Mash tun?

[Jake]

If you're looking for a false bottom, I think I saw that ontario beer kegs is carrying them now ... not sure of the dimensions, but could be worth checking out

[Jake]

And by the way, do you know where these units can be bought, and also, do you know what they'd sell for? Pretty sweet looking unit

[lmo506]

I got this one from a guy in Petitcodiac , 2nd hand for....i'm thinking less than $500. That was 13 years ago. I think they are at least a couple grand new. If i ever see another one i'll  post it for sure

[fakr]

very nice!

are you able to control the steam heat precicely?  if so great.  Set it to your mash temp and leave it...that should keep the whole mash at a constant temp.

I used to have major issues with maintaining mash temps, though the beer was still great, just not consistently the same.
I've since built a herms coil that sits in my hot liquor tank and I recirculate wort through the coil from the mash tun, back into the mash tun.  the water in the hot liquor tank is at a constant temp and maintains the mash quite precicely.
Not sure how much you know about that type of mash heating but it's call HERMS (heat exchange recirculation mash system, or heat exchange recirculation infusion mash system).

[lmo506]

I done some searching different sites for something similar to the one i have. I'm getting prices from 4000 to 11,000

Fakr
yup, it will hold a temp within a degree or two.

[Richard]

Holy shit... might be worth selling it and getting some specialised gear!

[lmo506]

OK,
Between boiling sap and chasing leaks I got my MLT ready to go. I got a 15 inch FB for it and that leaves 1 gallon of liquid under the FB. The drain is underneath the fb 2.25 iches and smack dab in the center. All wort can be recirculated and pumped to the brew pot. Now i'm wondering...for any given recipe , do i add a gallon or go with the recipe, or would it depend on the feel of the mash when i stir it in?
And the syrup season sucks so far , 545 gal ... should be well into 1000

[fakr]

bad season for sap because of the warmer temps or is it not getting warm enough through the day?

So after you completely drain the mash tun, you're left with 1 gallon of liquid?  are you able to get your dip tube a little closer to the bottom?

I wouldn't be overly concerned as the last gallon of liquid out of your mash tun is quite a low gravity anyway (1.008 or so).  Just add an extra gallon of sparge water to your sparge and you should be good.  it's that extra gallon of sparge water that will remain behind.

[McKraken]

I think he means there is a space between the bottom of the grain bed and the bottom of the tun.  I think the question was how this would impact his mash thickness.

[Chris Craig]

It shouldn't affect the mash thickness at all if he accounts for the dead space.  I believe software like BeerSmith calculate the mash thickness, then add the dead space value when calculating the strike water volumes.

[Chris Craig]

Correction.  It also takes into account dead space in the boil kettle.  In any case, The mash thickness should not be affected.

[Richard]

Whatever the gap is, you could increase mash water volume by that amount and your mash thickness would remain the same. What CC said, I think - I've not used that software.

[lmo506]

Yes, mash thickness was what I was meaning. I was hoping to get down to your mash occur tomorrow but mother nature is going to keep me here. I have two brew brew buddies ( nephews ) that are supposed to go though. Their easily led astray, so be easy on them