Mash Tun Decision

[danzey]

I am deciding between a 15 gallon Blichmann boilermaker with false bottom or a 15 gallon Glacier Mash tun. $500 for Blichmann, $420 for Glacier with shipping.

All grain, wanting to do 5 or up to 10 gallon batches. I will be using a herms system. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[powermd]

I am deciding between a 15 gallon Blichmann boilermaker with false bottom or a 15 gallon Glacier Mash tun. $500 for Blichmann, $420 for Glacier with shipping.

All grain, wanting to do 5 or up to 10 gallon batches. I will be using a herms system. Any input would be appreciated.

I did the Blichmann 15 for my mash tun using their matching false bottom. My setup sounds similar to what you're planning. I have a 3 kettle HERMS setup using 3500W induction burners for the BK and HLT.

Here's what I've learned regarding the mash tun… it's a great piece of equipment. I hit 90% efficiency today with a Yellow Dog Pale Ale clone doing a 0.045 in crush, recirculating mash, and 30 min batch sparge. My best by far. I credit much of the efficiency to NOT using a nylon bag for my grains (had been doing this to ease cleanup), and draining the wort slowly from both the mash and sparge.

My only misgiving with the system is that with smaller batches you tend to lose a lot of heat from a big mash tun. The difference in temp between the center of my grain bed and the recirc output is usually at least 2-4 degrees. For example, my grain bed temp measured at 151-152F, and the kettle output temp was 149-150F. To maintain these temps, I have to keep my HLT at 160F. Ideally I'd like to see these numbers much closer having gone to this much trouble. I find myself wishing I had considered a plastic Minibrew mash tun instead, but it just doesn't look at cool

Maybe I'll just have to insulate the thing to get where I want to go.