Step Mash In An Esky Tun?

[geoff_tewierik]

Hi all,

Had a look at AndrewQLD's Hefe recipe this morning as I'm a fan of that type of beer, but it involves different steps in the Mashing regime. As I have an esky tun, this wouldn't be an easy prospect, i.e. gas burner wouldn't work

So how does everyone else go about changing the temperature in their esky mash tun for step mashing? From what I could gather of using the Search function it appears some people use an imersion heater. Is this the only way? Any other alternatives?


Cheers,

GT

 

[chovain]

I usually try to use infusions if I can get away with it. My house hefe has a rests at ~ 43, 65 and 77, from memory, and uses just over 4kg grain. My tun is only 25L, but I'm usually able to do the infusions if I make the 43 rest *really* thick.

If I ever do a a recipe that just won't fit in the tun, I often do a decoction to hit mash out, or for part of the sacchrification rise. Brewing software is your friend for doing all the gnarly calculations.

 

[Inge]

Hi all,

Had a look at AndrewQLD's Hefe recipe this morning as I'm a fan of that type of beer, but it involves different steps in the Mashing regime. As I have an esky tun, this wouldn't be an easy prospect, i.e. gas burner wouldn't work

So how does everyone else go about changing the temperature in their esky mash tun for step mashing? From what I could gather of using the Search function it appears some people use an imersion heater. Is this the only way? Any other alternatives?


Cheers,

GT

Could always add hot water to take the mash up to the desired temperature :icon_cheers:

 

[chovain]

Could always add hot water to take the mash up to the desired temperature :icon_cheers:

The point is that it's not always that straight forward for those of us with small tuns. With 4 rests running from 42 through 78 (as AndrewQld's recipe has), you just run out of space if you don't plan ahead. I doubt I could get 4.5kg grain to run from 42 through 78 in my 25L tun while actually having the 42 thin enough to have any effect.

 

[Snow]

You could get yourself an electric immersion heater. A number of brewers on this forum use them and there are a few discussion topics relating to this use, I think. Just do a search.

Cheers - Snow

 

[Maple]

not sure if this is the right or wrong way to approach this, but what I do is for 2 step ie protien/sacc rests, I just use infusion, for 3 step (or more, although I haven't ventured that far into it yet) I'll do a decoction/infusion - pull the liquid off, heat it up to required temp and infuse to hit target temp. might be totally off base, but that's what I have done in the past.

Others here are far more experienced and will point you in the right direction, but never hurts to just give things a go and see what happens. my 2 cents

 

[AndrewQLD]

As Maple said, a decoction could well be the answer. However I have never attempted a decoction with a wheat based beer before so can't really give any advice there.
But I will tell you this, the mash schedule I use in my Weizen is based on Zwickels one and it makes a HUGE difference to the finished beer.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[ausdb]

The question is how big is your mash tun?
Boiling water infusions dumped straight in out of a pot work well, if you run it in via gravity it will not be boiling by the time it gets into the tun so do that for the first few steps. If by the time you get to the end of yor mash schedule your tun is getting full the use the same pot you had boiling water in to pull a decoction for the next step or the mashout.

A 12L stainless pot with a thick base is a handy thing to have when mashing, you can have a few litres of water sitting there at the boil at dough in if you dont quite hit your strike temp as a kettle doesnt always seem to hold enough. Plus its not that big that you cant pick it up and dump the contents straight out.

On a final note I havent looked at Zwickels mash profile yet but I would suspect it is like the one on the weyermann site for the JBW weissbier with steps in the regions of 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's then it is well worth it esp if you are using german malts.

 

[oldbugman]

Decoctions are great for weizens, it really accentuates that bready goodness.

I normally do 1 infused step and 1 decoction(often to mash out.)

 

[Wrenny]

I use a couple of methods - infusion or decoction, depending on the beer and how I feel.

For an infusion, if you want to go from x temp to y temp, then you add z litres of boiling water. Like the others have said, you are limited on the amount of step ups based on the volume of you mash tun.

