20L Brau Setup

[neal.p]

Hi,
I posted this elsewhere but maybe here is more appropriate.

I'm looking at buying a 20L Brau to do 5L (20L/4=5L) recipe development. I'm thinking of adding different hop/yeast variations or even doing a separate mini-mash on the stovetop to add to a portion of the boil. Any opinions on whether the volume and variations are sound? Demi's seem like the only option at 5l but I've never used them for beer before and they look like a pain for ferm and cleaning.

And with the Brau itself, I've seem some rigs on the net that use Brau > hose > pump > HopRocket/filter > hose > plate chiller > hose > fermentor. Is anyone using a similar setup?

As for Brau mods, other than the installation of a Ball valve, are there any others which you must have? Is the ferm jacket required in Sydney?

Cheers,
Neal

 

[BKBrews]

Can't give you tips on the brau, but I can confirm the 5L glass carboys are a bit of a pain in the *** to clean and also siphon out of. I never really came up with a good method of siphoning and felt like I was just pumping a whole heap of air into the beer most of the time.

 

[SBOB]

for fermenters,
you could go with small stainless fermenters by using olive oil tanks
http://www.theolivecentre.com/Olive-Equipment/OLIVE-OIL-STORAGE-SETTLING/5L-olive-oil-tank.html
http://www.theolivecentre.com/Olive-Equipment/OLIVE-OIL-STORAGE-SETTLING/15L-Screw-Top-SS-Tank-with-Tap-.html

or just plastic water storage containers
https://www.bunnings.com.au/icon-plastics-10l-blue-tint-camper-carrier-with-tap_p3240535
https://www.bunnings.com.au/icon-plastics-15l-blue-tint-water-storage-drum_p3240531

 

[neal.p]

Thanks for confirming that they may be a pain, BKBrews. Were you using an auto-siphon?

Can't give you tips on the brau, but I can confirm the 5L glass carboys are a bit of a pain in the *** to clean and also siphon out of. I never really came up with a good method of siphoning and felt like I was just pumping a whole heap of air into the beer most of the time.

 

[Judanero]

Problem with the 5L demi is you won't be able to ferment 5L of wort in it without making a big mess, you need a larger (at least some) head space.. I have fermented ~3.5L in a 5L erlenmeyer flask with a silicon stopper and blow off tube as a bit of an experiment, it was messy.

If it were me I would buy four 8- 10L stainless stockpots from k-mart/big W, ferment in those.

Cover the top with cling wrap, put a plate or something else flat and suitable sturdy over the top of that (block out light, prevent anything accidentally falling onto the cling wrap and subsequently into your wort).

You will still need a siphon to transfer unless you install a tap, personally never had a problem with my auto siphon but that's not to say it doesn't happen.

Edit- Also worth considering how you plan on oxygenating your wort, 02 through a 2 micron stone- no problem, if you're just going to shake I would go the 15L cube option from Bunnings... you can shake the bejeezus out of those rather easily.

 

[BKBrews]

Thanks for confirming that they may be a pain, BKBrews. Were you using an auto-siphon?

No it wasn't an autosiphon - it was a hand pump style siphon. Never used an autosiphon so can't comment on whether that's better, but does look it.

 

[Blind Dog]

i assume you mean make 20L base wort and then split 4 ways to try different yeasts, dry hops etc? You can double mash to make bigger batches (30 to 35 litres is easily doable in a 20 litre BM), just search for 'grain and grape double mash'. It adds a little time to the brew day, but means you'll have more wort to experiment with.

You can try the Bunnings maxi pails as fermenters, but you'll need to drill a hole for the tap and you'll need the taps with a backing nut and seals. Cling film as the lid, or drill a hole in the plastic lid for grommet and airlock. Fairly cheap and a decent alternative to demijohns

 

[neal.p]

SBOB,
Haha, one end of the price spectrum to the other there. And I was thinking the Better Bottles were expensive, although they have a really narrow neck.


Maybe 10L pail/bucket w/tap would do the trick.

 

[neal.p]

Good points Judanero, it would get a bit messy.

