Why build a RIMS / HERMS???

[kegtoe]

I have been brewing beer about a year. did 12 or 14 extract, then ac ouple partial mashes and now All grain.

Recently i have been getting excited about possibly building a RIMS system. IT looked cooal so I did a lot of research and read tons of posts on this site, etc. After being set to get working on the project I asked my self "why". I get great beers, effficiently and effectively by doing a single stage infusion mash.

I am reading a lot of issues with controls, burnt/carmalized wort, stuck sparges, COST, etc. other than it looks cool and gives the homebrewer more equiment to DIY, why would i go with RIMS??
What are its advantages??

 

[weirdboy]

Well it's a lot easier to do stuff like step mashes, ramping the mash temps over a period of time, etc. You can automate the process, which means less work on brew day.

I guess you probably already know this, but HERMS is not the same as RIMS. RIMS are direct-heated and so there is more potential for carmelization, etc. With HERMS that potential is slim unless something is very, very wrong with your system.

Also with regards to stuck sparges, I see more people bitching about stuck sparges with single infusion than with any RIMS/HERMS system.

 

[kegtoe]

i've heard that the constant recirculation of the water packs the grains.

 

[jvino]

Only if you recirculate to fast or mill the grains into powder.

 

[pickles]

It gives you the ability to maintain mash temps and depending on your control process it can be done very accurately.

 

[thorongil]

It's all about consistency. With a means of controlling your mash temp, you can recreate the same good beer over and over again. The real challenge in brewing is not making good beer, but consistently making good beer...

 

[bendavanza]

You certainly do not need either to make good beer. It's a nice tool to have, and as others said, consistency. You can also cook sous vide with it.
Also it's fun for people who are into gadgets, like me.

 

[Catt22]

It's mostly about mash temp control.

 

[CodeRage]

Of all your concerns, cost is possibly the only one that has merrit. Even then that can be offset, I don't have an HLT so the cost of building versus a RIMS is moot.

With proper placement of your probes scorching isn't an issue with RIMS, The worse you could do with a HERMS is start to denature the enzymes.

As far as direct heating and carmalization goes, it's not an issue. I've been using a 4500W RIMs element and a 5500W high density element in my BK for several months now, I haven't noticed a difference and no one has said anything that even suggests it.

Why build one? Well for me it was something different at the time.

 

[kegtoe]

code i liked your links, you should do one on welding

 

[Ricand]

I like my Brutus direct fired NG MLT with PID control. Recirculate through the entire mash and I can easily step if I want to. It nails the mash temp every time and holds it, no overshoot, and my efficiency is high 80s. Gas is cheaper than electric here, I'm in a top tier .49/KWH range.

 

[kegtoe]

if you look at my turkey fryer method would i still use (or) could i benefit from some recirculation???