Ask The Brewmasters

After searching the most powerful search bar in the industry, I didn't find what I was looking for in terms of what some people are running their fancy rakes at.  I've been to A LOT of breweries and with some of the bigger ones, one thing that always stuck with me is that those with the big, more efficient lauter tuns are run very differently than so many questionable combi mash/lauter tuns (for good reason).  All those big lauter tuns are running their rakes at speeds at rather than RPMs, MPRs (Minutes Per Revolution).  I'm hoping to get a survey going of those that have dedicated lauter tuns and know how to get most efficiency out of them with the speed you're running them.  I know the ability to make tiny cuts with height adjustment is a huge part of keeping a low and consistent differential pressure, so if you have input regarding that with speed, please add, especially if you're doing so manually rather an automated.  If you have any caveats to your standard speed, feel free to share.  And for consistency, if your speed isn't set by the most outer knife or lifer, please specify. 

I was going to text or email a couple of people, but thought this could be helpful to others.  What drove this is how I've run into issues with smaller brewhouse manufacturers not using a different gearing for their rakes and just slap their combi motor and gearbox on a dedicated lauter tun.  I'm going to be buying a brewhouse here in the future and making sure if I buy new, it's going to be done right.

After searching the most powerful search bar in the industry, I didn't find what I was looking for in terms of what some people are running their fancy rakes at.  I've been to A LOT of breweries and with some of the bigger ones, one thing that always stuck with me is that those with the big, more efficient lauter tuns are run very differently than so many questionable combi mash/lauter tuns (for good reason).  All those big lauter tuns are running their rakes at speeds at rather than RPMs, MPRs (Minutes Per Revolution).  I'm hoping to get a survey going of those that have dedicated lauter tuns and know how to get most efficiency out of them with the speed you're running them.  I know the ability to make tiny cuts with height adjustment is a huge part of keeping a low and consistent differential pressure, so if you have input regarding that with speed, please add, especially if you're doing so manually rather an automated.  If you have any caveats to your standard speed, feel free to share.  And for consistency, if your speed isn't set by the most outer knife or lifer, please specify. 

I was going to text or email a couple of people, but thought this could be helpful to others.  What drove this is how I've run into issues with smaller brewhouse manufacturers not using a different gearing for their rakes and just slap their combi motor and gearbox on a dedicated lauter tun.  I'm going to be buying a brewhouse here in the future and making sure if I buy new, it's going to be done right.

After searching the most powerful search bar in the industry, I didn't find what I was looking for in terms of what some people are running their fancy rakes at.  I've been to A LOT of breweries and with some of the bigger ones, one thing that always stuck with me is that those with the big, more efficient lauter tuns are run very differently than so many questionable combi mash/lauter tuns (for good reason).  All those big lauter tuns are running their rakes at speeds at rather than RPMs, MPRs (Minutes Per Revolution).  I'm hoping to get a survey going of those that have dedicated lauter tuns and know how to get most efficiency out of them with the speed you're running them.  I know the ability to make tiny cuts with height adjustment is a huge part of keeping a low and consistent differential pressure, so if you have input regarding that with speed, please add, especially if you're doing so manually rather an automated.  If you have any caveats to your standard speed, feel free to share.  And for consistency, if your speed isn't set by the most outer knife or lifer, please specify. 

I was going to text or email a couple of people, but thought this could be helpful to others.  What drove this is how I've run into issues with smaller brewhouse manufacturers not using a different gearing for their rakes and just slap their combi motor and gearbox on a dedicated lauter tun.  I'm going to be buying a brewhouse here in the future and making sure if I buy new, it's going to be done right.

After searching the most powerful search bar in the industry, I didn't find what I was looking for in terms of what some people are running their fancy rakes at.  I've been to A LOT of breweries and with some of the bigger ones, one thing that always stuck with me is that those with the big, more efficient lauter tuns are run very differently than so many questionable combi mash/lauter tuns (for good reason).  All those big lauter tuns are running their rakes at speeds at rather than RPMs, MPRs (Minutes Per Revolution).  I'm hoping to get a survey going of those that have dedicated lauter tuns and know how to get most efficiency out of them with the speed you're running them.  I know the ability to make tiny cuts with height adjustment is a huge part of keeping a low and consistent differential pressure, so if you have input regarding that with speed, please add, especially if you're doing so manually rather an automated.  If you have any caveats to your standard speed, feel free to share.  And for consistency, if your speed isn't set by the most outer knife or lifer, please specify. 

I was going to text or email a couple of people, but thought this could be helpful to others.  What drove this is how I've run into issues with smaller brewhouse manufacturers not using a different gearing for their rakes and just slap their combi motor and gearbox on a dedicated lauter tun.  I'm going to be buying a brewhouse here in the future and making sure if I buy new, it's going to be done right.

