Keggle Mash Tun

Brewing Processes
1

So I’ve stepped up my game and I have an insulated Keggle Mash Tun utilizing a March 809 pump to recalculate the liquid.
In the past I’ve used a cooler and Batch Sparged. So with this new keggle/pump/burner set-up I have a few questions:

  1. Since the MT is being recirculated continuously do I still need to do a Batch Sparge?
    (The reason I’m asking this, couldn’t I just put ALL the water needed into my MT keep it at 152ish THEN just raise the heat to 170 for the last 10 minutes….done?)

  2. Because I’m continuously recirculating the liquid, do I still need to do a Vorlauf?

  3. Do I use a paddle to stir the Mash since I now have heat under it to keep it at a constant temperature?

My upgrade will be the Blichmann Tower of Power in a few weeks to control the burner. But for now, it’s eyes on with manual adjustments.

2

I believe that efficiency comes into play when you do not sparge. It serves as a rinse and really ensures you wash all of the sugars off of the grain.

3

So I guess that leads into my first question.

[quote]couldn’t I just put ALL the water needed into my MT keep it at 152ish THEN just raise the heat to 170 for the last 10 minutes….done?
[/quote]

4

Expect about 50% efficiency if you do not do a sparge. I have tried the no-sparge method a few times and that seems to be true every time. When I do a separate sparge, I get around 75% efficiency.

5

I thought so too, but I got shot down here:  http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=13754.msg174204#msg174204

6

I get around 63% with no sparge. If you are concerned, just run some more water through into a separate kettle and do a partigyle. That will get your overall efficiency up in the high 80s. Plus, twice as much beer!

I really like no sparge. I think it results in a maltier brew but this is a totally non-scientific, perception based finding.

I don’t stir the mash after I mash in anyway and it has not been an issue so far. at least not that I can tell so no you don’t need to stir. although with direct heat I supposed there is risk of hot spots and scorching. but the recirc should prevent that.