Hot Water Urn As Mashtun

[steve78]

Hi all, anyone use a hot water urn as a mashtun? It sounds like it should be good, with a built in temp controller. anyone got experience with one? I currently control the mash with low heat for constant temp, but in theory, the hot water urn should work.
Anyone with experience that can advise an amateur masher?

 

[stew.w]

i think it would not work very well, the heat distribution would be very uneven. the grain near the element would get much hotter than those at the top. i would've thoughtto get something like this to work you need to recirculate it and even then you would probablyburn the wort.

 

[RdeVjun]

BIAB works fine in an urn and is quite a popular method. Just need the basic equipment (easy as) and if you've got the urn then you've got most of it already.

Edit: Was wondering what was keeping you BribieG!

 

[Bribie G]

Hi all, anyone use a hot water urn as a mashtun? It sounds like it should be good, with a built in temp controller. anyone got experience with one? I currently control the mash with low heat for constant temp, but in theory, the hot water urn should work.
Anyone with experience that can advise an amateur masher?

Mate, have you ever come to the right place. Please read the following :icon_cheers: :icon_cheers: :icon_cheers: :icon_cheers:

linky

In this system "Brew in a bag" or BIAB we use an urn as the HLT, the Mash Tun and the Kettle.

Edit: Rde is on the ball, as ever.

 

[stew.w]

isnt the urn turned off during the BIAB mash? or have i read it wrong, i thought that was why tou wrapped it in a sleeping bag.

Cheers,

Stew

 

[Bribie G]

isnt the urn turned off during the BIAB mash? or have i read it wrong, i thought that was why tou wrapped it in a sleeping bag.
Cheers,
Stew

Yes that's the idea, although if you were doing it somewhere cold, like in Canberra in the Middle of Winter and were getting unacceptable temperature drops then you could unwrap the urn after half an hour, raise the bag clear of the bottom of the urn - particularly in the case of the Birko which has an exposed element - give it a blast of power, switch off, lower the bag, give it all a good pump with a paint stirrer and re-wrap the urn for rest of the mash. I used that method once to do a protein rest with a Pilsener, then heated it up for the sach. rest.

Cheers
Michael

 

[stew.w]

well i dont do BIAB anyway , dont know whether the OP was asking if it would be good for a 3V or BIAB.
what i was getting at is it wouldn't be that good for 3V with the grain sitting around the element.
Happy to be proved wrong but i thought this was why people go to great lengths to get particular element for RIMS so the wort doesnt get burnt on contact with the element.

:icon_cheers: ,

Stewart