# Braumeister - Grain Crush Test Results



## SJW (25/4/12)

Well I have confirmed the issue I was having with the BM pump not wanting to fire up after the pump break. On Saturdays brew I did two things, 1) had my grain cracked at 1.5mm instead of the 1.2mm I normally get and 2) Vented the pump manually, as per the instructions, till there was not more rising air bubbles.
So saturdays brew the pump was faltless, but my efficiency suffered a little. (Also it was a single step mash at 66 deg C)
Now I am brewing a Choc Porter and I had the grain crushed as fine as possible at 0.9mm. I still vented the pump well and the little 20 litre BM is working I a charm.

Conclusion, For best results on a BM, Crush fine, vent pump well, and do a multi step mash ie, 55, 62, 72, 78.

I will report back with efficiency results but I bet they are >85%

Steve


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## Thefatdoghead (25/4/12)

My mill gap is set to 1.2mm and I seem to get around the 84% efficiency mark. I tried adjusting the gap a bit smaller but didn't measure it. I had problems with flow rate through the malt pipe so I just changed it back to the original size.


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## Ross (25/4/12)

My experience like Gav80 (& feedback from several customers) is that crushing fine causes problems with flow through the malt pipe.
I think you may want to try a fine crush a few times before advising others to follow.

cheers Ross


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## MHB (25/4/12)

The size of the gap is only one factor in the crush that you get from a mill. The size of the rollers, the speed they are turning whether they are both powered the type of texturing on the roller all play a part in what the grist will be like.
The mill SJW had his grain crushed on has big, powered, fluted relatively slow turning wheels the same grain crushed on a smaller mill would have much smaller husk fragments and probably much more flour and would in all likelihood be far less permeable.
Its difficult to just carry a gap measurement from one mill to another and expect the same results we all need to learn what works best on our own system and use that.
Mark


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## SJW (25/4/12)

Yes Mark I was going to mention that. 
No problems with flow through the malt pipe Ross, maybe its the new variable spped pump on the new BM's?
Well its all done, and I got 86.7% efficiency post boil. ie, 5.250kg grain, 27 litres post boil @ 1.052. So in future I will just go with the 1.2mm crack. And yes the mill my grain is crushed on is an ex-micro brewery mill and like Mark said it is the dogs bollocks. After the mash when I dumped the grain there was still tones of whole husks. I have a mill myself but I could never get a crush like that.


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## Thefatdoghead (25/4/12)

I use a crankandstein and 1.2mm crush works well for me. I have the 3 roller. Reading the specs the 3rd roller is a smoother knurl to prevent grinding the husks up so much on the last stage of milling. Takes about 2 minuets to crush 11kg of grain with a makita cordless drill.


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## SJW (25/4/12)

Nice Gav, I only have an old Phil Mill, so I just get mine crushed at the shop. 1.2mm should be perfect. The pumps on the BM's are pretty tough. Kicks the old March Pump in the ass.


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## Batz (25/4/12)

I use the same crush brewing with my BM that I did on my 3v, it is quite fine with a fair bit of flour. I was worried that BM would not handle this as I've heard BMs need a more course grind, 12 brews and never had and issue. Efficiency always over 85%, usually better.


batz


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## DeGarre (26/4/12)

This is my typical crush with the old Corona. Today I got 92% mash efficiency. Takes about 25 minutes for 5kg of grain.

http://youtu.be/zvpPZwPUoBA


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## Florian (26/4/12)

I still don't get why you need to manually vent the pump? 
Doesn't yours vents automatically before it starts to heat to strike temp? Mine does it for quite a while, never any trapped air left.

Also, variable speed pump? Are there specs on that pump floating around somewhere?


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## SJW (26/4/12)

Florian, I put my filtered water in the night before and just manually vent a few times. Yes I know they vent themselves but maybe its because I dump 27 litres of water straight in (from a fermenter) and that traps more air????
As for the variable speed pump ............ I just fiddled with the knob  on the pump one day and realised it was a speed control. From what I have been told these are only on the newer models.

