Mash Tun

[Acott]

Hey All,

I'm looking to purchase a Mash Tun, not looking for large capacity as the max I will be brewing is 2.5 gallons.
If anyone is looking to sell, or knows somewhere selling please let me know.

I was thinking of building, but finding a cool box in January is proving difficult!

[Greg2013]

Hey All,

I'm looking to purchase a Mash Tun, not looking for large capacity as the max I will be brewing is 2.5 gallons.
If anyone is looking to sell, or knows somewhere selling please let me know.

I was thinking of building, but finding a cool box in January is proving difficult!

If you are going to be doing 2.5 gallon batches you should consider brew in a bag method.

[Acott]

I've thought about going down the BIAB route but I prefer to use a mash tun and sparge so I get the most fermentable sugar, colour and flavour from the grain.

I feel that if you use a bag you are going to end up with a lighter, lower alcohol beer then originally designed, I know you can use extract but it's all about the grain 

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I feel that if you use a bag you are going to end up with a lighter, lower alcohol beer then originally designed, I know you can use extract but it's all about the grain 

There are people out there getting 85%+ extract efficiency with Biab. This myth needs to be out to rest. Recipes do not need to be adjusted because you are mashing in the bag.

[armedcor]

Yea biab is definitely not an inferior way to brew. My last 3 brews have overshot the OG by a bit and I got 75% efficiency in my last IPA

[Acott]

I cant speak from experience as I haven't tried BIAB, but from what I have read, I've made the above assumption. I did look in to it as a viable option and I'm not saying it's inferior.

So far I have been mashing in a pot and then sparging using a sieve, as you can imagine this is a pain in the proverbial, and using a bag would definitely be a massive benefit. But another problem I have is the mashing temperature, constantly watching the pot and monitoring the temperature has me tied to the hob. A good mash tun should hold the correct temperature, maybe losing 2 degrees over a 60 minute period. This would give me the freedom to sanitise, divide hops, watch cat videos all without worry

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I cant speak from experience as I haven't tried BIAB, but from what I have read, I've made the above assumption. I did look in to it as a viable option and I'm not saying it's inferior.

Most of the people writing that Biab under mashes are parroting myths perpetuated and written by people who have never done it, or who tried it once and screwed it up.

The amount of Chinese whispers in brewing is huge.

If you want to stabilise your mash temp, and you are doing small batches, preheat your oven, switch it off and pit your mash pot in there.

[Acott]

That's a brilliant idea, but right now my oven is a throwback 50cm jobbie (rented accommodation), and unfortunately my pot wont fit in it!

You seem headstrong on BIAB so I am willing to give it a go. Although I'll still be keeping an eye out for a mash tun. I see people use both it and the BIAB method, mixing the heat retention of the mash tun and the handiness of the bag.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Bab is the cheapest and most accessible all grain brewing method, hate to see people spooked off from it when it could really suit them.


People who do both, tend to break out the mash tun, when they need to stick to precise or complicated mash recipes. The software support is much more mature for 3v set ups . Also for high gravity brewing, lifting any more than 8kg of grain starts to get very impractical when it is soaking wet

[Acott]

Any recommendations regrading what bag to go for? I see there's a couple knocking about

[johnrm]

Going the 3 vessel route is great fun, but makes for a more cleanup. BIAB can produce commercial quality beer as well as a 3v system, it's really down to the skill of the brewer.
Many seasoned 3v brewers do BIAB depending on how the mood takes them.
It's like have a Ferrari and a go kart in your garage - both will turn heads driving down the main street!

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Get a large sheet of voile and some bungee cords. Cheap as hell, and it will do you while you evaluate commercial bags.

Also consider getting a second bag, as a big hop bag

[Dr Horrible]

Lidl are doing mesh laundry bags, three different sizes for 2.49 this week, that might well be worth a shot for both BIAB or hop bags.

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

They are no good as a mash bag, but they might be useful as hop bags, leaf hops only though.

[Acott]

Just out of interest, do you sparge or do a full volume mash?