Minimum vessels for LODO

[maisch]

What is the minimum vessels for a LODO system? Has anyone figured out a 1 or 2 vessel design?

 

[schematix]

2 does a fine job. 1 is iffy.

I have a 2x20 gallon for MLT and BK to do 10G packaged volume. I heat strike water in BK, pump to underlet MLT, then pump back to BK. This is full volume mash, no sparge.

I used to do 3V with sparge but I find this to be so much simpler. There are a few drawbacks to no sparge but for what I make the simplicity is too big a benefit.

 

[Iseneye]

I use 2. Heat in boil kettle then transfer to mash kettle then transfer back to boil kettle. No sparge. I need to get a bigger mash kettle though since I am topping out with moderate grain bills.

 

[maisch]

2 does a fine job. 1 is iffy.

I have a 2x20 gallon for MLT and BK to do 10G packaged volume. I heat strike water in BK, pump to underlet MLT, then pump back to BK. This is full volume mash, no sparge.

I used to do 3V with sparge but I find this to be so much simpler. There are a few drawbacks to no sparge but for what I make the simplicity is too big a benefit.

I use 2. Heat in boil kettle then transfer to mash kettle then transfer back to boil kettle. No sparge. I need to get a bigger mash kettle though since I am topping out with moderate grain bills.

Do you guys recirculate or step mash? How are you facilitating that in your mash tuns? RIMS, HERMS, built in element with bag/basket?

 

[schematix]

Do you guys recirculate or step mash? How are you facilitating that in your mash tuns? RIMS, HERMS, built in element with bag/basket?

I do a RIMS. HERMS requires 3 vessels.

 

[Iseneye]

For best results you should both recirculate and step mash. I directly heat my mash tun via propane burner as it is a standard steel pot.

 

[jdauria]

I use 1 kettle BIAB..don't preboil or under let. I treat water with baker's yeast/corn sugar and then after 1.5-2 hours slowly lower the bag in to the kettle.

 

[Die_Beerery]

I do a RIMS. HERMS requires 3 vessels.

No.. The HERMS goes into the kettle. I had a 2V herms eons ago.

 

[Murphys_Law]

For those doing 2V systems, how efficient are you in moving from the mash tun back to the boil kettle? I heat my water in the kettle, move to an igloo 10G round cooler and then back to the kettle for boil but I feel like I'm struggling with getting as much wort in the kettle this way (i.e. lifting the bag and letting it drain gave me a lot more wort / far less absorption). I am also doing no sparge.

I'm using what I'd call the "traditional" false bottom for this set up (doomed mesh screen) and don't feel there is enough "dead space" for the grain bag to fully drain so I was looking at raising the false bottom to above the valve to help draining, or I suppose I could simply account for the volume loss by jacking up my grain absorption rate.

So, what / how are you guys doing to maximize the volume of wort making its way back to the kettle?

Hope this makes sense!

 

[maisch]

For those doing 2V systems, how efficient are you in moving from the mash tun back to the boil kettle? I heat my water in the kettle, move to an igloo 10G round cooler and then back to the kettle for boil but I feel like I'm struggling with getting as much wort in the kettle this way (i.e. lifting the bag and letting it drain gave me a lot more wort / far less absorption). I am also doing no sparge.

I'm using what I'd call the "traditional" false bottom for this set up (doomed mesh screen) and don't feel there is enough "dead space" for the grain bag to fully drain so I was looking at raising the false bottom to above the valve to help draining, or I suppose I could simply account for the volume loss by jacking up my grain absorption rate.

So, what / how are you guys doing to maximize the volume of wort making its way back to the kettle?

Hope this makes sense!

I don't have one of these systems but if there's any amount of dead space under the false bottom and a suction is maintained during run-off I would think that would be enough to get all of the wort out. Now if the suction is broken because the flow from the bag slows or stops then you might try a press plate where-by you can press down on the mash squeezing the wort out.

 

[Schlenkerla]

2 does a fine job. 1 is iffy.

I have a 2x20 gallon for MLT and BK to do 10G packaged volume. I heat strike water in BK, pump to underlet MLT, then pump back to BK. This is full volume mash, no sparge.

I used to do 3V with sparge but I find this to be so much simpler. There are a few drawbacks to no sparge but for what I make the simplicity is too big a benefit.

