ACE Digital Temp. Control Boiler

[Wodster]

Hi,

I'm currently using an older version on the ACE boiler without the digital temperature control for BIAB brews which I've been very happy with. I've started using step mashing and thinking about kettle souring and would like to be able to automatically set and hold a specific temperature, I can't easily do that with my current ACE boiler and setup.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience of these newer digital type of ACE boiler and how good the built in temperature control is? Is it good enough for holding mash steps?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACE-BEER-MASH ... 1617833736

[Kev888]

Hello, and welcome.

You may already know this, but any automated control of boiler mash tuns is tricky with static infusions, as the temperature can become very different between the sensor's location, the heating element, and different parts of the mash. For good control of temperature, perhaps even to stop denaturing the enzymes and causing astringency through overheating, you'd either need to recirculate the wort through the mash, stir the mash continually whilst heating, or remove the grain whilst heating (and then stir it upon returning it).

Whether or not the ACE controller would be good enough if those were done though, I don't know as I haven't had one. Hopefully someone who has can help.

[Wodster]

Thanks Kev888. I've been BIAB brewing about 18 months and only recently started to mash out in my existing ACE boiler. I wasn't aware about the affects of temperature during mash step changes though, thanks for the info. I'll do some more reading around on that subject!

[Kev888]

No problem. Its one of the reasons people who use electric boilers tend to like insulation rather than adding heat to maintain temperature, it is simple and doesn't greatly upset the evenness of the mash temperature. Evenness is good for consistency, but hot spots can be particularly unfortunate if they go too far.

Of course, if you want to step mash you will still have to add heat somehow, so thats where the stirring and so on come in - to make sure everything is heated evenly. There are good reasons for step mashing, such as a ferulic acid rest in wheat beers, but the case for some steps can be exaggerated so it may be worth reading up on these as well, or doing some tests to form your own opinion.

For example, some steps (IMO) are a hang-over from when malt wasn't so well modified, and mashing out can be considerably more beneficial in commercial scales than in homebrewing ones, as we have relatively tiny depths of grain to separate from the wort. But you may find them beneficial, so don't just rely on my jaded opinion!

[irv]

I have been thinking of getting this boiler.
Has anyone got any experience of it? any comments on quality, reliability etc?

[Fil]

+1 to what Kev above says..
If considering adding active heat input into your mash you also have to start considering pumps to move the liquor over the heat source and back into the grain mass and measuring the effect of this transfer to control the input of heat and it can easily grow into a major herms/rims experiment which can be a lot of fun and games as well as some frustration and easily sidetrack you from brewing..

exploring strike temps and adding insulation can be a lot more effective, easier, and cheaper
and a lot less of a hindrance to getting a brew on.

[Wodster]

Hi Fil,

I'm guessing if the heat lost from the system is low and temperature control is relatively accurate/precise the amount of heat injected to maintain a specific temperature point could be quite low and therefore have little impact? My existing double skin ACE boiler looses less than 2degC over a 60 min BIAB mash without using the heater so if the construction of this new model is the same then it's just down to whether the performance of the controller is good enough!

And then with a bit of mixy mixy during the step change when a lot of heat is injected chances of problems could be minimized?

[Fil]

2c loss is pretty good going for a metal tun insulated with an air void.

I dont think its worthwhie investing in a newer version of the boiler just for the newer controller as its still afaik a basic thermostatic controller. you can buy an equally good controller in the guise of an stc1000 for about a tenner. add another £10-20 and you can box it up nicely with securing cable glands for the feeds and probe..

A lot of brewers will use a pid controller for managing heat input into a mash which is a much more sophisticated controller set by 3 controlling parameters employing an algorithm to heat upto the target but not over it. these can take a long time to learn how to use and in my case i need the manual to turn the bloody things on..

Fitting an after market controller and bypassing the original is probably the way i would go if i were you.. at least then your new controller will not only look good but will have the capacity to out perform the original too.

However if intent on step mashing and with a tun that performs so well to start with, i would be much more tempted to step mash in the traditional fashion by drawing off liquor and perhaps some grain for a separate heat up before adding back in and mixing to increase the mash temp. Way less to go wrong and a lot cheaper to implement too.

[Wodster]

Thanks for the replies. Shame no one else has had experience of this particular boiler but some very useful information on the need for and considerations for step mashing. Thanks!