For an decoction, if you want to go from x temp to y temp, then you pull out z litres of the wort, boil it and add it back in. I always used to draw off the wort through the manifold, meaning I only boiled liquid. I have since learn't that this is a vienese decoction, and while it will get your tempretures right, it won't give you the full decoction flavour. To do this, you need to boil grain and wort. This will give it a really malty flavour.

Beersmith automatically calculates it all for you. I highly recomend getting this. I think you can use it free for a trial period. You just put in the temps you want to hit, initial water to grist ratio and it calculates how much boiling water to add, or how much to draw off and decoct.

Cheers,

Wrenny

 

[rich_lamb]

Here's a tip if you have a small equipment and can't do infusion steps...

I have only 20L of esky space, and a 25L kettle. I do the lower temp steps in the kettle under direct heat - as they are cooler and shorter you'll find they sit nicely without much adjustment. Then you come up to sacc temp and dump it all in your pre-heated esky.
For this you need a kettle you can move around - or as suggested a secondary pot.

 

[jonw]

To do this, you need to boil grain and wort. This will give it a really malty flavour.

I've been thinking of trying a decoction for a while. Are you drawing off the 'thickest' pat of the mash i.e. as much grain as possible with as little wort as possible. Doesn't boiling thick mash result in scorching problems, or do you just stir constantly?

 

[geoff_tewierik]

Thanks for the replies so far - am reading them as they come in.

The question is how big is your mash tun?

36L Keep Cool circular esky.

 

[kevo]

The Knights of the Mashing Fork website has a tools section including a calculator which tells you how much boiling water to add to the mash to make each temperature step.

www.kotmf.com

Has some other useful calculators too.

Hope it helps.

Kev

 

[dr K]

I tried a stepped infusion wheat similar to the Weyermann in an esky but the beer was far from good, it had a definite phenolic like plastic aroma combined with a burnt rubber character...and that was before I added the yeast.
Last time I ever direct heat an esky with a Nasa burner I can tell you, to add insult to injury it wrecked the esky....

K

 

[Tim F]

I have an esky mash tun tried a 2 step mash the other day. I started by just using a lower grain:water ratio and then another infusion to get to the sacc rest. I found this quite awkward because the first mash was a bit too stiff to mix well with the water, and the second infusion filled my esky without quite hitting my strike temp. I did a decoction to bring it up a few degrees and was surprised how easy it was - I'll be using this method exclusively in future.

I used the calculator here http://www.birminghambrewmasters.org/tool-decoct.html
The only advice I would give is when adding your heated grain/water back to the mash tun, add it bit by bit and check the temp in between, it is easy to overshoot, and if you have some leftovers, let them cool for a while before adding them back in.

 

[bugwan]

My 36L rectangular esky is the limiting factor in my set up... I've done up to four steps in it - just make sure you use close to boiling water for each step to minimise the volume required. I also have an immersion heater though and these are a god-send. It's like doing the world's quickest decoction - direct heat to the grain bed, except without removing any grain. I run the heater up and down the mash, with a decent thermometer moving in the opposite direction (and a beer in the other hand ).

I prefer to use the HLT for all the water additions though, so I'll now do one (or two max) infusions and the other steps (if any) will be done with the heater.

You'll be surprised what you can get done in a 36L tun...

 

[chiller]

Thanks for the replies so far - am reading them as they come in.



36L Keep Cool circular esky.

What are the rests and the total weight of the grain in the tun?

Steve

Oh and 36 litres should be fine

 

[dr K]

I also have an immersion heater though and these are a god-send. It's like doing the world's quickest decoction - direct heat to the grain bed, except without removing any grain

Whats a decoction,?? sounds like weird drink or some sicko form of birth control....

 

[chiller]

Whats a decoction,?? sounds like weird drink or some sicko form of birth control....

Google is your friend -- a little research may expand your understanding. And it is neither of the above - unless you apply it in a manner not intended

Steve