Beer Forum

I built a heatstick last week and love it. It's like a "love wand" for your mash (though it doesn't vibrate).

Anyone using coolers for mash/lauter/liquor tun might want to check this out. I'm now able to do step mashes and mash outs so much more easily, and I can bring my temps up a degree or two without having to add more water.

Making one is a piece of cake if you have any electrical experience. The only drawback is that really should have a dedicated line from your circuit box - as this thing can draw 12 amps or more.

Check out these links:
http://hbd.org/pcalinsk/HeatStk3.htm
http://www.cedarcreeknetworks.com/heatstick.htm

I have been using one of these in my HLT for the past year and a half or so. I love the thing! I used the instructions on the CedarCreek link. I did make one change to the original design. Instead of using a straight drain pipe, I used one with an elbow at the end. This puts the element parallel to the bottom of the HLT. This allows it to work in smaller volumes of water. This won't work if you are using 2 heatsticks in the same pot however.

For early morning brewing, I set up the HLT full of water on a milk crate in the bathtub. I put the heatstick in the HLT and plug it into an applicance timer. I set this for about 45 minutes before I plan to get up. I do my mash right there in the bathroom so I don't even need to get dressed prior to actually taking the wort outside to boil. Talk about no pants brewing! This allows me plenty of time to fix a pot of coffee, eat some breakfast and get dressed. I get about 1/3 of my brew day done before most people are ready to start.

One thing I did discover about the heatstick. If you forget to stick it back in the HLT before you plug it in, it does make a quite loud BANG!

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

BugeaterBrewing wrote:I do my mash right there in the bathroom so I don't even need to get dressed.
Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

You said you were combing your hair!?!?

Here's something I learned about mine. No good in a really thick mash (like .8 ratio). I was stirring, smelled smoke, and pop - there went the GFI breaker (glad I installed that). Guess I won't use the heatstick unless I have a nice watery mash. It's fine at my normal 1.25 ratio, but I don't think I'll use it much lower than that.

Junket wrote:Here's something I learned about mine. No good in a really thick mash (like .8 ratio). I was stirring, smelled smoke, and pop - there went the GFI breaker (glad I installed that). Guess I won't use the heatstick unless I have a nice watery mash. It's fine at my normal 1.25 ratio, but I don't think I'll use it much lower than that.

I've never had a mash that thick. I use my heatstick to raise the mash temp from time to time but it's a pain in the ass to stir that long. I'm trying to get an easer way someday.

When you heat the mash and it is really centralized like on the small hot surface area of a heat stick, you will gain carmalization off flavors.

This may be what you desire in some styles, but there are some styles where you really don't want to use a heat stick.

I just took the plunge and bought a pump and some quick disconnects at B3, so now I'll be using the heatstick in my HLT to rig up a HERMS. No more burning my mash.