55l Esky - Biggest Grain Bill

[brewerben]

Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone out there with a 55L esky mash tun (I'm using a BB Falsie) has ever pushed the limits of it's grain capacity. Obviously this depends on the volume of the mash in water, but what's the most grain anyone's put in before?
Cheers
Ben

 

[chappo1970]

11.5kg with 27.6lts and the tide was IN it let me tell ya! I have the willow brand with the recessed lid hinge which acts just like a weir if ya not careful. Actually because of that brew it's made me rethink the mash tun situation a bit because I'm starting to do more double batches than I thought I would be... hmmm 80lt tun?

Edit: gramararara?

 

[raven19]

11.5kg with 27.6lts and the tide was IN it let me tell ya! I have the willow brand with the recessed lid hinge which acts just like a weir if ya not careful.

+1, Yep the old weir aint good on mine either!

We do double batches always, but we fly sparge, so our last batch was 13kg of grain at about 2:1 water to grain ratio.

To fly sparge I need about an inch of head space for the water to push through the mash.

13kg of grain gave us 60L of wheat beer at around 73%, using a similar sized esky to yours and Chappo's.

If you are batch sparging you may need to drop the grain bill so you can fit your water in, unless you go smaller water additions and do 3 or 4 batch sparges... taking more time unfortunately.

 

[chappo1970]

...If you are batch sparging you may need to drop the grain bill so you can fit your water in, unless you go smaller water additions and do 3 or 4 batch sparges... taking more time unfortunately.

+1 Ravs

It's a PITA but it can be done. Just? :huh:

 

[raven19]

Could silicon up the weir/hinge area to increase capacity maybe?

I am keen not to do that so if need be I can use the esky as an esky again one day in the future once I have 'aquired' a microbrewery! :lol:

 

[kook]

I've found this useful in the past ("Can I Mash It?" calc):

http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml



It's worth finding out whether your esky's "55L" capacity includes the space within the lid. As it may not be 55L to the edge.

 

[chappo1970]

Ravs,

I've thought about putting a strip of clear plastic up on the inside face of that hinge with some silicon as it would give me the perfect head/buffer space I need but I reckon it would foul up the hinge?

Hmmmm... your own microbrewery now that's got legs!

 

[brewerben]

Thanks for the info, I too have the willow... I thought that 13 kg might be my limit... oh well, weizen bock double batch will need to wait!

 

[drsmurto]

I use a 55L willow esky with a beerbelly falsie.

I have set the actual volume of the tun to 48L due to the aforementioned lip which is used in the total volume calc by the willow people who are actually real estate agents by day.....

Its only 55L with the lid up.... <_<

I do double batches but do a decoction mash out (if i can be arsed) and then batch sparge in 2 roughly equal sizes. That said i do a more concentrated boil and add 10L of boiling water at FO to hit my target OG and volume.

 

[raven19]

I've thought about putting a strip of clear plastic up on the inside face of that hinge with some silicon as it would give me the perfect head/buffer space I need but I reckon it would foul up the hinge?

Yeah I agree, I think the better alternative is just to brew more often! If only SWMBO would let me!

You could patch over it, but closing the lid would from then on be a no go zone I suspect...

 

[MVZOOM]

We did 27kg of grain in a 120L, with a few inches to spare.

 

[gava]

We did 27kg of grain in a 120L, with a few inches to spare.

How long did that take to drain?

 

[MVZOOM]

How long did that take to drain?

Not long, we used 3/4" ball valve and pickup on a gravel tun bed. So maybe 4-5 mins?

 

[mika]

Can I mash it ?

 

[gava]

my first AG it took hours to drain... am I doing something wrong? (mind you I was a little pissy afterwards , plenty of drinking time there)

 

[chappo1970]

Ok well because I am a glutten for punishment and in have no notion of self preservation. I am going to attempt to shoe horn 12.6kg of grain into the above mentioned 55lt willow MT this weekend. Should be fun considering there will be a fair few spectators to witness the ensuing disaster, well maybe? Wish me luck boys.

Cheers

Chappo :icon_cheers:

 

[Fents]

Those 55LT willows dont actually hold 55l's. more like 45-50...carefull ive made some big mistakes trying to ram in loads of grai.

 

[raven19]

I am going to attempt to shoe horn 12.6kg of grain into the above mentioned 55lt willow MT this weekend.

I reckon you should be ok still as long as you mash in with a low water to grain ratio.

Small batch sparging or some fly sparging may be the order of the day Chappo.

Sounds like a fun day with a beer in hand though...!

 

[chappo1970]

Actually guys help me out here please.

This is what I am initially thinking ATM.

By my calcs if I go for a 2.25:1 I go close to 36.8lt space required. The esky only goes to 48lt max. So I'm left with 11.2lt (..ish rule) for mash out. Now if I mash in at 64C and I need 78C to mash out I get I will need 21lts at 100C. I can't do it!

Those 55LT willows dont actually hold 55l's. more like 45-50...carefull ive made some big mistakes trying to ram in loads of grai.

Cheers Fents! I worked that one out when the weir/hinge relief started to flow on to the floor last time with 11.5kg sized bill. :lol:

I reckon you should be ok still as long as you mash in with a low water to grain ratio.

Small batch sparging or some fly sparging may be the order of the day Chappo.

Sounds like a fun day with a beer in hand though...!

Ravs tell me more of your thoughts please mate?

 

[Supra-Jim]

Do you need to do a mash out Chappo?

:icon_cheers: SJ