Whats the draw backs?

 

[schematix]

Whats the draw backs?

The drawback of no-sparge is that the practical limit to gravity is about 1.070, and starts to take a hit around 1.060. You can go higher, but it becomes incredibly inefficient and requires an oversized mash tun to get there.

Assuming you can get 100% conversion, your main loss will be in the liquid stuck in the grain. In no sparge the mash gravity is your pre-boil gravity and the liquid left behind is sugar saturated.

 

[Schlenkerla]

The drawback of no-sparge is that the practical limit to gravity is about 1.070, and starts to take a hit around 1.060. You can go higher, but it becomes incredibly inefficient and requires an oversized mash tun to get there.

Assuming you can get 100% conversion, your main loss will be in the liquid stuck in the grain. In no sparge the mash gravity is your pre-boil gravity and the liquid left behind is sugar saturated.

I tend to brew session beers so that seems like a pretty good option to me.

You're doing a recirc via HERMs or RIMS right? My system set-up not geared for re-circulation. Been thinking gravity recirc between two vessels underletting... I'm waiting on all the bunch of parts from mail order. I'm in the transition to LOB. I was never underletting before. This will be a big improvement for me. Thinking of safety and handling of hot liquids.

 

[schematix]

I tend to brew session beers so that seems like a pretty good option to me.

You're doing a recirc via HERMs or RIMS right? My system set-up not geared for re-circulation. Been thinking gravity recirc between two vessels underletting... I'm waiting on all the bunch of parts from mail order. I'm in the transition to LOB. I was never underletting before. This will be a big improvement for me. Thinking of safety and handling of hot liquids.

I do a RIMS.

Recirculating the mash yields a lot of benefit.

If i had to go back to my early days of cooler brewing and do it again I would have built a small dedicated 120V RIMS tube/controller(or rheostat) and pump combo early on.

I think you're going to struggle a lot trying to keep a system low oxygen & transferring between them, as in it won't stay low oxygen for long.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I do a RIMS.

Recirculating the mash yields a lot of benefit.

If i had to go back to my early days of cooler brewing and do it again I would have built a small dedicated 120V RIMS tube/controller(or rheostat) and pump combo early on.

I think you're going to struggle a lot trying to keep a system low oxygen & transferring between them, as in it won't stay low oxygen for long.

I have a lot to think about here. The grain conditioning, HLT/yeast scavenging, underletting, no-sparge, close system fermentation with keg purge, then closed transfer and spunding/FFT will make a big difference.

I pulled the trigger on the 1000 ball mash cap. For now I plan to stir with a mash paddle. Its budget limitations for me but doing the easy things first for improvements.

The big incentive is the safety aspect as I hand poured my strike water to the MLT and HLT. Also hand poured to my fermenters too. Adding a valve to BK is desperately needed feature for me. Long past due.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I do a RIMS.

Recirculating the mash yields a lot of benefit.

If i had to go back to my early days of cooler brewing and do it again I would have built a small dedicated 120V RIMS tube/controller(or rheostat) and pump combo early on.

I think you're going to struggle a lot trying to keep a system low oxygen & transferring between them, as in it won't stay low oxygen for long.

Been looking at this poor man's peristaltic pump. Just inside the cooler with the crank outside. LOL

https://www.acehardware.com/departm...rts/utility-pumps/4032363#ratings-and-reviews

 

[schematix]

If you’re gonna spend $50 on that trash you should look at some of the less expensive 12VDC pumps.

 

[Schlenkerla]

If you’re gonna spend $50 on that trash you should look at some of the less expensive 12VDC pumps.

Yea... You're right.

Personally, it'd like to scrap my BK, HLT, MLT and go all SS.

Living on a budget to retire early.

 

[Schlenkerla]

@schematix

Got my BK fitted with a valve and thermometer tonight.

Bought MFL barbs for keg purging on QDs. Thought they'd ship with them and was sadly wrong.

 

[schematix]

Yea... You're right.

Personally, it'd like to scrap my BK, HLT, MLT and go all SS.

Living on a budget to retire early.

Budgets are no fun. Think of this as an investment rather than an expense.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Budgets are no fun. Think of this as an investment rather than an expense.

The wife would rather I quit all together.