The infusion process involves glycosylation through the mixing of steps with hot water.
1) Hot water preparation:
We heat the Hot Liquor Tank (HLT) in advance during the evening or early morning.
2) Hot water transfer:
We transfer the calculated amount of hot water (around 35°C) from the HLT to the Mash/Lauter Tun (MLT). The temperature can be adjusted by using a water mixing device.
3) Grain grinding:
The malt is ground using a grain spiralizer connected to the hydrator. The milled grains are transferred directly into the hydrator and then dropped into the MLT.
4) Malt temperature adjustment:
After adding the malt and starting the rake to mix the malt and water, we raise the malt temperature by adding hot water at different temperatures according to the recipe.
For example:
– We mix the grains with hot water at 35°C to reach a temperature of about 30°C and let it rest for approximately 30 minutes.
– Then we mix hot water to reach a temperature of about 55°C and let it rest for 60 minutes.
– Next, we mix hotter water with the grains to reach a temperature of about 65°C and let it rest for 30 minutes.
– Finally, we mix more hot water to reach 78°C and let it rest for 10 minutes.
5) Vorlauf process:
To form the grain bed and start the real lauter, we turn on the pump to recirculate the wort until clear wort is visible in the sight glass. This process usually takes about 5-10 minutes. The rake motor may be turned on during this process for agitation to help form the proper grain bed.
6) Boiling:
We stop the pump/recirculation. The wort naturally flows through the grain bed into the wort grant tank. The wort grant tank has a float level control. When it is full, the pump automatically transfers the wort from the wort grant tank to the Kettle Whirlpool Tank (KWT). When the wort grant tank is almost empty, the pump automatically stops until it is full again.
7) Wort heating:
When the wort reaches just above the level of the steam jacket in the KWT, we start heating the KWT to boil the wort. This helps save heating time.
8) Refilling the grain bed:
After boiling, if the wort in the KWT is not full, we can clean the grain bed by refilling it to obtain more wort. However, this depends on measuring the specific gravity of the sugar to determine if refilling is necessary. If the KWT is already full, we can collect the overflowing wort in other containers or simply drain the grain bed without refilling.
9) Hop addition and quality measurement:
During the boil, hops are added at various points in the process. The sugar content is measured to ensure the stability of the wort’s quality.
10) Whirlpooling:
After boiling, we turn on the pump to create a whirlpool effect and remove hops and other unwanted particles.
11) Hopback addition:
After the boil, the wort exits the KWT through the wort outlet at the bottom and flows through the hopback to add flavor.
12) Wort cooling:
The wort then passes through the Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE). At the same time, we turn on the Cold Liquor Tank (CLT) pump and tap water to cool the wort. During this process, we monitor the temperature using a thermometer installed at the wort outlet. If the wort outlet temperature is high, we adjust the flow by closing or opening the manual ball valve. We may also aerate the wort using oil-free compressors or CO2 bottles.
13) Wort transfer to fermenter:
A hose connects the heat exchanger and the fermenter for transferring the wort. Yeast can be added directly to the fermenter from the bottom or from the yeast feeding tank.
Step infusion saccharification is performed by mixing with hot water.
