StillSmart

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-03T06:50:42+00:00

Nothing wrong with that, if it works for you.

However it is not a recognised best practice and I would not recommend it.
This is why AG home brewer standard kit tends to be ..
1. boiler for boiling (tea urn)
2. insulated box for mashing [often a picnic cool box]
3. Fermenter

Here is an eBay example.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mash-Tun-Home ... 2c9b237faf

Most people tend to make these themselves. They are a continual source of DIY posts on brewing forums - just like we discussed building stills.

BASIC AG process.
Get water to about 72°C in boiler.
Tip into cooler box and add grains ensure you get to the temperature you want [probably 62-66°C ish]- then seal it up and come back in 90 minutes.
Drain cooler box into boiler. [Sparging as necessary]
Boil. Cool, pitch yeast, airate then ferment etc etc

The exceptions to this process is a Braumeister / grain father etc which do it completely differently. I can only speak for the Braumeister - its method I would liken to perpetual sparging by pumping the wort continuously through the grain, which is held in a seive. and the element is controlled very, very accurately & gently.

THAT SAID. with a power controller [and NOT a stat] you could probably get bloody close manually!!

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Wed Jun 03, 2015 6:50 am

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-02T23:44:24+00:00

Anavrin wrote:

The idea being you can keep the mash temp constant without needing loads of insulation or you can step mash at different temperatures just by dailing in the next temperature value.

Mashy wrote:
Indeedy. The topic is tea urn. Changing a stat. This would not be any good for heating during mashing without further mods.

I must be missing something here...
I have used my tea urn with concealed heating element,no insulation,no lid,occasional stir,using built in thermostat,and separate thermometer to check,to mash,with good results.
It may be redneck,and labour intensive,but don't try telling me that it doesn't work.

It's also a redneck reason for leaving the original controls on the urn,and being able to power it up,with or without a power controller,just re-connecting the thermostat when wanted.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Tue Jun 02, 2015 11:44 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-02T07:34:33+00:00

Indeedy. The topic is tea urn. Changing a stat. This would not be any good for heating during mashing without further mods.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:34 am

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-01T21:50:58+00:00

I've always fancied making a Herms/Rims for my mash tun, just never got round to it, still might make a rims as I have a few of the needed parts, only thing is I haven't brewed since I built my still, this game is far more interesting

Worth saying both options have the heating element outside the mash tun, I wouldn't have a working one inside, it'll burn the grain.

Anyone not familiar with these systems you basically have a pump connected to the mash tun, pumping the liquid through the system, there's then a temp controller controlling the heating element and thermostat in the mash tun.

The idea being you can keep the mash temp constant without needing loads of insulation or you can step mash at different temperatures just by dailing in the next temperature value.

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Mon Jun 01, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-01T16:53:52+00:00

Hi Mashy
Its easy to change heating temperatures when making beer if you have either a HERMS (heat exchange recirculated mash system or a RIMS (Recirculating infusion mash system. I personally have the HERMS and it serves me well.
regards
Runningman

Statistics: Posted by Runningman — Mon Jun 01, 2015 4:53 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-01T16:01:58+00:00

Absolutely I don't think I would do AG beer now if I didn't have the BM.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Mon Jun 01, 2015 4:01 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-01T08:44:44+00:00

Mashy wrote:
....Heating during mashing often causes a maillard reaction which leaves a burnt or jammy taste......

In conventional mashing this would be true but in my twin tub grain masher and other grain processing setups like it, i.e. the Braumeister, Grainfather, etc., the heating is constant and with no adverse effect on flavour.

If I had to mash to old way I don't think I'd bother with grain....I'm too lazy these days

AidanMac

Statistics: Posted by Almanac — Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:44 am

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-01T05:55:32+00:00

Easydrinker wrote:
I don't know about magic duvets,but before you hold a wash at mashing temps,you need to heat it there,and a tea urn can do the job.
HTH

Robert.

It often looks a lot nicer to leave the existing controls in place. And, just use a project box wired into the power cable.

Mashing needs you to get the correct temperature and then hold it. Power controller or stats will get it there. Duvets hold it Heating during mashing often causes a maillard reaction which leaves a burnt or jammy taste - now here's a thought- would that pass through in distillation? - probably a little in a pot still ?

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Mon Jun 01, 2015 5:55 am

Re: Tea Urns

2015-06-01T00:19:13+00:00

@ Benoit,yes,I left the original controls in there,so that I could quickly re-connect the urn's built in thermostat to use as a rough mash tun,WITHOUT the power controller.
In my case it meant simply pulling two spade connectors from the urn thermostat controller,and connecting them together.And plugging the urn into my home assembled controller with standard plug socket,for use as a still.
I don't know about magic duvets,but before you hold a wash at mashing temps,you need to heat it there,and a tea urn can do the job.
HTH

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Mon Jun 01, 2015 12:19 am

Re: Tea Urns

2015-05-31T17:50:42+00:00

You don't need heating elements for mashing you need duvets

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Sun May 31, 2015 5:50 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-05-31T08:57:34+00:00

Thanks for the help, my voltage controller came a couple of days ago so I can have a tinker & hopefully not get curly hair in the process! It's an all inclusive little box with heat sink etc all built & ready to go so I'll attach it straight onto the element & rip everything else out.
I think I understand what some have done a little better now, by bypassing the thermostat the element will go full pelt regardless of what 'number' the dial is set to and you then have separate control that's altering the voltage going in. If I take all the original controls out the new box will do that task directly so I'm ok!
Am I right in thinking you guys have only left the original controls in to save overworking the relay if you decide to mash in it?

Benoit

Statistics: Posted by Benoit — Sun May 31, 2015 8:57 am

Re: Tea Urns

2015-05-28T22:34:56+00:00

I have just edited the above post as somehow the wrong link was posted,and it made no sense.
Hopefully it does now.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Thu May 28, 2015 10:34 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-05-27T23:03:18+00:00

In my case,I simply took the base off the urn (single screw),pulled the spade connectors from the temp. controller,and connected them,bypassing the thermostat.
And I plug it into a home assembled a power controller,fitted with a standard socket.
Copied from here,easy peasy.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1001&p=7821&hilit=Power+controller#p7791

It's two minutes effort to wire the thermostat back in to use the urn as a red-neck mash tun.
HTH.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Wed May 27, 2015 11:03 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-05-27T14:07:13+00:00

I prefer crimps. New controller goes straight on to the element.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Wed May 27, 2015 2:07 pm

Re: Tea Urns

2015-05-27T12:33:22+00:00

How much of the old guts of the machine did u leave in? I haven't had chance to start taking mine apart yet but my new controller came this morning (4kW SSR from Amazon), I can solder & weld ok but electrics bite back so I've avoided them as much as possible...until now!

Benoit

Statistics: Posted by Benoit — Wed May 27, 2015 12:33 pm