Mac's Mega Mash Monsta

[MacStill]

Here's a project I'm working on for myself to use as a mash tunn, I'm finally ready to take a leap and try my hand at all grain brewing for bourbons and whiskies. x_x

The mash tunn is based on a 300L esky using Hilly's HERMS heat exchanger with a 1/2 copper tube false bottom & march pump.

I'll explain the build in a bit more detail as I go, but here's a few pics to show how it's shaping up.

The esky

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The false bottom ready to solder together.

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False bottom & dribble bar to return mash to the tunn after heat exchanger.

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Here's where the pump is mounted, and the 3 way valve.. the valve will direct the mash either to the dribble bar, or once the mash is done into buckets for transfer to the fermenter.

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If any of you all grain guys see a drama sing out, nothing is soldered as of yet and mods can be made at this stage... just remember though this is not a beer system and will only be used for making mash to distill.

I'll be building a frame to hold the heat exchanger independent of the tunn, and am going to use camlock fittings to hook it up for ease of set up and cleaning.

My aim is to mash enough in one go to fill a 100L fermenter, for a 100L boiler charge :D

Cheers.

[the Doctor]

That looks amazing mate...well done.
Doc

[Kimbo]

Keep the Pics coming Mac, I'm in the process of scrounging the parts to build one too so I'm very interested to watch this build :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[the Doctor]

Kimbo I just started the video of the single malt method using passive conversion in esky's. Mate this method is the bees knees for whiskey.
Doc
P.S. more photos please especially some close ups...I love the way this is constructed, simple and effective. Cheers.

[Kimbo]

Kimbo I just started the video of the single malt method using passive conversion in esky's. Mate this method is the bees knees for whiskey.
Doc

:clap: :clap: Brilliant, I can't wait to see it Doc :happy-partydance:

[the Doctor]

I really think Macs nailed it here...I was thinking a false bottom but the pipe has plenty of area for draining, why make the build harder.
Doc

[Kimbo]

Yes, I was wondering the same thing. I was just chatting with Hill because I was concerned about Corn clogging the system, He didn't really have any issue with that.

[Smbjk]

Yes, I was wondering the same thing. I was just chatting with Hill because I was concerned about Corn clogging the system, He didn't really have any issue with that.

Looks great mac. As the grain bed settles with circulation it will compact and become a natural filter. One thing you have to be carefull of is your dribble bar. Most all grainers have a dirbble bar ( sparge arm ) over the top of the grain bed and usually it spins around to allow a more even distribulion of liquid so the sugar conversion from the grains is maximized. Liquid will usually find the path of least resistance and if it is concentrated at one end you may not get a efficient conversion of starch to sugar.

http://www.howtobrew.com is a great read. Section 3 will give you a great insight to mash conversion

Wish my mash tun was that big I only have a 40lt :mrgreen:

[Bushy]

Looks like great setup there Mac. I will be following yr allgrain adventures with interest. Look forward to seeing the grain bills you can put through that. I would have thought corn would be too goopy to sparge.

[MacStill]

I've been told to use plenty of rice husks bushy, plus if I do use corn it wont be 100% of the grain bill ;-)

Guess I wont know till I try it, worst case will mean fermenting the mash on the grain :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[MacStill]

Bit of an update:

I've decided to change the sparge arm to a larger diameter 3/4" pipe & will be putting a few small holes in it to figure out a spray pattern, once I've tested it with water I'll drill more holes or cut slots to direct the spray enough to cover the grain bed.

Also built a stand for the heat exchanger, and plumbed in the whole tunn... just a matter of a few fittings and some thread tape now and I think it's ready for testing.

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:happy-partydance:

[Kimbo]

Looking nice mate, I can't wait to get a start on mine.
How long are your elements mate?

[MacStill]

Looking nice mate, I can't wait to get a start on mine.
How long are your elements mate?

Elements are 250mm long, but allow a bit more for evaporation :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[1 2many]

That will be a nice mash tun Mac , can i suggest you don't solder both ends there is no need and will help when you need to pull it down to clean. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Kimbo]

Looking nice mate, I can't wait to get a start on mine.
How long are your elements mate?

Elements are 250mm long, but allow a bit more for evaporation :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Cheers mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

That will be a nice mash tun Mac , can i suggest you don't solder both ends there is no need and will help when you need to pull it down to clean. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yeah that's not a bad idea ;-)

[Smbjk]

Hey mac. Loking good buddy :handgestures-thumbupleft: I know you probably already know but make sure your slots on your
false bottom are facing towards the bottom of the esky. This will enable your grain bed to settle and create a great filter. Rice husks will help as you are going to produce a high sugar conversion but they are not totally necessary if you start it slow so you dont compact the grain bed to fast. The last thing you want is a stuck sparge :angry-banghead: . Looks awesome though :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[MacStill]

yeah false bottom has about 200 x 1.5 mm holes on the underside, I think that part should work quite well, also has a valve between it and the pump to slow things down if needed.

Also the mash tunn is built so it can be pulled apart occasionally for cleaning, but most times I reckon I'll just pump citric acid and water through it once I'm done mashing.

Cant wait to try it out, nearly as exciting as my first bubbler build :dance:

[Smbjk]

:handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: mate you got it sorted just make your dough in paddle from a nice piece of wood burn a fsd logo in it and you could sell them aswell :laughing-rolling: I'd buy one at least to keep the kids in line :laughing-rolling:

[Kimbo]

also has a valve between it and the pump to slow things down if needed.

I was thinking about this too, I managed to score a free swimming pool pump which I was thinking of wiring it to a fan speed controller.
That way I could control the flow.
What do you guys think? Ya recon it'll work?

[MacStill]

Got my final few pieces today and ordered my grain, got a sack of medium peated barley and a sack of golden promise on the way :dance: :happy-partydance: :dance:

So this arvo while I'm having a beer or three I'll be running water through it to get the sparge arm spraying nicely, then give it a good clean out ready for my first mash in a week or so :D

Pics a little later, gotta go back out to the shed..... fuck mowing lawns today :laughing-rolling: