40l Birko Urn Mesh Base.

[Superoo]

Howdy All,
I had a mesh base laser cut from 1.2mm stainless plate, to use at the bottom of my 40L Birko Electric Urn.

Ideas for it are...
1- For BIAB to keep the bag off of the element, so that I can keep the temp up without risk of scorching the bag.
2- The slitted section in the plate is to filter hop flowers when draining to fermenter / cube.
3- The rectangular piece is to be folded and spot welded underneath and around the slits, to reduce break / hop material out of the valve. This section sits over the outlet valve, and also acts as a leg.
4- The 3 long U shape pieces around the edge are to be folded down to also act as legs, and the 3 x 8mm holes are for bolts if required as legs etc.

I received it the other day, and will take some pics, if it works out OK, I'll post the ".dwg" drawing here so that anyone interested can have one cut.


Design is attached.

 

[Phoney]

Just make sure it doesn't have any sharp edges that could cut your bag!

 

[Superoo]

Thanks, good advice, and sorted...

 

[Bribie G]

would those holes be small enough to prevent hop flowers coming through and blocking the tap?

 

[Thirsty Boy]

even with the bag off the element - you might not get what you are looking for with maintaining temperature.

Grain sinks to bottom, forms a fluffy insulating layer, traps heat underneath - urn measures heat underneath the insulating layer of grain (ie under your plate) and the vast bulk of liquid which is above that layer is as uncontrolled as it ever was.

I'm sorry, but I just cant think of any situation in which you apply heat to a mash tun, where you are going to be able to get proper control of the temperature without some way to distribute that heat evenly throughout the vessel - either simple stirring or circulating of the liquid.

That might not be what you are looking for - I dont know. But if accurately maintaining your temperature throughout the mash is the object of the game, then I don't think this strategy is going to achieve it for you.

I suggest you try it out with a cheap cake rack first and see if you get what you are looking for - If so, grand. If not, then you have saved a bit of cash getting this thing fabricated.

 

[Crusty]

I really like the design but TB raises a good point.
Without any form of re-circulation, temp is going to be really hard to maintain with any accuracy.
Hope it works out for ya.

 

[Bribie G]

Insulating with a sleeping bag then a doonah I get about 1 per hour temperature drop.

 

[Superoo]

Main reason is to stop the bag from scorching on the element.

Yes I understand the grain insulation thing, but I do stir regularly, and hope to soon fit a peristaltic pump to gently circulate during the mash. Maintaining the bottom section at mash temp must have a positive affect, compared to just leaving it to cool naturally.

The slits for filtering hops are not the large slots, and there is a folded piece underneath to seal that section off, ensuring no hop flowers reach the tap.

I am hoping the break material settles into the area below the plate before releasing to cube / fermenter.

Cheers
Will post a pic of the plate shortly, and when I try it out will post some pics showing results.

 

[bcp]

It's the same problem as coffee percolators, from what i can see. They are designed with a spout from the bottom to circulate the water up over the coffee. But obviously the water is much hotter and this would aid in circulation.

Just a thought though - i wonder would a 'simple' device like that work at mash temperatures. If the water is hotter underneath, it would seek the path of least resistance.

I'm happy with my colander and a stir at 30 minutes, so i'm just thinking aloud. The line between BIAB and sophisticated single vessel systems...

 

[adryargument]

Easy way around it is while you have the element on is to pour off the wort into a 2L jug.
Simply toss it in the top.

Repeat 5 times and you have spread the temp a bit. (Unfortunately i'm still waiting on my pump to arrive )

 

[Superoo]

The line between BIAB and sophisticated single vessel systems...

Good point...

I guess I have to admit part of the hobby / passion for me is messing around with the equipment a bit.

... and I end up with nice beer at the end... win win


and if I end up with a really good plate / filter screen, my only intention is to share the idea with others.

 

[Superoo]

What pump are you getting dryarguement ?

 

[Superoo]

Picture of base / screen attached,

I need to tack it together and cut off the bit sticking out, which creates a wall around the outlet valve area, with the slits above it. This should filter hop flowers out.

Theory is a wonderful thing, we'll see what actually happens.

 

[outbreak]

What was the cost?

 

[glaab]

if your gonna recirc with a pump maybe you could get a pid and take the temp of the wort going back in and drive the element with the pid.
If that don't work for some reason you just need a couple more bits and pieces and you got a herms. You BIAB boys are getting better fitted out all the time

 

[Superoo]

70 bucks, and compared to the filter from beerbelly (which is a really nice filter unit), which costs 74 bucks, but it wont keep my bag off of the element...

http://www.beerbelly.com.au/images/hopscreenstd_set.gif


if mine works its a good price...

(Not having a go at Beerbelly, just using them as an example, have dealt with them and they are nice poeple).

 

[Superoo]

if your gonna recirc with a pump maybe you could get a pid and take the temp of the wort going back in and drive the element with the pid.

Have built a temp control system, which does my fermeter freezer / fridge / mash and boil,
and am working on PID code for the mashing temp part of it.


Like the idea of putting the sensor in the return line