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Efficiency question for brewers that recirculate your mash.

Post #1 made 13 years ago
by lakedawgs
Have not been to biabbrewer.info in a while, nice to be back looking around.

I have been doing BIAB for a while with 72-74% efficiency.
Considering going electric and recirculating the mash with a pump.
First, what kind of efficiency can I expect once I get my system dialed in?
Second, I have a plan in place but can anyone point me to a good design for this type of system?
Thanks much,
Lakedawgs
Last edited by lakedawgs on 16 Mar 2013, 22:09, edited 1 time in total.

Post #2 made 13 years ago
by Aces high
I was recirculating through a herms unit then back into the main pot. The herms unit was run via an STC1000. This all worked great and it kept the mash temp perfectly set on the mash temp. Unfortunately I never saw a change in my efficiencies, it just meant extra stuff to clean up at the end of the mash.

If like me you've got the itch to build something, then go ahead and do it, but i dont think its going to make your brewing any better, maybe just a bit smoother on your mash temp.

for a cheap start up you can't beat this pump http://gryphonbrewing.com.au/product_in ... cts_id=502

and this controller http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DC-12V-Digit ... 3ccb581bd3

Make sure you get the right voltage stc 1000 to suit your country voltage
Last edited by Aces high on 16 Mar 2013, 08:18, edited 2 times in total.

Post #3 made 13 years ago
by lonetexan
I started out using a pump to recirc during mash, now I don't. If you are not careful with your recirculating flow rate you will end up pulling too hard below the bag and create an air pocket. If you create an air pocket, you run the risk of your element scorching (been there done that). You won't have any scorching issues so long as the element is fully immersed.

Now, I bring the water up to mash in temps with the pid controller while recirculating (my temp sensor is in the outlet of the kettle), turn off the pump drop in the grains, then set the pid on manual control at about 5-6%. I don 't recirc during mash, just come around every 15-30 minutes and stir. My mash efficiencies run in the 82% range and this is over the last 10-12 batches. Total brewhouse efficiencies in the 75% range. I will use the pump to recirculate during chilling with an immersion chiller, helps speed up the chilling process and with the temp sensor in the outlet T, I can dial in my pitching temps.

Read around, there are a lot of other things that affect your efficiencies. Just "recirculating" is not a recipe for better efficiencies.

Post #4 made 13 years ago
by thughes
I wasted a bunch of time and money fiddling with recirulation, you'll find all the sorrid details here. Pay special attention to post #'s 67 and 68. If you feel the need to do it anyway (let's face it, we're all a bunch of stubborn bastards who refuse to take good advice) please let us know how it works out for you in the long run.

---Todd

Been
there
done
that
got
the
t-shirt
Last edited by thughes on 24 Mar 2013, 22:23, edited 2 times in total.
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