3. mash filters modern design to modern mash filters at the final compression

Design Improvements in Brewing

  • Material Transition

  • Shift from cast iron to plastic for plates and frames.

  • Benefits:

    • Lighter operation

    • Reduced heat losses

  • Filtration Enhancements

  • New filter clots made of monofilament polypropylene instead of cotton twill.

  • Advantages:

    • Longer lifespan

    • Easier cleaning

    • Reduced labor costs

Milling Systems

  • Types of Milling Systems

  • Hammer mills

  • Mura Hydromill

  • Zeman Dispacks

  • Grinding and Extraction

  • Provides finer grind leading to greater extraction yield.

  • Features a thinner filtration bed which limits long filtration cycles.

  • Effective sparge water use improves rinsing of spent grains.

  • Levels of Automation

  • Automation options include:

    • Plate opening

    • Grate discharge

    • Cleaning processes

  • Lower oxygen pickup possible through operating system.

Filter Operation in MASH Filters

  • Parallel Operation

  • MASH filter elements/modules function in parallel, utilizing a hydraulic ram to maintain pressure between frames and plates.

  • Chamber Functionality

  • Spent grains held by plates with rubber gaskets creating alternating chambers for wort filtration.

  • Wort collected simultaneously from each chamber.

Advantages of Mesh Filters

  • Membrane Compression

  • Added compression capabilities compared to traditional mesh designs.

  • Benefits of Enhanced Compression

  • Greater wort recovery

  • Increased yield compared to louder ton systems.

  • Requires less water, generating fewer last runnings and decreased wastewater production.

  • Spent grains result in lower moisture content, beneficial for transport as animal feed.

Craft Brewer Reports

  • Example from Coachella Valley Brewing

  • 60% less water usage compared to traditional methods.

  • 95-98% mash efficiency using a 20-barrel brew house producing 7,500 barrels annually.

  • Tennessee Craft Brewery Report

  • 25-50% water savings in filtration.

  • Due to improved wort recovery and cleaning efficiency.

Operational Sequence for Modern Mash Filters

  1. Preparation of Filter

    • Warm-up using hot water.

  2. Filling

    • Mash pumped into filter with slight counter pressure (~0.2 bar).

    • First wort begins running off as pressure builds.

    • Maintain pressure around 0.4 to 0.5 bar during initial filling.

  3. First Compression

    • Following first wort collection, compressed air applied to membranes to squeeze grains.

    • Pressure applied at about 0.5 to 0.6 bar, reducing grain bed thickness by 25%.

  4. Sparging

    • Hot sparge water introduced at the bottom, filling voids created by compression.

    • Running off of second wort occurs for about 50 minutes under ~0.6 bar pressure, targeting gravity of around 1-1.5 degrees Plato.

  5. Final Compression

    • Additional compressed air applied during final compression to extract more wort, using pressure of ~0.8 bar.

    • Resultant solids in spent grains at approximately 25-30%.

  • Cycle Efficiency

  • Total processing time of 100-110 minutes enables 12 brews per day.

    • Example: Tennessee Brew Works generates 3-4 batches in 10-12 hours, indicating labor and energy savings.