1st Brew On Braumeister - Pics

[Brewer_010]

I've got a question, where does the sparge water come from? Do you still need a separate pot with sparge water or is the unit fully contained including sparging?

Thanks in advance

 

[davewaldo]

I have a nice little 10L birko urn I use for my sparge water.You don't have to sparge, but you can increase efficiency by doing so.

 

[stephenkentucky]

Congratulations on your BM, I am up to my 30th brew and just got my excise licence to sell the product so this is a commercial brewery, you are using. The best thing is that I am now achieving absolute repeatability, with the taste and figures backing what I have always believed about this amazing piece of equipment, that this is as capable as any other brewery out there, just a sh*t load easier to clean and maintain. So all you who brew any other way Flame away, your just jealous....

 

[sama]

i was gonna get one..but bought a boat instead

 

[Brewer_010]

I have a nice little 10L birko urn I use for my sparge water.You don't have to sparge, but you can increase efficiency by doing so.

OK then, so if you recirculate then you'll get better efficiency? I've downloaded the instructions so I should read them.

My wife is quite impressed with the unit so convincing her of a new $2500 capital outlay is easier for me! Just need to stump up the cash....

cheers
Barry

 

[davewaldo]

OK then, so if you recirculate then you'll get better efficiency? I've downloaded the instructions so I should read them.

My wife is quite impressed with the unit so convincing her of a new $2500 capital outlay is easier for me! Just need to stump up the cash....

cheers
Barry

Yes, but its not the recirculating that does it. For the entire mash the BM recirculates the wort (this is great for clarity and consistency). Then you lift the malt pipe containing the grain. Let it drain, then if you like, sparge / rinse the grain with 10L or so. Its this sparge / rinse that increases the efficiency. Some manage 80% efficiency without this step though.

Dave.

 

[stux]

OK then, so if you recirculate then you'll get better efficiency? I've downloaded the instructions so I should read them.

My wife is quite impressed with the unit so convincing her of a new $2500 capital outlay is easier for me! Just need to stump up the cash....

cheers
Barry

The trick is do you get a 20L or 50L unit which can also do 20L...

I would suspect that if you start making BM beer, your beer will become very popular and you'll eventually want the 50L

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

system wars? anytime, but it'll be a five step mash pilsener, not a single infusion yorkie or whatever...

Why is it that the most boring beers are the most complicated to make?

Seriously, it looks fantastic. If I had some spare coin (and produced the quantity of beers wherein this thing would pay for itself) I'd definitely get it.

Still trying to get the kegging system past the minister of War, Finance, Saying No and Arguing about stupid things (big portfolio she has, it tripped the Governor General up when she got sworn in).

Goomba

 

[MHB]

The Braumeister is constantly recirculating during the mashing process, at the end of the mash you lift the malt pipe and rest it on the supports, during this period most of the sweet water mixed in with the malt drains back into the Braumeister. See second to last pick in Dave's original post. At this time you can do a simple flood sparge if you want to, I just pour about 10 L of 80^oC water on top of the malt and let it trickle through the grain. Personally I doubt that it's really a sparge, more just rinsing the sugary sweet water from between the grains.

While the "sparge" water is trickling through, the Braumeister is heating up toward a boil, as it ramps at 1^oC/Minute you have a good 15-20 minutes for the bulk of the water to run into the kettle.

I put the Braumeisters' lid on top of a bucket, then just before you reach a boil, lift the malt tube down and put it on the lid, there are a couple of vent slots in the lid. If you are careful you can position the malt pipe so it's over one of the vents and both vents are over the bucket, this lets sweet water drain into the bucket and let's air out. I just leave the malt pipe sitting there for nearly the whole boil. A couple of litres of sweet water will drain into the bucket - just put it back into the boil about 10 minutes from the end if you want to maximise your yield.

One other benefit of doing this is that you're not tempted to put the lid on the Braumeister during the boil! That usually leads to a boil-over and if the lid is otherwise occupied, it's harder to do something dumb (just the once OK)

MHB

 

[Bribie G]

I thought that the definition of a sparge was - in fact - to rinse the remaining sweet stuff that remains (not between the grains because there aren't any grains as such, having been crushed) - so in that case what does a real sparge do differently?
Not knocking the concept, I hasten to add, I sometimes do a side sparge in a nappy bucket with my BIAB setup and it's a sparrrrgggee.

