Wort Return

[Thefatdoghead]

Can I please get some ideas on wort return for my HERMS?

I currently just use a piece of silicone tubing that sits on top of the mash with a float, but I think I am getting too much channelling with this.

Any photos/ ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know your setup Dan but if you have a round mash tun you could make a simple copper/stainless sparge arm that spins 360 degrees with hot wort returning back over your mash. I spose you would have to vorlof until first runnings were clear for this to work but I have seen the same idea except bigger in an english brewery making 20m2 a day. The arm just spun from the flow of the wort coming out the nozzles (or holes) in the arm. If your tricky with a lathe or know someone you can make it without any seals in the vertical shaft.
I have seen a homebrewer use one and it worked perfect. The mash at the english brewery just floated about 600mm from the perferated bottom in the tun, they just adjusted the flow rate so it stayed at the right height.
Not sure if that was the answer you were after but thats what I always wanted to make when I had a 3 vessel.

Gav

Edit-Was it wort return for whirlpool or recirculation? Sorry.

 

[Adam Howard]

I use a stainless soup ladle with the silicon tubing zip-tied to the handle. Works a treat, permanently borrowed the ladle from my folks and it mimics the action of an expensive Beerbelly mash return dish.

It has a hook on the end of the handle that hangs on the edge of the opening but the ladle can just sit on the grain bed as well.

 

[Wolfman]

Her is a pic of mine Wolfman, I use a RIM system.

Cheers Razz.

I use a stainless soup ladle with the silicon tubing zip-tied to the handle. Works a treat, permanently borrowed the ladle from my folks and it mimics the action of an expensive Beerbelly mash return dish.

It has a hook on the end of the handle that hangs on the edge of the opening but the ladle can just sit on the grain bed as well.

That's what i'm talking about! Cheers Adamski!

 

[barls]

nice what i was looking for.

 

[Yob]

I am really interested to see some pics of what people are using for the wort return. I am looking into Rims/Herms and need to gain a better idea of this. I have a Rubbermaid cooler that I use for my mash tun, but any pics at all will do.

Hay man, if thats a rectangular cooler Ive battled to get a good return and finally came up with this (which works quite well)



I quickly sketched up an elevation so you can see how it works.



I love that it's adjustable for variable grist sizes... I went through quite a bit of copper before I came up with this version

used it about a half dozen times now and love it, will probably replace the timber support arm with an aluminium arm at some point if I can be arsed.

Yob

 

[Wolfman]

Looks the goods Yob.

 

[brettprevans]

I should have taken one with the whole herms rig visable.

anyways here's what i had going. doubles for the Ghetto Eqiupment thread also!


using the mash paddle and one of the kids coathangers that i commandeered.

if you have a keggle tun then the silicone tube does wrap around nicely inside the top lip. even more nicely if you have insulation on the silicon (you just just see mine - the black stuff). You can get if from bunnings in the piping/plumbing section