AIO system

[alsch890]

Hi there,

I know I've asked this before but I still don't fully understand and my boiler has taken a further turn for the worse today. I currently have a klarstein boiler and a cooler box mash tun. I heat the mashing water, do the mash then heat the sparge water and sparge into a bucket before transferring the wort back to the boiler for the boil.

I've seen this on offer over here in Czech Republic and thinking to get this. I think I can still use my boiler to heat the sparge water, until it gives up the ghost completely.

https://www.expondo.co.uk/royal-catering-home-brew-mash-tun-30-litres-2-500-watts-10010891
What I don't know is how do you actually sparge with one of these? Any advice welcome on this or a similar system. I've done about 45 brews on mine but still can't get my head around it.

Cheers!

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi, inside the kettle the is a mash basket or grain basket with a removable perforated plate at the bottom looks like this, you put it in the kettle to mash and sparge then lift it out to do the boil, hence the name all in one, you will no longer need your mash tun

 

[Rodcx500z]

This is my kettle, if you look you can see the grain basket, this is the mash and recirculating stage, when the mash is done you lift the basket it sits on a spring loaded ring at top of the kettle, sparge and let it drain, the little hole is we’re the handle goes there is another hole on the other side

 

[stuarts]

This explains it using a brewzilla

 

[Rodcx500z]

The ring it sits on

 

[The Baron]

That one is the same as my AOI with a different badge on it. I have done over 200 brews on mine and it still works well, as explained it is simple just lift the mash/malt pipe onto the legs that sit on the inner brackets at the top and sparge then let it drain.
Dead easy

 

[alsch890]

Thanks for all the replies and apologies for the late follow up. So I still need to keep my existing boiler alive for heating sparge water. Anyone had experience of running both of these off the same circuit?

 

[The Baron]

Use one on your cooker plug usually at the side of the cooker switch if you have one then transfer to a bucket or two to carry to your brew as carrying the boiler is a bit risky. This will use a different circuit to your normal socket outlet

 

[alsch890]

Realised I should have said I am in Prague so we have slightly different electrics. Our cooker is wired in and anyway is two stories up as I brew in the cellar. I'll have to think it through.

 

[AllanL]

I'm only just gathering information and equipment at the moment so I'm very much a newbie

But it's my intention to heat all the water in the all in one then drain off the sparge water into a cooler to stay warmthen sparge from the cooler

It's less expensive equipment and no need to have 2 high current prices pluged in at the same time
A

 

[alsch890]

Hmm, I like your thinking. Maybe I can heat more to start with them drain into my existing boiler. Then use the small element to bring it back to temp. At the same the AIO would be on a low current so it might not be much more than my first ever setup which was a homebuilt bucket boiler with two kettle elements wired up.

 

[Rwilts]

This is my current process , work well.

Post in thread 'My (almost!) first AG brew day...' My (almost!) first AG brew day...

 

[DuncR]

My extension lead with two socket cuts out if trying to power my sparge heater and run the AIO at 2k.
I heat the sparge water whilst the AIO is at low power during mashing and all ok

 

[LeeH]

You can sparge with cold water. Try it.

 

[Rwilts]

You can sparge with cold water. Try it.

But your cooling your wort as you try and heat it up , so yes it will work but will add time to the brew day. Also cold water is less effective at rinsing the sugars from the grains so you will loose efficiency..

 

[LeeH]

But your cooling your wort as you try and heat it up , so yes it will work but will add time to the brew day. Also cold water is less effective at rinsing the sugars from the grains so you will loose efficiency..

But you need a 2nd vessel, that was my point. Efficiency loss is marginal, if any.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Also cold water is less effective at rinsing the sugars from the grains so you will loose efficiency

Is this actually true, or just one of those oft repeated claims?

 

[Rwilts]

Is this actually true, or just one of those oft repeated claims?

Who knows .

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Also cold water is less effective at rinsing the sugars from the grains so you will loose efficiency..

Guaranteed you will lose time efficiency as you need to heat that cooler mass of mash with added cold sparge water.
There is only a little bit more sugar that dissolves in hot water as compared to cold water but that's in the super saturated solution situation. Our mash and sparge water is not near that level of concentration.
Squeezing the grains very hard will get more sugar out but then we open up the tannins debate.

@alsch890
Do you have a kettle for tea etc? you can use this to heat your sparge water pour it on and then quickly heat some more. Most AIO don't use a lot of sparge water normally about 6 to 8 litres for a 20 litre to fermenter brew.

 

[Brewnaldo]

I use 10 litres of sparge water. Generally speaking, I boil the biggest pot i have on the cooker, add a couple of boiled kettles, then top.up to 10 litres with cold. Usually comes put around 70 degrees or close enough.