Dumb Mashing Question

[Trodd]

Ok, so i've made 6 batches so far, and had to toss 3 of them. (6th one is conditioning now). According to my homebrew shop, i had a lactic bactera infestation. This normally comes from baking. I was mashing in the oven to keep a constant temp. My last batch i mashed on teh stove top. My first 5 batches had a cidery taste to them (normal for the lactic bactrea) 2 of them were slight, so we drank them, the other 3 were a HEAVY taste so i tossed them (with a tear in my eye). I just bottled my last batch last monday, and there was NO cidery taste. I was stoked.

Now i am looking into a better way of mashing. Im thinking of making a hybrid version of the Phils Laudering Tun (round cooler lauder tun and plastic bucket for the sparge water). My dumb question is that can you mash in your laudering vessile, or should i mash in one vessle and then transfer it to the tun? I think that i can mash in the laudering tun, (with the false bottom and all associated hardware), i just need some insite. Thanks!

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Most of us mash in our lautertuns, so that would be the standard 'homebrew' way to do it.

 

[the_bird]

Here's the monster thread on making a lauter tun from a cooler - very straightforward. Now, I've just got to break mine in!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=8805

 

[Trodd]

Im thinkig of buying a basic lautering tun from Norhtern Brewer, and then a 5 gal cooler by rubbermaid from target and then taking all the hardware from the kit and making it out of the cooler, since the cooler tun kits are like $150, and that is just crazy!

 

[the_bird]

Everything that you need to modify the cooler is in the plumbing department at Home Depot. You might buy a false bottom, but I hear better things about a stainless steel braid (which you also buy - attached to a hose - from Depot). Basically, you need a ball value and some various connections, couplings, bushings, and whathaveyou, nothing that someone with zero plumbing experience such as myself couldn't handle. No soldering required.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Even if you picked up the infection in your oven, the susequent boil would kill anything that got in there. I've mashed in the oven before with fantastic results and I know of an AGer who has been doing it for 10 years without problems.
I suggest you look elsewhere for your source of infection.

 

[Trodd]

From what i have heard, (mostly form my g/f who is studying micro biology) not all bactera will die in a boil. A lactic bactera could be one of these. I have an apt with an old oven, and since i cant clean it good enough, i figure why risk it.

Im hoping that this new way of mashing will work out so that i can finally make consistant beers. I clean and sanitize everything beyond what i think is necessary. Im not sure what else might be giving off this off taste / bactera.