Anyone else using a BCS controller?

[Baron Ken]

Funny name for the beer, I like it.

I still think your low eff is caused by the single braid regardless of your no sparge technique. Since you are using a pump to recirc. the entire mash without stirring the mash to suspend the sugars I think you are getting some channeling. If you have $15 and 45 min. of time, I would seriously think about a manifold. Copper or CPVC. Then you wouldn't have to worry about rice hulls again.

Thanks Andy for your advice. I'll look into making a manifold. I'm not too worried about efficiency in the 60s since the beer turns out good, but an increase in efficiency from simply switching to a manifold is worth doing.

About the stirring of the mash. Should I be stirring the mash periodically? I haven't been because when I do it causes the runoff to get cloudy/particles that I don't want in my kettle. I usually vorlauf a bit before I start the recirculation. I suppose I could runoff into a container while I stir the mash, then when clear again connect back to the kettle.

Again, thanks.

[Blktre]

Funny name for the beer, I like it.

I still think your low eff is caused by the single braid regardless of your no sparge technique. Since you are using a pump to recirc. the entire mash without stirring the mash to suspend the sugars I think you are getting some channeling. If you have $15 and 45 min. of time, I would seriously think about a manifold. Copper or CPVC. Then you wouldn't have to worry about rice hulls again.

Thanks Andy for your advice. I'll look into making a manifold. I'm not too worried about efficiency in the 60s since the beer turns out good, but an increase in efficiency from simply switching to a manifold is worth doing.

About the stirring of the mash. Should I be stirring the mash periodically? I haven't been because when I do it causes the runoff to get cloudy/particles that I don't want in my kettle. I usually vorlauf a bit before I start the recirculation. I suppose I could runoff into a container while I stir the mash, then when clear again connect back to the kettle.

Again, thanks.

A typical batch sparge needs to be stirred in between batches. Some brewers stir before every batch some dont. But I think its a good idea to suspend the sugars between batching.
I fly sparge and dont stir. I prefer the grain bed to act as a filter while using my pump. But I have a properly built manifold designed to the geometry of my tun. I think your method is closer to fly sparging that's why I think a manifold would really help you out. I average 80% eff on my system. Sometimes better, sometimes a tad short.

Im not sure stirring the mash with your technique will work very well since you are going into your Kettle>MT during the mash unless you do what you just described. Id be worried about particles in the Kettle if you dont. Again, I think a manifold in your system would be a improvement.

http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixD-1.html

[klickcue]

Ken,

I have to agree with Andy on channeling. It is the nature of the beast.

I batch sparge and Andy fly sparges and you have what your are calling a no-sparge.

I use a manifold on the bottom of the ice chest but other people like Denny Conn use the braided wand. So, if batch sparging, the 1st water is added to the grain for a period of time (until conversion is complete) to create a saturated solution of sugar in the bed. The bed is refilled with hot water to saturate with the remaining sugar. (I am sure you know how the process works), I am including this for other people. The remaining saturated solution is drained off for the beer.

Kai has done experiments with batch sparging http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?ti ... g_Analysis which shows little bit can be gained with up to 3 sparges.

Now with your system of running a single braid wand and recirculation the sugar solution, you may not touch all the grain with sparge and you are recirculating sugar with the water so the water can go into sugar saturation quickly because of the lower temperature and the excess sugar is left in the bed until the final draining into the kettle which leaves extra sugar in the grain bed.

Just my 2 cents, but build a CVPC manifold with the slots down. Don't glue the elbows and tees together to make cleaning easier if necessary and use the bottle of the vessel to hold the manifold together. Use Palmer's advice to build a manifold. CVPC is cheap.

I like your system.