Mashing in a tea urn

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I've just bought exactly the same unit, but for my sparge water. Although it is listed as a 20 litre urn, filling to the internal "Max" line is only 18 litres by my count (I've only done it once and will double count next time). I reckon you might get 20 litres in it filled to the very brim.

Unless you're going to do smaller batches, I think the volume of this would be too small for mashing.
 
phillc said:
I've just bought exactly the same unit, but for my sparge water. Although it is listed as a 20 litre urn, filling to the internal "Max" line is only 18 litres by my count (I've only done it once and will double count next time). I reckon you might get 20 litres in it filled to the very brim.

Unless you're going to do smaller batches, I think the volume of this would be too small for mashing.
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In the past ive done 23 litre batches or whatever the coopers kit says. Ive no problem knocking it down a bit. But in essence this should be a good bit of kit yeah?
 
BrewMcBrewFace said:
But in essence this should be a good bit of kit yeah?
Click to expand...

For sparge water! And I've only used it once so far.

I hadn't considered mashing in it as I have a Klarstein Brauheld for that. I know you're looking to save some money, but as your mash tun I think this would be a too small for 23 litre batches. I also have no idea really how good the thermostat is, so you'd need to be constantly testing temperatures. I have nowhere near as much experience as others on the forum, so maybe they have other opinions.
 
I have a very similar kettle, but 25l with a max fill line of 22l
Realistically I can do a 20l mash with 3.5kg grain using BIAB and it's full. Once I take the bag out, I can do a 4l batch sparge and bag squeeze and end up with about 21l of wort to boil.
It's boils moderately vigorously and gives about 16l post boil in the fermentor.

Temp accuracy is rubbish on the dial. 65c indicated is actually 71c, which is what I aim for with my strike water and the measuring sight tube is not accurate either, so I manually measured and marked the units with a Sharpie up to 22l

But all that being said, it works and as long as you are happy doing slightly smaller batches, it's a very cheap way of doing BIAB. Everything in one pot without the expense of a grainfather. However what you could do is a 15l mash with much higher grain bills and back liquor after putting it in your fv and still get 20-25l brews. But that adds complication with calculating IBU's and risks contamination when adding the water and I've only done it a few times.
 
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ill get one and see where i get to, smaller batches are probably better for me anyway. i assumed id have to determine the temperatures it achieved myself, ill grab the UKAS probe at work and have one hell of an accurately brewed beer lol!
 
BrewMcBrewFace said:
ill get one and see where i get to, smaller batches are probably better for me anyway. i assumed id have to determine the temperatures it achieved myself, ill grab the UKAS probe at work and have one hell of an accurately brewed beer lol!
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@BrewMcBrewFace ler us know how you get on, I would be interested in seeing how the urn works in practice. I struggled to find a cheap urn for a while but would have gone for this had I found it.

Cheers, Nick
acheers.
 
Well the boiler/urn has arrived. A few pictures for you. Just need so fi d some base malt and ill have an attempt. Is anywhere still selling it?

IMG_20200422_164205.jpg
IMG_20200422_164212.jpg
IMG_20200422_164227.jpg
 
Is that 110 at the top of the dial. If so it should maintain a boil. Looks remarkably similar to my Ace boiler I've had for 5 years now. Has done the job but the thermostat is totally unreliable.
 
Cwrw666 said:
Is that 110 at the top of the dial. If so it should maintain a boil. Looks remarkably similar to my Ace boiler I've had for 5 years now. Has done the job but the thermostat is totally unreliable.
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Ive heard the thermostat is unreliable, im gonna dip a thermocouple and see what i get. It is 110 yeah, thats what caught my eye.
 
NPi said:
Looks great @BrewMcBrewFace, have you tested it with the full 20 liters, might find it takes more. Or you may need that room for the boil.

Looks like great value for the money!
Cheers, Nick
Click to expand...

Im gonna have a trial boil this weekend and test the volume then as well. Im assuming the volume markers are junk as is the thermostat but if it works it works!
 
Right, nothing goes to plan does it, however i now have the following supplies, all i could bloody get due to demand and some bits i had already... help!

Northern brewer
Fuggles
Styrian goldings bobek
Target
Chinook
Citra
Kent goldings.

6kg Lager crushed malt
1kg low col rye crushed malt
750g of black crushed malt
1.5kg of low col chocolate
750g flaked barley
750g flaked maize.

i like the idea of the lager and rye with some barley/corn for head retention etc... i need some advice on the hops... no idea what to use!
 

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