The Mash Tun

The mash tun is used to convert the starch in the grains to sugars. The mash tun consist of
perforated stainless-steel plate called a false bottom which separates the solid grains and
wort. It is well insulated to prevent any heat losses. The mashing process used is the single
step infusion mash where grains and hot water are mixed to desired temperature.

The Mashing Process

Water is heated the temperature of 80˚C then put inside the mash tun where grains are also
added. A digital thermometer attached to the mash tun is used to measure the temperature
of the wort. To improve the efficiency of the starch to sugar conversion, the wort is
recirculated using the pump. The output of the mash tun is connected to the input if the
pump, to account for heat losses in the pipes the output of the pump is connected to the
input of the in-line heat exchanger called the Recirculating Infusion Mash System (RIMS)
which heat the wort back to 67 ˚C before returning it to the mash tun. The process lasts for
an hour. When the process is done, wort is moved the kettle where it will be heated to the
desired temperature. The sparging process follows after the removal of wort in the mash
tun where the remaining grains are sparged with hot water in order to extract more sugar
from it and more wort is form thus increasing the efficiency of the mash tun. The grains are
removed from and the mash tun is cleaned after the process.

The amount of water added

Mash water = 8704.4 L
Sparge water = 5676 L

Calculations
The following calculation is used to determine the amount water temperature to be added
in the mash with the grain. Heat transfer of water is equal to heat transfer of the grains.

Parameters Values
Ti 20 ˚C
Tf 67 ˚C
Tg 20 ˚C
mw 8704.4 Kg
mg 3536.5 Kg

Qwater = Qgrains
 mwCp(Tf – Tw) =mgCp∆T(Tf – Tg)
Tw = 71 ˚C + (4 ˚C to counteract the loss I the pipe)
Total heat needed to heat water for the mashing and the sparging process is calculated
below, with the total mass of water (mt = 14380.4)
Q = mwCp(Tw – Ti)
Q = 3.305 MJ