Induction hot plates with precise temperature control (maintaintaining mash temperature)

Question

I currently mash on a gas hob, turning the hob off when I reach my strike temperature, then insulating my pot the best I can with towels etc.. This is easy to mess up and sometimes I miss my target or lose far too much heat.

Ideally there would exist a (preferably affordable) device to regulate the temperature of my pot automatically.

Induction hot plates were recommended, and I see that some allow you to set the temperature explicitly. However, most seem to allow you only to set the temperature in 10° or 20° increments.

Does a hot plate exist which will hold a pot at a desired temperature to the nearest degree? Or else, what other appliances would achieve this?

Answer 1

A sous vide cooker like the Anova can achieve what you're hoping to accomplish with an induction cooktop. I've used a sous vide cooker to hold mash temperature when doing brew-in-a-bag.

I heat the water with a gas burner until it has almost reached the target mash temperature. I then decrease the flame to a low setting so that the it helps maintain the temperature, but is not increasing the temperature. Then I set the sous vide cooker to my desired mash temp (accurate within a fraction of a degree) and allow it to keep the wort at the correct temperature. (I use the additional gas heat because the Anova only has enough heating power for 5 gallons of water, and it would take forever to reach your mash temperature with its tiny cooking element.) A sous vide cooker has the added benefit that it circulates the mash to minimize hot spots, but it also is subject to clogging if you don't effectively separate your grains from the rest of the wort.

Answer 2

Depends on your budget or how much you want to kludge/hack together to make it.

First thought that comes to mind is a PID controller and a heating element. you can get to within a few degrees or your target, but if you dont understand PID, then you can get lots of overshoot, which leads to scorching or burning. THis is a direct heat system can be used with a hotplate or heating element thats placed inside your mash tun.

Next thought is RIMS-HERMS systems.

Essentially it heats the mash either in another tank or heat exchanger to keep it at your target temp. These systems can easily cost $1K+USD

Cheapest solution

Your best bet is get a wireless thermometer. the ones where you put the probe in, and you either get remote display, or some sort of app on a phone, and monitor it or have alarms set if it dips below or rises above certain thresholds.

Recirculating Infusion Mash System (RIMS)

Heat Exchange Recirculating Mash System (HERMS)