Mashing Equipment Help

[andyg55]

Hi everyone

I want to get into mashing and am finding the entire subject quite complex. I went to look at mash tuns online and there seems to be so many available ranging in price massively - from plastic buckets (cheap end of scale) to stainless steel pots (high price).

I don't want to DIY as I don't know what I'm doing (and I'm not handy). Can I get some help with what the basics are exactly for what I need to get going?

Thanks a lot,
Andy

 

[MyQul]

The simplest way to mash is by brew in bag. All you need is a big pot and a mash bag (looks like a bag made from net curtain).

Do you need instruction in how to mash (and use the above kit)?

 

[the_quick]

Or you can buy already made one from a picnic cooler:
CLICK HERE

Lots of people use similar things to mash

 

[Bigjas]

Mashing can be really simple. I use a picnic cooler box. I just fitted a tap myself, but as above, you can buy them ready to go. You don’t need shiny, but shiny is nice......

 

[andyg55]

Yes I have been looking at the modified picnic coolers. Lots of places seem to sell that black one with different branding on.

Am I right in thinking there needs to be three pots? (1) mash, (2) sparge, and (3) boiler kettle?

 

[Clint]

I use the Igloo,blue,square type for which I made a copper manifold in exchange for the bazooka filter that came with it. This increased my mash efficiency by around 10%.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Biab for me in mi little 30L kettle

 

[andyg55]

For the brew in a bag method, is this done in the boiling kettle, or is it done in a separate vessel and transferred to the boiling kettle? I'm not sure how sparging would be done with this method?

Also, is brew in a bag the same as brew in a basket?

 

[Bigjas]

Yes I have been looking at the modified picnic coolers. Lots of places seem to sell that black one with different branding on.

Am I right in thinking there needs to be three pots? (1) mash, (2) sparge, and (3) boiler kettle?

I use a 3 vessel system. A kettle for heating the mash water and sparge (strike) water, a mash tun and a boiler.
You can get away with just a mash tun and boiler and use the boiler for your strike water, but you need to store the wort from the mash tun whilst sparging (you can use any pot or fermenter). A lot of people use one vessel systems that are specifically made for brewing, but I can’t stomach the initial outlay and I enjoy making my equipment as much as making beer.

 

[andyg55]

Got it! What kind of price are these "all in one" systems? Got any examples for me to look at?

 

[andyg55]

Just watching this... I presume this is the kind you mean?

 

[Bigjas]

Yeah, there are lots of different manufacturers such as Grainfather, Robobrew, Klarstein etc. They vary in price but typically you are looking at least £300+ going up to £700+ and even more for the top end systems.

 

[Rodcx500z]

This is what i use Füllhorn Mash kettle you have to buy the bag,

 

[Cyberjip]

I use the Igloo,blue,square type for which I made a copper manifold in exchange for the bazooka filter that came with it. This increased my mash efficiency by around 10%.

Is this the one you have?

What efficiency can you achieve, I am struggling a bit and would like to get mine up by about 10-15%

 

[Clint]

Yeah that's the one. My efficiency is around 75%. The manifold I made seemed to work...

 

[Cyberjip]

Is that for full brew or mash efficiency.

I made a false bottom for mine. Maybe I would do better with a manifold

 

[cushyno]

You don't need a 3 vessel system. BIAB, Brew In A Bag, is a way to use one vessel to heat water, mash, possibly sparge, and boil the wort.

Some use a 3V system because that's what they know and trust it best, others use BIAB, others use 2 vessels (like me). So long as you do a mash and fermentation everything else is optional, even the boil.

Many of us got into this by using a Wilco 12L stockpot, heating to mash temperature, adding malted grains, then wrapping in a blanket for 60 minutes, before boiling the thing as hard as possible with a domestic hob for a further 60 minutes. That makes wort.

Your mash tun material or construction is less important than its ability to hold the temperature constantly at 66 degrees for one hour.

If you want simplicity and small batches, go for the stockpot for £20. If you can afford a bit more and don't like tinkering, save up for a Klarstein/Robobrew/whatever all-in-one.

 

[andyg55]

Got it, that's really useful information, thanks so much! I'm looking forward to entering the world of mashing

 

[Clint]

Cyberjip....erm..I put the malt bill in to the forum calculator,together with the litres and OG ..so I suppose it's the full brew...that false bottom looks great.
I was going to make one but Rob at MM suggested the manifold. I make a foil topper which I stab full of holes for the sparge,maintain sparge temp and take my time.

 

[Cyberjip]

Cyberjip....erm..I put the malt bill in to the forum calculator,together with the litres and OG ..so I suppose it's the full brew...that false bottom looks great.
I was going to make one but Rob at MM suggested the manifold. I make a foil topper which I stab full of holes for the sparge,maintain sparge temp and take my time.

Ok thanks for the info. I did make a manifold but I use it for the sparge.

I can't see how the false bottom would loose me any efficiency but maybe I will swap things round and see if I can gain a little bit.