Advice on racking mash!!

[Tracyman0111]

Hey all---

Thus far, have only done sugar washes (although I will say I've turned out surprisingly high and tasty proofs), but I'm currently fermenting my first corn meal mash. I know, I know, everyone talks about how the meal turns into a giant clump, which it definitely does, but I keep it churned up (gently) with a drill and long paint stirrer twice a day or so. Its smelling super strong for being two days old, I'm stoked to run it!! I actually have two 7 gal. batches of the exact same mash going, one I'm going to run pot, the other I'm going to run reflux, just because I'm curious.

Anyhow, sorry to ramble, but I was just wanting some ideas/opinions on racking this mash into my kettle, since I obviously won't be able to pour it. I was thinking maybe a hand siphon pump, or maybe my electric pump from my cooling water bin?

Travis

[Prairiepiss]

Stop mixing it. Once ferment begins hands off leave it alone.

Get a racking cane. Either build one or buy one. Just let it clear and settle good.

[jholmz]

siphon it into a secondary fermentor through a strainer then let it clear for a couple of days then you can siphon the cleared mash off the solids that will settle out into your boiler

[rad14701]

As mentioned, leave the wash alone after it starts... It's not like the yeast won't find there way to the dinner table, regardless of whether it is in suspension or at the bottom of the fermenter... They know how to find sugar and they know how to find nutrients... They were doing just fine millions of years before you came along... See, when it's explained like that it makes a heck of a lot of sense, eh...???

[biker geek]

As for how to rack the wash...
You can start a syphon by filling your hose with water or sanitizing solution, putting one end of the tube into the wash and the other into the receiving vessel. the bottom of the fermenter needs to be above the top of the receiving vessel. Use your thumb to block the starter fluid into the hose, and let it go over a spare bucket until the wash starts to come through. This is a bit of a trick, and you get pretty wet.

The other alternative, and the one that I like best is to use a self starting syphon from the homebrew store.

[corene1]

As for how to rack the wash...
You can start a syphon by filling your hose with water or sanitizing solution, putting one end of the tube into the wash and the other into the receiving vessel. the bottom of the fermenter needs to be above the top of the receiving vessel. Use your thumb to block the starter fluid into the hose, and let it go over a spare bucket until the wash starts to come through. This is a bit of a trick, and you get pretty wet.

The other alternative, and the one that I like best is to use a self starting syphon from the homebrew store.

Or you could just stick the hose in the bucket and give it a big suck. Like siphoning gas from your dads gas tank when you were a kid! Sorry I couldn't resist.

[Truckinbutch]

Good analogy , Corene . I started to say the same thing . Only difference being that I never stole gas from my Daddy . Took it from people I didn't like

[Tracyman0111]

Lol good advice, folks. Although I have to say, this is the first time I've been told NOT to stir the mash!! Maybe next time I do a double, I'll do one mash stirred and one mash right beside it that's been left alone

So, how about one of the cheap little $10 inline pumps like you'd buy at Walmart or Advance Auto?

[corene1]

Lol good advice, folks. Although I have to say, this is the first time I've been told NOT to stir the mash!! Maybe next time I do a double, I'll do one mash stirred and one mash right beside it that's been left alone

So, how about one of the cheap little $10 inline pumps like you'd buy at Walmart or Advance Auto?

Seriously now, I do have one of those gadgets but I find it easier to just start it the way I described above. Wash and clean your hands well. hold the hose right at the top of the mash just barely submerged and start the siphon pulling liquid off the top. Do not put the tube down to the bottom it will only pull the solids. Try not to move the bucket as this will disturb the settled solids on the bottom as well. I myself take my bucket and CAREFULLY set it on the table the night before so any disturbance will be settled by the next day. then pull it out and into a clean bucket. You can carefully tilt the bucket at the end to try and get the last of the cleared liquid. Then you can pour that into your boiler or you can let that liquid settle for another day the siphon again into the boiler. I have never used corn meal or flour so I don't know how well they will settle. All my mashes have been milled grains , they are broken up but not into a flour, they are very course and will settle to the bottom when the mash is finished fermenting.
And don't stir the mash once it is working, Now you have been told twice! Stir it all you want while cooking or mashing but once the ferment starts , leave it alone.

[FreeMountainHermit]

As for how to rack the wash...
You can start a syphon by filling your hose with water or sanitizing solution, putting one end of the tube into the wash and the other into the receiving vessel. the bottom of the fermenter needs to be above the top of the receiving vessel. Use your thumb to block the starter fluid into the hose, and let it go over a spare bucket until the wash starts to come through. This is a bit of a trick, and you get pretty wet.

The other alternative, and the one that I like best is to use a self starting syphon from the homebrew store.

I've gone to using a fermenter with a spigot. Open just enough to get a flow and not allowing any of the yeast bed to be exposed or grain to grain to get stuck in the spigot.

[Tracyman0111]

I've gone to using a fermenter with a spigot. Open just enough to get a flow and not allowing any of the yeast bed to be exposed or grain to grain to get stuck in the spigot.

How do you always ensure that your bed of solids will be below the spigot?

[MitchyBourbon]

I also have fermenters with spigots. Mine have a tube which extend to within 1/8" of the bottom. They can be swiveled to about 4" from the bottom. Unfortunately, that isn't enough. I have had all grain ferments that had 8-10 inches of yeast and trub. In those cases I just use a rubber siphoning hose and siphon from the top.

[Beerbrewer]

I've gone to using a fermenter with a spigot. Open just enough to get a flow and not allowing any of the yeast bed to be exposed or grain to grain to get stuck in the spigot.

How do you always ensure that your bed of solids will be below the spigot?

Put it about an inch from the bottom and it should be clear of any yeast, I generally tip the FV forward to get the last of the wash before the yeast starts to come over.

[brazenheadbeer]

I just tried this for the 1st time making a sweet feed. I don't reuse yeast so it works pretty well.

I put the whole grain bill in a 5 gallon paint strainer. I boiler that in enough water to cover the top for about 10-15 min. I only do this to sanitize everything because I'm a germaphobe. I then ferment on the grain on the strainer. When it's done fermenting I lift the sack out of the grain and let it drain. I actually have a pulley with a hook on it in my brewhaus that I use for this. My wash came out very clean and I get a lot of product.

[S-Cackalacky]

I use a 1/2" silicone tube that I have attached to a 1 yard long stick with zip ties so that the end of the tube is a few inches from the end of the stick. I insert the stick into my wash bucket or settlin' carboy so that the end of the tube is a little above the grain bed or trub and give it a good suck to get the syphon goin'. I usually get a mouth full of wash, but hey, it's got alkeehall in it so I don't mind much.

Just sayin',
S-C

[thumper123]

Everything written here is right on the money when it comes to racking your wash, and I incorporate most all of the steps taken. One thing that I've found that helps a great deal is using enzymes after boiling the corn. The alpha in particular thins out the wash and sinks the solids. I also have a neat plastic brewing funnel with a fine screen built in half way down the cone.