You may also find some useful information in the MBAA podcast episode on wort separation: https://www.masterbrewerspodcast.com/201

After searching the most powerful search bar in the industry, I didn't find what I was looking for in terms of what some people are running their fancy rakes at.  I've been to A LOT of breweries and with some of the bigger ones, one thing that always stuck with me is that those with the big, more efficient lauter tuns are run very differently than so many questionable combi mash/lauter tuns (for good reason).  All those big lauter tuns are running their rakes at speeds at rather than RPMs, MPRs (Minutes Per Revolution).  I'm hoping to get a survey going of those that have dedicated lauter tuns and know how to get most efficiency out of them with the speed you're running them.  I know the ability to make tiny cuts with height adjustment is a huge part of keeping a low and consistent differential pressure, so if you have input regarding that with speed, please add, especially if you're doing so manually rather an automated.  If you have any caveats to your standard speed, feel free to share.  And for consistency, if your speed isn't set by the most outer knife or lifer, please specify. 

I was going to text or email a couple of people, but thought this could be helpful to others.  What drove this is how I've run into issues with smaller brewhouse manufacturers not using a different gearing for their rakes and just slap their combi motor and gearbox on a dedicated lauter tun.  I'm going to be buying a brewhouse here in the future and making sure if I buy new, it's going to be done right.

Thanks for the reminder about that episode!  It's been a while since I listened to it.
For a quick reference for everyone else, Travis Audet confirms AB is running their rakes around 22 minutes per revolution.  I have a friend at one of the AB facilities that also confirms this super slow rate.

You may also find some useful information in the MBAA podcast episode on wort separation: https://www.masterbrewerspodcast.com/201

After searching the most powerful search bar in the industry, I didn't find what I was looking for in terms of what some people are running their fancy rakes at.  I've been to A LOT of breweries and with some of the bigger ones, one thing that always stuck with me is that those with the big, more efficient lauter tuns are run very differently than so many questionable combi mash/lauter tuns (for good reason).  All those big lauter tuns are running their rakes at speeds at rather than RPMs, MPRs (Minutes Per Revolution).  I'm hoping to get a survey going of those that have dedicated lauter tuns and know how to get most efficiency out of them with the speed you're running them.  I know the ability to make tiny cuts with height adjustment is a huge part of keeping a low and consistent differential pressure, so if you have input regarding that with speed, please add, especially if you're doing so manually rather an automated.  If you have any caveats to your standard speed, feel free to share.  And for consistency, if your speed isn't set by the most outer knife or lifer, please specify. 

I was going to text or email a couple of people, but thought this could be helpful to others.  What drove this is how I've run into issues with smaller brewhouse manufacturers not using a different gearing for their rakes and just slap their combi motor and gearbox on a dedicated lauter tun.  I'm going to be buying a brewhouse here in the future and making sure if I buy new, it's going to be done right.

As slow as ours goes is .3RPM, so that's what we run at.  Other places I've been have been as slow as .08RPM, for the same reason.

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Ivan Dedek
Brewmaster/Food Scientist
Meier's Creek Brewing
Cazenovia NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-30-2023 18:01
From: Adam Keele
Subject: Lauter Tun Rake Speed Survey

Thanks for the reminder about that episode!  It's been a while since I listened to it.
For a quick reference for everyone else, Travis Audet confirms AB is running their rakes around 22 minutes per revolution.  I have a friend at one of the AB facilities that also confirms this super slow rate.

You may also find some useful information in the MBAA podcast episode on wort separation: https://www.masterbrewerspodcast.com/201

After searching the most powerful search bar in the industry, I didn't find what I was looking for in terms of what some people are running their fancy rakes at.  I've been to A LOT of breweries and with some of the bigger ones, one thing that always stuck with me is that those with the big, more efficient lauter tuns are run very differently than so many questionable combi mash/lauter tuns (for good reason).  All those big lauter tuns are running their rakes at speeds at rather than RPMs, MPRs (Minutes Per Revolution).  I'm hoping to get a survey going of those that have dedicated lauter tuns and know how to get most efficiency out of them with the speed you're running them.  I know the ability to make tiny cuts with height adjustment is a huge part of keeping a low and consistent differential pressure, so if you have input regarding that with speed, please add, especially if you're doing so manually rather an automated.  If you have any caveats to your standard speed, feel free to share.  And for consistency, if your speed isn't set by the most outer knife or lifer, please specify. 

I was going to text or email a couple of people, but thought this could be helpful to others.  What drove this is how I've run into issues with smaller brewhouse manufacturers not using a different gearing for their rakes and just slap their combi motor and gearbox on a dedicated lauter tun.  I'm going to be buying a brewhouse here in the future and making sure if I buy new, it's going to be done right.