comes to try it and it doesn't work....((

Yes I noticed he used the foil trick too.

If it doesn't work what is the best way to achieve the desired results?

Also maybe I am being thick but can you clarify what you mean about the flow rates as I thought that the rates could be controlled by a valve on the inlet to the tun and the one on the outlet, or am I not getting this as such?

 

[Dutto]

When the Mash is completed I:

o Open the outlet tap on the Mash Tun to run off of the wort at a fairly fast rate. (The flow from the Mash Tun is continuous from this stage until the sparge is completed.)

o I use two jugs to collect the wort and return it to the Mash Tun. (Apparently, this is called Lautering. The first five to ten litres are full of the finer parts of the milled grain.)

o When the wort starts to clear I still return it back to the Mash Tun as I cut the flow back to my required 1 litre per minute.

o When the wort is running fairly clear at 1 litre per minute, I divert it into the boiler. (The grain builds up its own "filter cake" in front of the holes in the outlet piping. As a general rule it will stay in place for the duration of the sparging process.)

o I then control the incoming sparge water so that the grain bed (actually the tin-foil with the holes in it) is kept covered with about 5mm of sparge water.

o From time to time I check and if necessary adjust the outlet valve from the Mash Tun to keep the desired 1 litre per minute flow rate.

o I stir up the grain bed twice during the process to ensure that the sparge water reaches all parts of the grain bed. (It's a very gentle stir so as to not disturb the filter cake at the bottom of the Mash Tun.)

o When the Boiler is filled to about 25 litres I stop the sparge water flow into the Mash Tun and let the Mash Tun drain down. (As a general rule, stopping at this level results in about 30 litres of wort finally running into the Boiler.)

Hope this helps. :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

Forgot your first question. Sorry!

If your sparge system doesn't work, you could always dismantle it, readjust the location of the Inlet to the end and use it in the bottom of the Mash Tun.

It would then be easy enough to dismantle for cleaning and (when facing downwards) the holes are okay for location and size; although you may need more of them.

The original hole in the lid would then make a great place to locate a thermometer so that you can monitor the mash temperature during the mash time.

Again, hope this helps. :thumb:

 

[Piperbrew]

Hi Dutto

yes that all makes sense to me but am I to take it that say for example I do 23 litre batches each time I brew, which I will anyway.
Is the amount of strike water always the same amount and is the amount needed for sparging always a set amount?

If this is the case then I take it that I would need to have the upper sparge set for the same as the mash tun outlet to the boiler, for example your 1 litre per min.

If my understanding is correct then I would need to crank open the ball valve from the tun and also I would need either a valve on the top of my sparge (or some where before it get to the mash tun lid) or throttle the 15 mm piper that is sticking out of the top of the lid to a smaller bore.

Or could I not due to the size of my mash tun which is 42 litre maybe add the total volume of water in one go and so no need to sparge and then just run off the water after mashing is complete.....wold that be ok if I could get the full volume in the tun?

Oh forgot to say I made the lower pipe work today so that is completed and I also checked the tun is water tight and it was all fine. Just need to full all the pipes and run them through with vinegar to get the traces of flux out of the sparge and give it another rinse.

I just realised, were you thinking I wasn't using any pipework system on the base of the mash tun? ...ie the water would just race out of the outlet??

Edit

Decided to do some more reading up this eve. Would I be better doing batch sparging, is that what your method is? I know I put time and effort into making my sparge but from what I am reading batch sparging is so much simpler, I have a big enough mash tun to do t with ease. Correct me if I am wrong but do folk use sparges like the one I made just to get a wee bit more efficiency? I think I would rather have an easier life than a bit more brew efficiency.

Edit

Still reading and I just read about recirculating wort, is this an even better method? and if it is the wort fed back via a sparge like the one I have made? I actually have a small 12v pump which could do this job a breeze.

 

[Clint]

I do....
Mash. ..2.5 litre / kg
Grain absorbs 1 litre / kg...you lose this..
Sparge is your mash tun difference plus your required pre boil volume. ...you need to know this. ..minus any kettle losses. ..if that makes any sense .....I'm trying a few atm......

 

[Piperbrew]

I do....
Mash. ..2.5 litre / kg
Grain absorbs 1 litre / kg...you lose this..
Sparge is your mash tun difference plus your required pre boil volume. ...you need to know this. ..minus any kettle losses. ..if that makes any sense .....I'm trying a few atm......

Yep, think I got that, I also found a calculator for it. Thanks for taking the time to reply along with others. I know my questions are quite lengthy but there is a fair bit of info to take in and I might as well try and get things right from the beginning.

 

[Piperbrew]

Is this your method Dutto?

http://beersmith.com/batch-sparging/

 

[Dutto]

Hi Dutto

..........

Is the amount of strike water always the same amount and is the amount needed for sparging always a set amount?


........... Would I be better doing batch sparging, is that what your method is? I know I put time and effort into making my sparge but from what I am reading batch sparging is so much simpler, .............
Edit

....

I allow for 2.6 litres of Strike Water per kilogram of grain. (I've seen less and more per kilo so it appears to be yet another "brewing variable",)

I warm up the Mash Tun with a few litres of near boiling water fifteen minutes before mashing; and drain it prior to introducing the Strike Water.

On a cold winters days (like tomorrow is supposed to be) I will heat the Strike Water up to 80 degrees. The grain will be cold so I expect the mash to be at +/-70 degrees by the time the grain is doughed in. If it is colder than 70 degrees I will add a few litres of boiling water.

