I need some opinions on an equipment purchase. I am converting to electric brewing and will be buying a single 5500W vessel for my HLT, HERMS and BK. I use a 120 Qt cooler for my mash MLT. My single heater approach is this:
So cleaning is my main concern. With my immersion chiller, I take it out, hose it off, put it back in the BK and pump PBW as CIP for 20 or 30 minutes in the BK. It is also easier to carry out to my garage and use my air compressor to purge the water from inside the coil.
So what is your opinion as to the immersion coil vs built-in HERMS coil for this process?
Thanks,
-Greg
- Heat mash strike water in BK, then pump to MLT.
- Heat sparge water in BK which also holds my immersion coil. I recirculate my mash through this coil as a HERMS.
- For mash out, I transfer the sparge water to a second pot, temporarily, so my BK is empty for lautering - possibly with a 1500W bucket heater to prevent heat loss in the second pot. (yes, I realize this one extra step of transferring the sparge water, but I do not want to pay for and store yet another 20 qt pot)
- Lauter into the now empty BK. Sparge from the second, temporary holding tank.
- Boil
- Use the same immersion coil in the BK to cool the wort.
So cleaning is my main concern. With my immersion chiller, I take it out, hose it off, put it back in the BK and pump PBW as CIP for 20 or 30 minutes in the BK. It is also easier to carry out to my garage and use my air compressor to purge the water from inside the coil.
So what is your opinion as to the immersion coil vs built-in HERMS coil for this process?
Thanks,
-Greg