Blichmann brewEasy compact

[shaskell]

Recently ordered a breweasy compact (and its taking forever to get all my equipment ) and I need some suggestions on how to design my mashes. To start, all water is added to pot, basket is in pot and all grain is added in it, similar to brew in a bag configuration. This brew system has a recirculation loop with pump. At the top of the pot a SS arm (tube) extends over the grain basket and goes down the center of the basket to the bottom. The tube is capped @ the bottom, the recirculation flow is dispersed into the grain by holes drilled in the tube. Flow control valves are provided to set flow.
What I'm trying to figure out is should I run my temperature steps without the recirculation, then run it like a sparge at the end OR run the recirc. for a specific time during each temp. step OR run the recirc. continuous for the entire mash? Any suggestions would be appreciated, this is new to me. Can't play around with this until I get my order completed and can run this system.

 

[BOB357]

You'll get better efficiency and faster rise times between steps if you recirculate during the mash. Hopefully, you will be milling your own grains so you can dial in the crush that works best on the system.

Blichmann has a serious backlog for equipment. It's exacerbated by the supply chain problems that have been present for the past 15 months or so and probably won't get much better in the near future.

 

[shaskell]

Thank-you Bob, that helps me greatly. Forgot to put in original post...per pump spec's, the recirc. flow will run between 0.5 to 2.0 gpm. Will lower flow help me? or higher flow. Thanks for your time.
Steve

 

[Oginme]

The flow rate should be regulated to giver as much flow through the grain bed without causing the bed to compact.  You want the grains to be 'floating' with plenty of water to promote good, even flow through the bed without channeling.