The temperature of the mashing process will return different levels of fermentable sugars. As a rule of thumb:

o A mash at 55 to 66 degrees will result in more fermentable sugars. (The resulting brew will be Dry - High Alcohol.)

o A mash at 68 to 72 degrees will result in more non-fermentable sugars. (The resulting brew will be Sweet - Low Alcohol.)

My understanding of sparging is that fresh sparge water is more efficient at leaching out the sugars from the grain. If the full boil amount of water is used during the mash then the sugar retained within the grains will be left there when the wort is drained off.

Batch sparging may be easier but I don't think it is as efficient and the possibility of disturbing the "filter cake" would result in more debris entering the boiler.

The first sentence of the article you posted says ...

"Most home brewers have used the continuous sparge method and it is very widely accepted because it works."

... and I agree. TBH it has taken me longer to write down what I do to set up the sparge than it does to actually do it. :lol:

This is my planned brew for tomorrow. It's for an Oatmeal Stout that ticks all the boxes on Brewers Friend. Here's hoping it's not too cold and windy!

OATMEAL STOUT

INGREDIENTS
1.5kg of Maris Otter Malt
1.0kg of Caramel Malt
2.5kg of Crystal Malt
0.3kg of Chocolate Malt
1.0kg of Toasted Rolled Oats
75g EKG
Wilco Ale Yeast
Yeast nutrient

PREPARATION
Rehydrate yeast
Mill 1.5kg of Maris Otter
Mill 1.0kg of Caramel
Mill 2.5kg of Crystal
Mill 0.3kg of Chocolate Malt
Toast 1.0kg of Rolled Oats
Prepare 1 x 50g EKG Bittering Hops
Prepare 1 x 25g bags of EKG Aroma Hops
Put out 1 x Protafloc Tablet
Put out Yeast Nutrient

MASH & SPARGE
Strike Water = 16.5 litres at 80 degrees
Mash at 65 to 70 degrees for one hour - DO NOT exceed 75 degrees.
Heat SPARGE water to 80 degrees.
After one hour circulate Mash using TWO vessels until wort runs CLEAR.
Sparge at one litre per minute. Stop sparge when boil kettle at 30 litres.

BOIL
Boil with 50g of EKG Bittering Hops in bag for 60 minutes.
Add Protafloc tablet and boil for 10 minutes.
Add 25g of EKG Aroma Hops in bag at Flameout.
Wait for 10 minutes (stirring occasionally) then cool to 20 degrees and whirlpool.
Run off into FV and add 1tsp of Yeast Nutrient.
Pitch yeast and ferment at 20 degrees.

Before bottling/kegging add Hop Tea prepared from 15g of EKG Whole Leaf Hops.

FROM BREWERS FRIEND (Ticks all boxes for UK Oatmeal Stout)
OG = 1.056 FG = 1.016 ABV = 5.26% IBU = 31.58 SRM = 24.93

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I have a RIMS system based on an ACE boiler. I batch sparge - after reading up on both methods, it seemed the simpler.
Because the wort is recirculating I don't need to re-introduce the first runnings back into the mash tun - the filter bed seems to form quite early in the mash. After collecting the first runnings I add the calculated volume of sparge water, stir and begin recirculating again. The filter bed reforms and when the sparge time has passed I can collect the second runnings.
If you wanted to recirculate your wort in a cooler you will get significant temperature drop without some form of heating your wort.
Here's a clip of John Palmer batch sparging using cooler boxes: https://youtu.be/h5J8S5nBdUc

 

[Clint]

Good tip from Dutto preheating the mash tun..I did this yesterday as my tun was in the garage and it was freezing.
As for sparging. ..I draw off the first runnings after vorlauf then do a batch sparge. I tip the full volume into the tun give it a stir let it settle then run off. Just use a filter bag in the tun so this gets squeezed out.

 

[Dutto]

Hi!
I have a RIMS system based on an ACE boiler. I batch sparge - after reading up on both methods, it seemed the simpler.
Because the wort is recirculating I don't need to re-introduce the first runnings back into the mash tun - the filter bed seems to form quite early in the mash. After collecting the first runnings I add the calculated volume of sparge water, stir and begin recirculating again. The filter bed reforms and when the sparge time has passed I can collect the second runnings.
If you wanted to recirculate your wort in a cooler you will get significant temperature drop without some form of heating your wort.
Here's a clip of John Palmer batch sparging using cooler boxes: https://youtu.be/h5J8S5nBdUc

Hmmmm! Food for thought for sure but still wincing at the lad humping five gallons of hot sparge water up into the air to pour it into the mash tun!

At the moment I will stick with continuous sparging on the basis that I'm there anyway to bring the wort to the boil and don't want to miss the start.

I missed it once and the foam (which I normally stir back in) that boiled over put the gas ring out and cleaning up the sticky mess set me back half an hour!

Thanks again. :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

Good tip from Dutto preheating the mash tun..I did this yesterday as my tun was in the garage and it was freezing.
As for sparging. ..I draw off the first runnings after vorlauf then do a batch sparge. I tip the full volume into the tun give it a stir let it settle then run off. Just use a filter bag in the tun so this gets squeezed out.

Either the man didn't say, or I missed the reference, but how long do you leave the second addition to rest before running it off?

The instruction "give it a stir let it settle" not being quite precise enough for me nowadays! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Clint]

Only about 10 minutes or so. Because I use a filter bag there's no husks to worry about. I do find that when drained the fine particles and flour in the malt are on top of the grain bed.