Masters Hardware Paint Wacker for BIAB Mash Tool

[mje1980]

Nah, anything less than a 6hp evinrude won't do the trick.

 

[earle]

Is there some magical benefit of violently lifting and stirring the mash?

Yes, the magic is also known as even heat distribution. After the mash, the urn gets turned back on for mash out. The grain bed sitting in the bottom tends to have an insulative effect and traps the heat at the bottom. If you don't stir the mash the urn has trouble heating the entire mash and the thermostat may cause the element to cut out as it thinks its reached the desired temp. Some people with exposed elements even get scorching of the bag and/or grains - probably best avoided. As the paint mashers are very effective at lifting the grain bed, you can give a couple of pumps and get thorough mixing, leave it for a few minutes and then repeat until you reach your mash out temp. Much better than constant stirring for the 10-15 minutes it might take to ramp up in my book. As its BIAB there's not the worry like other methods where you would like to avoid disturbing the grain bed. This method doesn't seem to affect clarity of the finished product and other experienced brewers have indicated that it can help efficiency in BIAB without doing a sparge. I'm quite willing to listen if anyone has a downside to doing it.

 

[mje1980]

I'm a biab brewer myself. I just lift the bag, peg it to the sides and whisk for a minute or two while the gas heats the liquid from the bottom. After anywhere from 5-8 mins I whisk, for maybe a minute then check temp. Grain gets moved around fine with the whisk.

 

[thuperman]

The paint mashers are not better for splitting dough balls when mashing in but they are really good at lifting the grain bed during mashout in biab.

Earle and others, how do you generally split / avoid dough balls during mash in when brewing solo? One hand pouring grain from bucket with the other stirring with a spoon / whisk? I usually have both hands on the bucket pouring from a height (~40cm). Got that from the BIABBooklet (page 3). Do I get dough balls / clumping? Not sure, I don't think I have ever really stirred my mash well enough to find out.

 

[Weizguy]

i used one of these for a while http://www.bunnings.com.au/mixer-paint-100mm-p010030_p6330564

until i left it out in a bucket of water and it rusted

Much better for aerating the wort at pitching, rather than mash mixing.

I bought a red one at SuperCheap auto for a few $ (I think on special for $5)

 

[earle]

Earle and others, how do you generally split / avoid dough balls during mash in when brewing solo? One hand pouring grain from bucket with the other stirring with a spoon / whisk? I usually have both hands on the bucket pouring from a height (~40cm). Got that from the BIABBooklet (page 3). Do I get dough balls / clumping? Not sure, I don't think I have ever really stirred my mash well enough to find out.

Rather than pour the grain in from the bucket I use a scoop in one hand to add the grain and mash the paint masher with the other hand. When there's not enough left in my grain milling bucket to use the scoop, its light enough to be lifted one handed.

I got a scoop like this one http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/361344153081?limghlpsr=true&hlpht=true&ul_noapp=true&hlpv=2&chn=ps&lpid=107&ops=true&viphx=1 but for a buck or two from the cheap shop. I also use it when measuring out unmilled grain.

I reckon I got dough balls on my first ever BIAB as I just poured the grain in from the bucket then stirred it with the metal spiral style paint stirrer. Terrible efficiency. Since then I use the paint masher with the above method and problem solved.

I have thought about rigging something up so I can hang a hopper of grain from the same place that I hoist my bag and just opening a valve and letting it pour slowly while I mash in but so far I've only been bothered to buy the pvc ball valve. That was a year or two ago so it seems the scoop works well enough.

 

[Weizguy]

I also have a similar scoop to this, for emptying the grain bin into the tun. Bought it from the LHBS (hey, Mark) years ago.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-X-2-5L-Plastic-Feed-Scoop-for-Horse-Feed-or-any-Animal-Food-RED-FS83R-/231057117348?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item35cc13d0a4

Saves tipping the grain in and getting dust everywhere. Scoop a bit at a time. Square corners on the scoop can get into the corners of the grain mill bin/catcher.

 

[Feldon]

Earle - ever thought of using your winch to lower the grain bag into the water at mash-in? Would be like underletting, but instead of raising the water level slowly from underneath the grain bed, you lower the bag slowly down into the mash water.

 

[earle]

Hadn't occurred to me but sounds like an option. Have you done this? How would it go for dough balls? Lots of mixing required?

 

[Feldon]

No I haven't done it. The idea came to mind while reading this thread. If the bag were lowered slowly and progressively it should uniformly saturate the grain. I don't have a winch, but I'll try it manually next time (if the biceps can stand it).

 

[earle]

Let us know how you get on. I don't have a winch either, just a double pulley system. Should be less weight lowering dry grain compared to hoisting a bag of wet grain at the end of the mash. I do like the idea though - anything you can do to save time without sacrificing quality is well worth considering.

 

[Bribie G]

When I lived on a bus route and was doing the up and down action with my paint thingo I always made sure I was facing the garage door.

A great benefit when doing BIAB in an urn is that constantly lifting the grain bed during temperature ramps with the element running, leads to a more even mash temperature and avoids boiling wort in the space under the cake rack or whatever you use to keep the bag off the element.