 

[MHB]

As well as rinsing the sweet water from between the grain (particles, fragments, grist...) a true sparge is slow enough that sugars inside the grain fragments has time to migrate out into the sparge water, this is driven by osmotic pressure and is a slow process. Honestly I doubt that we are getting much from inside the bits of grain, but the sweet water between is worth having.

MHB

 

[Bribie G]

Gotcha.
I was thinking about those concepts today when I did a mashout at 78 degrees and pumping the BIAB mash up and down with the paint stirrer before hoisting for the last time, and wondering what was actually still in there and whether to do a side sparge/pump. Didn't do so but got good efficiency anyway. :icon_cheers:

 

[leeboy]

Great post. Been awesome to hear a 1st users perspective!

 

[proudscum]

Love this toy and am more than happy with a 20l model which means i get to brew more beers.Was interesting when i did a no style strong ale that the drill driven crush on my mill gave me lees gravity than the Bass IPA i did by hand milling....may have had something to do with the 6 yr old brewer controlling the drill.The control will make me a better brewer because i know the numbers that should come out the other end when it goes into the fermenter.
I believe that the control of the whole brewing process is what will take good beer to great beer.

 

[Brewer_010]

thanks for the replies on the method. I'm sold on this, it really looks the business for me - will get one as soon as I can.

 

[Florian]

I put the Braumeisters' lid on top of a bucket, then just before you reach a boil, lift the malt tube down and put it on the lid, there are a couple of vent slots in the lid. If you are careful you can position the malt pipe so it's over one of the vents and both vents are over the bucket, this lets sweet water drain into the bucket and let's air out. I just leave the malt pipe sitting there for nearly the whole boil. A couple of litres of sweet water will drain into the bucket - just put it back into the boil about 10 minutes from the end if you want to maximise your yield.

For those who have or are planning to get the 20L, the malt tube fits perfectly into a 19L stockpot, and even a 15L one. it sits elevated like when resting on the unit, leaving plenty of room underneath for wort coming from a flood sparge. once the trickle gets slower you can also prop the tube on an angle, which increases the wort flow again for a while.

Edit: And like proudscum, I do love my 20L, it gets me out into the brewery more often, and it also gives me more chances to tweak my recipes. Plus, the malt pipe is easy to lift and cleaning is very quick, with only one element to clean. Maybe over time when I get my perfect recipes together and spare time becomes more of a novelty I'll bite myself for not getting the 50L, but logistics were against it when I ordered mine.

 

[stux]

As well as rinsing the sweet water from between the grain (particles, fragments, grist...) a true sparge is slow enough that sugars inside the grain fragments has time to migrate out into the sparge water, this is driven by osmotic pressure and is a slow process. Honestly I doubt that we are getting much from inside the bits of grain, but the sweet water between is worth having.

MHB

So, is it more like lautering then?

 

[Siborg]

OK.... I want one of these soooo bad. I love that I can set my brew rig up anywhere at the moment, but hate that all the vessels take up so much space and are such a PITA to clean. I've been planning to spend my tax return money on a new computer... but I think that will have to wait. I want need a braumeister just so that I can get brewing more often.

 

[davewaldo]

So, is it more like lautering then?

My understanding is that lautering is just separating the wort from the grain. I think Mark's use of the word rinsing is probably the best way to describe it unless the brewer rinses very slowly than it would be a sparge.

OK.... I want one of these soooo bad. I love that I can set my brew rig up anywhere at the moment, but hate that all the vessels take up so much space and are such a PITA to clean. I've been planning to spend my tax return money on a new computer... but I think that will have to wait. I want need a braumeister just so that I can get brewing more often.

The 20L model would definitely be a set up anywhere system. The only restraint with the 50L is that it needs a 15amp socket.

 

[BrewGuru]

Okay I have read all the posts on the Braumeister, I am sold!
I purchased the 50l on line this morning, now I can't wait to get back into full mash brewing, I'll be relying on you guys for some good mash recipes.
Can anyone recommend a good brewing software package? I used to use promash.