Improvements In The Mash Tun

Mash Tuns should have false bottoms, to take up as occasion may

require;--they should be about two inches clear of the fixed bottom,

with holes therein, about a sixth part of an inch in diameter. The

false bottom answers two good purposes;



First,--You may be more expeditious in mashing, by having a free access

to all parts of the mash tun, which, with a tap vase or some such like

instrument being in the m sh tun, will impede the stirring of the mash,

therefore some part of the malt will not be mixed with the water.



Secondly,--The false bottom will drain the grains dryer than the tap

vase, and in the fixed bottom there will be a sediment left, which,

with one bottom only, would have passed through the tap vase, and a

part of it accompanied the wort down into the tun. This will answer

another good purpose; for the sediment not accompanying the wort into

the copper, it will want less boiling, as it will break sooner and fine

itself.



Note. Where the false bottom is used the tap must spend

through a cock at the bottom of the tun. The holes in the false

bottom may be about three or four inches distance from each other.



Fail not to boil your water six or eight minutes, then let it into the

mash tun; if time will permit, do not put your malt in for mashing till

the steam has escaped and you can see your face in the water; but if

time will not admit of this, add about one gallon of cold water to

eighteen gallons of hot. Whilst you put your malt into the tun, let a

person stir it to prevent its clotting, then well mash it, and let the

mash stand two hours at least. The second mash need not stand so long

as the first. If convenient, always make use of hot water for your

small beer, for by boiling the water a few minutes it will soften it,

and will cause it to have a more free access to the malt, and the wort

will require less boiling.