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- Mar 12, 2013
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I mash in a converted keg with a false bottom and dip tube and currently batch sparge. The false bottom sits at the point where the curve of the bottom of the keg starts. Because of this, there is 4qt/1gal under the false bottom during the mash. This is not dead space because the dip tube allows all of this water to be extracted from the tun during vorlauf and mash runoff.
This article (http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue5.2/miller.html) from brewing tecniques, although dated, gives a decent description of my situation.
In practice, this means calculating (on my own or using the "water requirements") my strike and sparge water based on my water/grain ratio for a batch (I have read a feature is coming to adjust this batch to batch!) and then add 4qt to the strike water and subtract it from the sparge water. Therefore, my volumes in practice are always different than the listed volumes in my recipes and brew sessions.
The feature I would like to request is this: A box in the "equipment settings" tab for "foundation water". This amount would then be used along with the mash thickness and other variables to calculate the water volumes in the "water requirements" and the "mash calculator." Foundation water is different than the available choice of "launter dead space" because it is not left in the tun upon draining.
The part I am unsure about, and maybe others with more experience using a false bottom would know, is how this would affect strike temperature. In my four batches since moving to the false bottom from a braid, I have not noticed a major difference in strike temperature with the extra gallon of water. I have been calculating my strike temp based on the grain ratio only and seem to be hitting my mash temperature accurately.
While I realize that I could just increase my mash thickness to compensate, mash thickness changes based on grain bill and the foundation water is a fixed amount regardless of grain bill or batch size.
Any information or advice on this issue would be appreciated.
This article (http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue5.2/miller.html) from brewing tecniques, although dated, gives a decent description of my situation.
In practice, this means calculating (on my own or using the "water requirements") my strike and sparge water based on my water/grain ratio for a batch (I have read a feature is coming to adjust this batch to batch!) and then add 4qt to the strike water and subtract it from the sparge water. Therefore, my volumes in practice are always different than the listed volumes in my recipes and brew sessions.
The feature I would like to request is this: A box in the "equipment settings" tab for "foundation water". This amount would then be used along with the mash thickness and other variables to calculate the water volumes in the "water requirements" and the "mash calculator." Foundation water is different than the available choice of "launter dead space" because it is not left in the tun upon draining.
The part I am unsure about, and maybe others with more experience using a false bottom would know, is how this would affect strike temperature. In my four batches since moving to the false bottom from a braid, I have not noticed a major difference in strike temperature with the extra gallon of water. I have been calculating my strike temp based on the grain ratio only and seem to be hitting my mash temperature accurately.
While I realize that I could just increase my mash thickness to compensate, mash thickness changes based on grain bill and the foundation water is a fixed amount regardless of grain bill or batch size.
Any information or advice on this issue would be appreciated.
