Mashing in stirry thing recommendations

[Runwell-Steve]

After Mashing in 13Kg of grain and 30 Litres of water in my 50 Litre Thermopot, using the worlds most bendy plastic brewers spoon, I have decided it is time to find a new solution.

I could either get a plaster mixing thing to attach to a drill, if only I could find a stainless steel one thats not coated in red paint, or just a big stainless steel spoon.

Any recommendations .

What do you use, and how well does it work

 

[Titch]

not got one but the wife was a chef before the kids

try here

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/products/ProductList.asp?TopGroupCode=C3&ParentGroupCode=S43&GroupCode=213


they have all kinds of shiny goodies

 

[unclepumble]

8 copper elbows 2 copper t's and some 15mm pipe.

Make a big square one end and a little one the other with shaft in between the 2, solder clean and voila one copper bespoke mash stirrer :thumb:


UP

 

[keith1664]

I use a big stainless steel spoon!

http://www.goodlifehomebrew.com/stainle ... n-60cm.php

Tho' next brew I will be using Vossy's silicone tubing and underletting, hopefully = less stirring.

 

[unclepumble]

Ikea also do very cheap s/steel impliments, as well as very cheap all stainless brewstands, (in the kitchen section) about £110 you couldn't make one cheaper.

up

 

[prolix]

I went down the local wood shed and got an off cut of white maple, they had no beech and routered one out. £2 and an hour later.

 

[dogchillibilly]

I use one of these. Does the job well.
http://www.hopandgrape.com/public/detailv1.asp?itemcode=WOO20195952

 

[Aleman]

Underletter here, even with a 80L Mash stirring is fairly easy with a normal catering spoon . . . . although I do think about getting a Nisbetts paddle.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Thanks all, loads of excellent advice there.

I think it shows I have 2 things to purchase.

1. Some more Silicon tube from Vossy so I have a bit longenough to allow me to underlet

2. A large spoon/paddle, either wood or stainless, which it sounds like, if I underlet will be good enough.

I think I'll pass on the making one out of wood, hace you seen my DIY

Thanks all for your help :drink:

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I went down the local wood shed and got an off cut of white maple, they had no beech and routered one out. £2 and an hour later.

Very Nice that Sir!! :clap: :clap:

 

[pjbiker]

I use one of those plaster mixers I got from the pound shop (yes, covered in orange paint) in a cordless screwdriver for mashing in 11-12Kg grain in a 38.5L thermopot.
I would underlet but don't have my pump rigged to do it properly at the moment, fill by gravity from the HLT then add grain and stir.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I would underlet but don't have my pump rigged to do it properly at the moment

Ah, I assumed to underlet all you needed to do was connect the outlet of the HLT to the outlet of the Mash Tun and open the taps. Assuming the HLT is above the Mash Tun and let gravity do it's job. Why would I need to use the pump

 

[dennisking]

I underlett using only gravity, its cheaper

 

[beer taster]

I use one of THESE, works well for me, but a little overkill for my 24L mash tun!

Mark

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I use a big stainless steel spoon!

http://www.goodlifehomebrew.com/stainle ... n-60cm.php

Tho' next brew I will be using Vossy's silicone tubing and underletting, hopefully = less stirring.

Thanks, I have ordered one of them spoons, along with underletting I should be sorted.

I may have to get one of them big shiny paddles as well though :)

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I underlett using only gravity, its cheaper

I could underlett with my set-up, does it mix well with the grain with no lumps?

BB

 

[unclepumble]

I underlett using only gravity, its cheaper

I could underlett with my set-up, does it mix well with the grain with no lumps?

BB

Less lumps, not no lumps.

Its lumps in trumps you should really worry about little pud.

UP

 

[tommoh]

Got a lovely big paint stirrer from Leyland SDM
http://www.leylandsdm.co.uk/branches.html

Cost about 6 or 7 quid and looks like this.

Does the job in seconds and hasn't rusted anywhere.

 

[Vossy1]

Like the look of that tommoh, I have one of these

 

[Kev888]

I initially mix the grain in just with a bit of 22mm copper pipe with an end cap on - I made it over 20 years ago and its like an old friend, and irritatingly is refusing to show signs of needing replacing with anything stainless..

But now that i'm working with up to 22kg grain bills after initial 'wetting' with ye olde copper stick I've started using a plaster mixing paddle at low speed in my (admittedly fairly capable) battery powered drill, and am sold on the idea - provided there isn't much light/dry grain floating on top its 'very' effective, especially if the mash isn't too thin (allowing dry balls to escape it's clutches). I found one (I think from screwfix) that has a hex shank so i don't need a special chuck; its chrome plated which isn't great, but my view is that its only in there for a couple of mins so I'm not too concerned. If you let it escape it can scratch the side of the MT a bit though..

I suspect that underletting may be a better way, but my MT takes a lot of warming so I believe to keep the liquor temperature from killing my enzymes I'd have to pre-heat it first with more hot water, and thats not very convenient with my facilities. I also like the safety-net of fiddling around to get a stable strike temperature spot on before adding the grain - its probably down to paranoia though, as I'm sure with the right procedure it'd all just work out. I'm sure its laughably small to some, but I'm not yet fully at ease with these grain bills - in practice it all seems to be business as usual, but they still seem quite expensive as you're tipping it all in..

Cheers
kev