Stirring the mash ?

Production methods from starch to sugars.

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Blarney Stoned
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Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

For those of you doing AG mashes using either enzymes or going the all cook step process would you care to share with me how much time is spent stirring the mash.

I have an ancient 1/2 inch drive gear reduction drill that would be a good tool for mashing but I'm just not ready to put it into harms way just now. Alternative route would be a bench mount drill press or even a floor mount for my very small shed. Thinking a bench mount with the motor swung 180* would be just fine.

Thoughts ?

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Truckinbutch
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Truckinbutch »

SRD and I went with router speed controls to regulate the drill speed and built overarm drill mounts . With constant stirring over direct propane heat we have never experienced any scorching . The conversion rates , for amateurs , are impressive .
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

TB, Time spent stirring say for 15 gallon (estimate as I have a 60 quart BOP) would be helpful ?



Thank you.
Last edited by Blarney Stoned on Sat Jan 28, 2017 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by BayouShine »

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 83&t=53731

You can make a simple little setup like this since you already have the drill. I run mine constantly while cooking corn.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

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Blarney Stoned wrote:TB, Time spent stirring say for 15 gallon (estimate) would be helpful ?



Thank you.
Heat up time to 190 degrees + 1 1/2 hrs at 190 for high temp conversion . Cool down to 150 degrees and add low temp enzyme and cook below 150 for another hour and a half . I'm sure that this can be fudged to some degree . We are just following the protocol we started with until we get comfortable with it enough to experiment with shortcuts .
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

Thanks, TB. Sounds like 4-5 hrs. possibly. A bit much for my old drill to handle.

This will work. Free shipping.Wanted a cheap drill press for quite awhile but couldn't justify the expense.I'll put a box fan next to the power head.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Skil-10-in-P ... /204504289" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by rgreen2002 »

BS... have you tried craigslist? I see two or three drill presses a day there. Hand drills that you could get cheap too and use only for mixing. Harbor freight too...
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by still_stirrin »

rgreen2002 wrote:BS... have you tried craigslist? I see two or three drill presses a day there. Hand drills that you could get cheap too and use only for mixing. Harbor freight too...
+1.

I saw a cabinet full of miscellaneous drills and such at one of the many local pawn shops in town. $15-$20 all day long.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

rgreen2002 wrote: Hand drills that you could get cheap too and use only for mixing. Harbor freight too...
I have a few hand drills that may be suitable for mix. Harbor freight is out as there aren't any here. Home Depot is 90 minutes away. I live in a very rural area.

Thanks for looking out for me, RG !!!
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

still_stirrin wrote:BS... have you tried craigslist? I see two or three drill presses a day there. Hand drills that you could get cheap too and use only for mixing. Harbor freight too... I saw a cabinet full of miscellaneous drills and such at one of the many local pawn shops in town. $15-$20 all day long.
CL in my area is like fishing the dead sea. VERY poor folks here so what comes into the pawn shops is usually on its last leg but thanks for your great suggestion. I'm always ready to listen & learn.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by der wo »

A cheap used wiper motor is fast enough to avoid scorching and maintain an even temperature. They get very hot when running long. Perhaps they need a fan.
Constantly stirring definetely increases the yield. I get more since I use a electric stirrer running the whole mashing. Especially with Malt Whisky, where the grains are only cracked, not fine milled.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by bronctoad »

BS that looks similar to the drill press I modified to use as a stirrer. if I'm right the slowest speed on that thing is 600rpm or around there. JMHO that's to fast with any paddle. that's why I added another pulley to increase the reduction ratio, and I still might need a motor controller. if its what I think it is, its shit and not worth buying for a drill press or stirrer. the only thing I found it was good for was wood working :x drilling any metals the spindle speeds are way to fast. that's why I butchered mine up. bought it years ago and couldn't find much use for it. hope I helped a bit.

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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Soulshine »

How fast of a stir is required...how about one of those barbeque rotisserie motors rigged up somehow?
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Lawfish »

http://ww.homedistiller.org/forum/downl ... &mode=view

I mounted a 1/2" drill overhead via a 2x4 with a fixed thumbscrew to adjust the speed. It is wonderful for mash stirring. I also use it inside my wort chiller to chill down beer wort. 5.5 gallons goes from boiling to 75 degrees in 9 minutes.
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Due51
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Due51 »

I use a drill purchased from HF with a plastic paint stir arm along with a long SS spoon. I also have an old garage door motor that I had plans of mounting to a cover for my big mash tun but I just haven't got around to it yet.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

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With a marginally bad left arm from a previous surgery several years ago, I just can't stir those heavy thick AG mashes by hand. Not that I'm lazy, just physically can't do that shit anymore. Went and bought this contraption, and it is the cat's meow for mash stirring. Doesn't even slow down one bit under a full load. Originally designed for mixing concrete, paint and grout, it has all the torque needed to get the job done. It wasn't the cheapest toy, but then, it works and that's what it's all about. Fits real good in my new 22 gallon pot over a single 30,000 BTU Camp Chef propane burner.

http://www.bnproducts.com/tools/bnr6400-power-mixer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.bnproducts.com/tools/bnmg-6100-mixing-stand/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camp-Chef-Si ... e/21896044" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

Euphoria wrote:With a marginally bad left arm from a previous surgery several years ago, I just can't stir those heavy thick AG mashes by hand. Not that I'm lazy, just physically can't do that shit anymore. Went and bought this contraption, and it is the cat's meow for mash stirring. Doesn't even slow down one bit under a full load. Originally designed for mixing concrete, paint and grout, it has all the torque needed to get the job done. It wasn't the cheapest toy, but then, it works and that's what it's all about. Fits real good in my new 22 gallon pot over a single 30,000 BTU Camp Chef propane burner.

http://www.bnproducts.com/tools/bnr6400-power-mixer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.bnproducts.com/tools/bnmg-6100-mixing-stand/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camp-Chef-Si ... e/21896044" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
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How much time is actually spent stirring the mash ?
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by rad14701 »

Blarney Stoned wrote:How much time is actually spent stirring the mash ?
If you don't want you mash scorched, pretty much constantly for however long you cook the grains... Would you like to stir porridge for 90 minutes straight even if you're healthy...???
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

rad14701 wrote:
Blarney Stoned wrote:How much time is actually spent stirring the mash ?
If you don't want you mash scorched, pretty much constantly for however long you cook the grains... Would you like to stir porridge for 90 minutes straight even if you're healthy...???
Still trying to nail it down into hours/minutes. This shouldn't be difficult to answer.

