URN BREWING QUESTIONS?

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ridge runner

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My urn cleaned up good just did a 15L test run have a few questions for the URN BREWERS :

1. set to 100 with 15L to start took 15 min to get boil. Then turned on and off 1/2 a doz times. will grain additions stop this and keep a rolling boil ?
Tried 105 and got a good rolling boil for an extra 10 min with no stops before turning off.

2. if not can you get the temp kill switch turned off ?

3. If i set it to say 65 deg for a 60 min mash and it turns on and off it self to regulate temp is there the need to rap in a blanket ?
 
wouldn't trust the urn thermostat, use a thermometer. Are you BIAB, if so you can burn the bag without adequate protection from the element. As far as boil goes turn up to 105 and let it go.
 
You first question seems to suggest you want a rolling boil while the grain is in there. Is that a typo?
 
1. Did you fill it up with hot water? I find that it only takes a 10 or so mins to get to mash temperatures if I use hot tap water. As a trial last weekend I used cold water and it took over half an hour to get 32 litres to the right temp. Although as bum mentioned, not sure what you are boiling with grains in it.

2. Not sure.

3. You don't want uneven heat in your mash which is what would happen if you left the urn on. That's why you get to the desired temp, turn the heat off, and do what ever you need to do to regulate the temp. I wrap an old doona and a sleeping bag and get around 1 degree loss over 90 mins.
 
This thread is all over the place.

OP;

how big is your urn. Why only 15 L?
What sort of brew are you doing - BIAB all grain? extract?

More info required so we can assist you.
 
I agree with seamad, don't let the urn thermostat keep your mash temp. Use the thermostat to get strike temp then wrap in a few layers once yiur grains are in and you're happy with mash temp. If you found the temp dropped during the mash you could turn it back on but you'd need to keep the bag (I'm assuming BIAB) off the element and keep stirring while ever the elements were on so the temp was uniform. I'm not sure how technically correct it is to add heat during a mash though without purposely doing a decoction mash but that's a whole nuther thing :) I did it once when my mash had dropped 2deg below ideal and it didn't seem to adversely affect the beer. Ideally though you just want a uniform temp for the whole mash and an urn thermostat won't do that job.

For the boil you want a constant rolling boil so keep it on max the whole time. If its set any less it will turn off and on.

Bribie's right though, more info re your setup
 
Yes bum typo sorry no grain in the boil.

was cold water from tap will use hot on brew day lukiferj (20min from cold start not too bad)

15L only 20L urn Yes extract till now hope to do a BIAB now I have urn. Before someone says it I do small batchs mostly and thats cool with me. If I make a beer that rocks I do a 20L next time.

I will use a doona or sim just if you could set and forget seemed too good to be true has anyone tried it? How low does temp drop before it kicks back on anyone know?

Thanks for the help everyone its good to know if people have tried the things they tell you not to do.
that way you know they know what there talking about and not just repeating what someone has told them.

All great info on this site. ok tooo much typing time for more beer!
 
Heaps of people have tried it....

i used to BIAB in a 20 litre urn. Once I had doughed in and adjusted with cold or hot water to reach my mash temp I covered the urn with a camping mat, a few towels, a cushion on the lid and a few moe towels on top.

I only ever lost .5 of a degree over a 90 min mash. Sometimes in th dead of winter on a freezing cold day it may have dropped more so I would uncover the urn crank up the dial and stir constantly while the heat was on until it reached temp again. usually only took a minute or two. Then re-wrap and it was fine for the rest of the mash.

While you have grains and a bag in there it is a must to ALWAYS stir whenever you apply heat.
 
thanks truman for that, whats the best thermostat to use with an urn? digital i was thinking with a cord or maybe floating one? I have a large cafe coffee type one for stove top extract boils would this be ok to use with the urn its long enough to sit on the side.
 
gillie said:
thanks truman for that, whats the best thermostat to use with an urn? digital i was thinking with a cord or maybe floating one? I have a large cafe coffee type one for stove top extract boils would this be ok to use with the urn its long enough to sit on the side.
Manually test your temp with one of these
 
I would go the stc-1000, not only can it display the temp you can just dial up your strike water temps and walk away etc. Also the display can be read from a distance, so if you are crushing the grain etc it can be read without having to stop and walk up to the pot. If you later go 3V, or even want a brew fridge the stc-1000 will be handy.

QldKev
 
Thermometer was what I meant to say cheers crusty, but QLDKEV set and forget you say interesting. STC-1000 looks like what I made for my beer conditioning fridge to control temp. Never thought to use on the urn.
 
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