About BREWHA Mashing
Why do we call ours the world's most satisfying mash tun? In short, because temperature is so critical to the mashing process and we provide you with two ways to precisely control it. Accurate monitoring and adjusting of mash temperature has never been so easy.
First, a word about mashing. In the mash tun, enzymes (a type of protein) 'cut up' very large sugars (carbohydrates) into smaller pieces producing a sugary mixture called 'wort'. There are two main kinds of enzymes that produce two sizes of sugars in your wort. One kind of enzyme produces tiny sugars that yeast can digest, producing alcohol and CO2 as waste products, the other type of enzyme produces larger sugars that remain in your beer providing sweetness and body. The main factor that encourages the activity of one enzyme over the other is temperature—a lower mash temperature (closer to 60C/140F) means higher alcohol (since it favors the kind of enzyme that produces tiny sugars that the yeast can digest), and a higher mash temperature (closer to 70C/158F) means more body (since it favors the enzymes that produce medium-sized sugars that remain in your beer). Temperature also influences other compounds that are pulled out of your grain, influencing the taste profile. If the temperature rises too high (especially an issue with stove-top heating) compounds can be pulled out of the grain that contribute an unpleasant taste to your beer. Since temperature influences enzyme activity so significantly, precise temperature control in your mash tun is critical to producing a consistent quality of wort.
BREWHA provides two ways to accomplish precise temperature control of your mash. The first is through a 'RIMS' (Recirculating Infusion Mash System) type system that heats the wort up under the screen in the mash tun by use of a heating element before it is recirculated back to the top of the mash tun (pump can be purchased here). If you install a heating element, it is recommended that you use a digital temperature controller to regulate power to the heating element to avoid overheating the wort. The BREWHA 60L mash tun comes with a second thermowell under the mash screen for the temperature probe/thermistor on an electronic temperature controller that will shut the element off if the temperature of the wort rises above a set point, and turn it on again when the temperature drops below it. The main benefits of using a RIMS system are more precision, faster heat up time, and reduced equipment cost (a hot water tank is not absolutely necessary—only necessary if you require another vessel to supply hot water for sparging).
The second means of precise temperature control in your mash tun is through the use of the 'HERMS' coil (Heat Exchange Recirculating Mash System) in the hot water tank that with the help of a pump cycles wort through your Hot Liquor Tank, warming the wort up to the temperature of the water in the Hot Liquor Tank, before it is cycled back to the top of the mash tun.
If you control your temperature using a 'HERMS' coil in the Hot Liquor Tank, a 240V/5500W element is recommended as you have a large amount of water to heat up and a smaller element might be too slow. If you use a RIMS system a 120V/5500W element is sufficient as you are only heating the small amount of water under the mash screen at any one time and precise control can be easily obtained through the use of digital temperature controller (sold as part of one of our complete accessory kits).
Using either method (or both), the BREWHA mash tun allows you to control your mash temperature more precisely and easily than any other product.
Believe us, you'll like being satisfied.
(Read more about improving mash efficiency on the BREWHA blog page.)