?????????????????
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by rad14701 »

Blarney Stoned wrote:
rad14701 wrote:
Blarney Stoned wrote:How much time is actually spent stirring the mash ?
If you don't want you mash scorched, pretty much constantly for however long you cook the grains... Would you like to stir porridge for 90 minutes straight even if you're healthy...???
Still trying to nail it down into hours/minutes. This shouldn't be difficult to answer.

?????????????????
Re-read your own question and see how ambiguous it really is and you'll understand my answer... As far as how long any part of the process takes, have you read any of the all grain mash topics that were posted for the intent of teaching how it should be done...??? Each grain can require a different process... The information is here for the reading so there's really no need to repeating the process again and again...

Edited to add:
It also appears that your question has been answered several times in the topic alone... But it doesn't help that it went off on a tangent or three along the way... Regardless, the fact remains that mashing has been covered, beginning to end, in full detail here in the forums as well as on the parent site...
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

Read a boatload of mashing threads. Don't recall anyone mentioning the time spent stirring irregardless of the grains involved.It was more about protocol ie: temp, cook time and holding at temps.

Plenty of descriptions of equipment used though.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by rad14701 »

Blarney Stoned wrote:Read a boatload of mashing threads. Don't recall anyone mentioning the time spent stirring irregardless of the grains involved.It was more about protocol ie: temp, cook time and holding at temps.

Plenty of descriptions of equipment used though.
I can assure you that if you do an all grain using the recommended 2 pounds of grain per gallon of water you will discover that you need to stir constantly in order to avoid scorching and wrecking your efforts... That is why you see some of the all grain making members adding stirrers... Sometimes you have to give things a go to understand... I gave myself a workout over the weekend making another corn meal mash at 2 pounds per gallon... Twice...!!! Both had 5 pounds of corn meal in 2.5 gallons of water... No scorching for me but if I was going to do this regularly I'd be digging though my gearboxes and motors and making a stirrer... How many hours can you stir for stiff porridge for...??? I'm in great shape for my age but several hours of stirring wears on you both physically and mentally... It's grunt work for sure...
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

rad14701 wrote: I can assure you that if you do an all grain using the recommended 2 pounds of grain per gallon of water you will discover that you need to stir constantly in order to avoid scorching and wrecking your efforts... That is why you see some of the all grain making members adding stirrers... Sometimes you have to give things a go to understand... I gave myself a workout over the weekend making another corn meal mash at 2 pounds per gallon... Twice...!!! Both had 5 pounds of corn meal in 2.5 gallons of water... No scorching for me but if I was going to do this regularly I'd be digging though my gearboxes and motors and making a stirrer... How many hours can you stir for stiff porridge for...??? I'm in great shape for my age but several hours of stirring wears on you both physically and mentally... It's grunt work for sure...
Staring to sink in now. Thank you for your time and the write up. Probably go buy the cheap 1/2 incher from one of the discount houses that someone mentioned.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-heav ... 63112.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Thanks for the help on my controller PMs as well !!!!! :thumbup:

Carry on, Sir.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by still_stirrin »

Blarney Stoned wrote:Read a boatload of mashing threads. Don't recall anyone mentioning the time spent stirring irregardless of the grains involved.It was more about protocol ie: temp, cook time and holding at temps.

Plenty of descriptions of equipment used though.
B.S.,

If you have a look at this video, you'll see that the stirring is constant throughout the mashing process. Pintoshine is quite knowledgeable regarding the enzyme use for all grain mashing. This video is worth reviewing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtnboJ3Kxeo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

ss

p.s. - this was covered already in the first (sticky'd) thread in this forum. Have a read while you're at it....http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =3&t=24312
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

Thank you, SS. I'm off with the lap top to my recliner. Got readin' ta do !

Interesting video. I live in the heart of 'shine territory and have making it for over twenty years doing what you guys call UJSSM and it's always been a hit. Folks have asked me to to a real cooked mash but my business always came first. Retired now at 53 so going to give it a try.

I've drank both and the "cooked" is better with a more corny flavor.

BTW, couldn't have done this next step without the help of my neighbor who is a member here.
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Blarney Stoned
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Blarney Stoned »

BTW, SS The No Boil Corn Mashing Method caught my eye right away but I've only partially read it.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by Jollyrogertexas »

Had t thought about my drill press and my arms are old and tired. Thanks fellas for a great idea I have an old Lincoln drill press made by same company that makes welders its awesome and never overheats it's a massive motored thing pretty cool minds here guys. Thanks.
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Re: Stirring the mash ?

Post by jb-texshine »

Qep 21650 mortar mixing drill 0-600 rpm 5/8 Chuck low speed high torque. 89.99 to 109.99 depending on where you buy it. A tile company such as dal tile or tile america or marazzi tile is where i got mine at. Used it almost daily to mix thinset and grout for 8 or 9 years now. Would still need to be mounted somehow but it is probably as close as you will come to purpose built.
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