Gravityfeed From Hlt To Mash Tun?

[The Village Idiot]

Hi all,



Is it possible to gravity feed the bottom of the mash tun(esky) from the HLT? Or is a pump the only way of doing this??

 

[1975sandman]

As long as the HLT is higher than the mash tun, it can gravity feed.

 

[The Village Idiot]

As long as the HLT is higher than the mash tun, it can gravity feed.

I guess if I fly sparge it will work fine, I thought to attempt to push back thru the bottom of the mash tun in order to batch sparge might be difficult because of resistance from the grain bed????

 

[QldKev]

As lazy brew said

As long as the highest water level required in the Mash Tun is lower than the lowest water level required in the HLT it will work. Possibly slowly though.

 

[QldKev]

I guess if I fly sparge it will work fine, I thought to attempt to push back thru the bottom of the mash tun in order to batch sparge might be difficult because of resistance from the grain bed????

No need to underlet the sparge water, I would only underlet the initial strike water.

 

[The Village Idiot]

No need to underlet the sparge water, I would only underlet the initial strike water.

So there is no advantage underletting the sparge, Is there with the strike?

 

[QldKev]

So there is no advantage underletting the sparge, Is there with the strike?

Yep, with the strike I find it prevents dough balls

With the sparge the grain is already wet, so no issues.

QldKev


edit: got rid of the extra "it" in the first line

 

[The Village Idiot]

Yep, with the strike it I find it prevents dough balls

With the sparge the grain is already wet, so no issues.

QldKev

Sounds sensible.... now that's scary.... thanks for the advice

 

[JaseH]

Slightly off on a tangent, but is it better to add grain the to the MT first and then underlet the strike water? Mt last(and first) AG brew I added the strike water and then dumped the grain in as I stirred.

 

[QldKev]

Slightly off on a tangent, but is it better to add grain the to the MT first and then underlet the strike water? Mt last(and first) AG brew I added the strike water and then dumped the grain in as I stirred.

From my own experience, watching a few different 3V systems and discussions on here I have found
adding grain to water results in potential dough balls, (I've seen a few different shake n pour n sprinkle methods) hence you need to ensure you mix ALL the grain to eliminate all of them.
adding water to the grain from above (overletting) also often results in dough balls
adding the grain and underletting you eliminate nearly all dough balls and a quick stir is all that is needed.

The bigger the system the worse this becomes, imaging digging through 20 odd kg of grain trying to get rid of dough balls.
But with a single batch system, stirring as you slowly sprinkle in a few kg of grain will work.

All will work ok, as long as you stir to eliminate any dough balls.

 

[argon]

Ive done both and found no difference. I now just underlet in to the mash tun and add grain in thirds and stir it in as it fills. Do whatever is easiest.