Steve


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## doon (26/4/12)

When I have left it to vent itself i always have the issue of pump not being able to quite push the mash water up over the edge after first pump break. Tilt backwards 45 degrees and manually do it and I never have issues and I regularly use 5.5 kg of grain


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## SJW (26/4/12)

5.5kg's.............I have done 5.3kg, cracked super fine 0.9mm with no problem, I reckon I could jam 6kg's in her. With a good efficiency like 85% + I think you would be into the 1.060's maybe, without adding sugar or DME.

Steve


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## wobbly (26/4/12)

SJW

Can you post a pictuire of the "Knob" so we know what you are talking about

Cheers

Wobbly


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## SJW (26/4/12)

There u go mate, not the best pics, but u get the idea. I have it det on near flat out but it can be wound back to just a trickle for a half batch or similar.

Steve


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## pmash (26/4/12)

SJW said:


> There u go mate, not the best pics, but u get the idea. I have it det on near flat out but it can be wound back to just a trickle for a half batch or similar.
> 
> Steve




I am jealous.......an extra knob to twiddle  
My machine is only 15 months old and out-dated.........time to trade up :lol:


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## doon (26/4/12)

I last brew I got 1.061 Which I was pretty happy with


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## QldKev (26/4/12)

SJW said:


> There u go mate, not the best pics, but u get the idea. I have it det on near flat out but it can be wound back to just a trickle for a half batch or similar.
> 
> Steve





You've got a very big knob h34r:


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## SJW (26/4/12)

pmash said:


> I am jealous.......an extra knob to twiddle
> My machine is only 15 months old and out-dated.........time to trade up :lol:


Dont strees mate, these variable speed ones come factory set on the max speed anyway. Got no idea what they are made for. As u can see in the photos down on numers 3,4 & 5 they are marked "eco". My buddgie would piss with more power than that. One thing I did realise is that when u take the pump off the impeller just pulls off, and the impeller is also full of holes that could get cloggged up. Also there is quite a bit of room in the pump body behind that impeller that coul harbour hop material.

Steve


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## mwd (26/4/12)

Wonder if they manufacture the pumps in house or buy in from a third party. Saw in one of the videos where the impellors just push into the pump body.


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## doon (26/4/12)

When I pull my pump open to clean I always pull the impeller out to clean it and behind it


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## matho (26/4/12)

they were designed to be a hot water circulating pump that is used in Europe the older ones were vortex BW-152, looks like they have changed the type

cheers


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## MHB (26/4/12)

Tropical_Brews said:


> Wonder if they manufacture the pumps in house or buy in from a third party. Saw in one of the videos where the impellors just push into the pump body.


Up until about 10-12 months ago the pump was a Vortex Pump, they are now using an Iowara Pump. My Braumeister has the old pump and hasnt given me any trouble. I understand the Vortex has gone out of production but both have been around for years and are well regarded brands
Mark


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## Malted (23/5/12)

MHB said:


> Up until about 10-12 months ago the pump was a Vortex Pump, they are now using an Iowara Pump. My Braumeister has the old pump and hasn't given me any trouble. I understand the Vortex has gone out of production but both have been around for years and are well regarded brands
> Mark



Hello Mark, any other details on the Lowara pump model? I guess it would be something like the Ecorcirc Bronze EB?


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## MHB (23/5/12)

Its one of these but with the BSP connection options, they work very well, easy to clean and are on balance probably an improvement on the old model. Not however enough of an improvement to make me want to change pumps any time soon.
They are available locally, but are cheaper as a Braumeister spare part; there is an adaptor available to make up for the change in the body length, if you ever need to order one to replace the old pump that is something you should tell your distributer.
Mark


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## Damien13 (26/4/13)

ok... just wanted to tell the world, changed my mill to 1.18mm millmaster mini mill and got back to 85% eff. Had 2 brews in a row where I got 65-70 owing to milling too fine. I had it set on 1mm.
Yeah... boring post I know... ummmm nice day outside!


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