I'm thinking of going the O2 route, just need to read up a bit on it. Those stockpot would be simple to clean then reuse too.

 

[neal.p]

Ta BKBrews.
Just using a racking cane/stocking at the moment....which works...

 

[neal.p]

Yes that's what I mean Blind Dog. That's a sweet idea with a double mash.

I guess food grade pails from Bunnings means no plastic smell or taste?

 

[Blind Dog]

Yes that's what I mean Blind Dog. That's a sweet idea with a double mash.

I guess food grade pails from Bunnings means no plastic smell or taste?

Never had an issue with them (I use the 11 litre size as primary fermentors for small batch meads and ciders)

 

[trhr]

i assume you mean make 20L base wort and then split 4 ways to try different yeasts, dry hops etc? You can double mash to make bigger batches (30 to 35 litres is easily doable in a 20 litre BM), just search for 'grain and grape double mash'. It adds a little time to the brew day, but means you'll have more wort to experiment with.

You can try the Bunnings maxi pails as fermenters, but you'll need to drill a hole for the tap and you'll need the taps with a backing nut and seals. Cling film as the lid, or drill a hole in the plastic lid for grommet and airlock. Fairly cheap and a decent alternative to demijohns

I've got a 20L BM and I've recently started doing double mashing and splitting the batches into 2 or 4 for different dry hops etc.
Works great and you can get up to 38 litres, since the BM boil is so timid. You could probably push it to 40L even.
I use 15L standard fermenters, think I bought mine from Craftbrewer in Brisbane, but heaps of other brew shops have them. Probably a little large for 5L batches though, I'd go the 11L buckets if you're set on 5L batches.
I'd say push the BM and split to 4 x ~10L, then they fit perfect in 9.5L kegs if your kegging too.

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/products/category/VJBBQTYR-fermenters-accessories/7FERM%2015%20BALD--fermenter-plastic-15-litre-bare

 

[kaiserben]

When I used to full volume BIAB in a 19L stock pot and only yield about 8.5L of wort into a fermenter, I used to use these 10L jerry cans from Bunnings.

They were only a pain to clean when there was big krausen and it had sat there for weeks and dried in the handle area. Otherwise, just a rinse in hot water, then soak in perc & hot water. Seemed to do the job.

EDIT: But if I were you I'd grab one of those 15L plastic fermenters from a LHBS. Makes everything a lot easier.

 

[neal.p]

Never had an issue with them (I use the 11 litre size as primary fermentors for small batch meads and ciders)

Ta, that was burning issue for some reason.

 

[neal.p]

Redman9,
Are you using the hood or jacket on yours? Just wondering if they are necessary. I see some ppl use ghetto versions...which is fine by me.

Thanks for your thoughts. 5L does seem a little fiddly I know, but I need to bottle so I can hand em out, and beer encourages my waistline to grow faster than the universe. So says my doc.

By the way, what type of chiller are you using? I've never used a plate chiller (I like the size and integration) but the internets seem to suggest that they are really hard to clean.

 

[neal.p]

Kaiserben,
Are you just jamming an airlock in the lid with a bung? Or some other method? I guess there's 5 and a bit litres of headspace?

I know what you're saying though, if you get on the cleaning straight away it shouldn't be much of an issue. If 5 is too much mucking about I can always switch to 10 later.

If 40L can be squeezed out of the Brau, not sure I'd find 8 variations of yeast/hops for 5l ferms!

 

[trhr]

Neal,

I don't have the hood or the jacket, I brew outside on my balcony, but in qld, so don't have any issues with boil times.

I hear you, I'm getting fatter faster than I can drink here too. I keg then just bottle from kegs as needed, quick and easy with a bottle filler or carb cap.

I'm using an immersion chiller with a pump, but I still find it's hard to get my temp below 30. Think it just needs more loops, I've heard the BM immersion chiller works well even though it's stainless.

Btw, the old 20L BM kettle is 40L capacity I've heard, whereas mine is the new model and it's 43L, hence why 38 is achievable. Might pay to check ur capacity before you shoot for max litres.