50l Braumeister Or 20l

[micblair]

Has anyone got either and not regretted getting the other? Need help purchasing.

Pro's for the 20L

-No need to call an electrician
-Can experiment with recipes without being stuck with an ordinary brew

Pro's for the 50L

-double batches!
-smaller malt pipe, could make smaller batches possible?

 

[Batz]

go the 50lt

 

[micblair]

go the 50lt

What's was the clincher for you? 2 x more beer, for marginally less effort?

 

[rotten]

If you can afford to ask the question, go the 50 ltr. I brew double batches and don't get sick of the beer. It doesn't stay there long enough. However you brew it takes time, how much time do you have every week or two to brew?

lucky bastard

 

[SJW]

Got the 20L and love it. Pushes out 25L into the fermenter with ease. Can hit 85% efficieny with ease, if I want, one batch at a time for lots of brew days

 

[Batz]

If you want a smaller malt pipe you don't need a 50lt BM.
Perhaps a 25lt is best for you. I brew double on my brew days and do 100lt, if you know how to brew why not do 50lt.?

 

[micblair]

If you want a smaller malt pipe you don't need a 50lt BM.
Perhaps a 25lt is best for you. I brew double on my brew days and do 100lt, if you know how to brew why not do 50lt.?

Well, I brew pretty regularly, going to have a couple of 30th's between the misses and I come summer. Since doing 50L has roughly the same number of manual operations, apart from cubing and fermenting, it just seems like a no brainer. Although MHB said he's not particularly convinced by the small malt pipe.

Also, what happens when I want to do big beers on the little brau?

 

[probablynathan]

I have the 20ltr and love it. I get to brew often and i can do a brew after work.

If your have the time to brew reguarly then the 20ltr is great if not maybe you want the 50ltr. Either way I doubt you will regret it.

 

[SJW]

I can do 1055 OG brews with no problem and no DME.Anything bigger than that I would dare say the recipe would be calling for sugar or DME anyway, ie Big Belgums or Bocks

 

[swiggingpig]

I went with the 20L BM as I brew to fill 1 cornie.

I like to try different recipes and styles, I also like a selection of beers on tap, so I try to keep 6 different beers on the bar at any one time.

I don't do many 'big' beers and after checking my brew records I'd only done 2 'big' beers within the last 2 years so ~98% of my brews fit within the guidelines for the BM and when I want a 'big' beer I will accept a lower finished volume as I will bottle it rather than hog a cornie and a bar tap for months.

 

[Rurik]

I have a 20l and love it. I could have brought either but chose the smaller one. Why, because I live in a place whear space is at a premium, I am not limited to a particular place for my brew in (I some time brew in the laundry, shed or kitchen depending on the day) I can take it on the road, my kegs are 19.5 l, I have one 30 l fermenter and two 25 l buckets that all fit together, there are lots of other volume related things because it is such an easy size to get. We are also looking at buying a unit so 15amp points may not be able to be had.

Why I looked at the BM50. Bigger batches which meant less brewing. I did like the idea of being able to brew bigger beers by making less at a time but still finishing with a decent amount for my day, but I don't drink that much big beer ( in fact I have just made my second beer over 6.5% after five years of serious brewing). It came with the need to continue buying larger equipment ( taking up more space) because I like to chill my worth then pitch as I do not like having cubes hanging around, the need to have a 15 amp power point and i don't mind the extra brew days meant that the BM50 was not for me.

You cannot ask the question which one is for me and get the right answer because what one man like another hates. Instead work out what your need /wants are and seek peoples thoughts on it.

Hope this helps.

 

[doon]

I can get 22l after trub at 1.061 in the 20l

 

[micblair]

I have a 20l and love it. I could have brought either but chose the smaller one. Why, because I live in a place whear space is at a premium, I am not limited to a particular place for my brew in (I some time brew in the laundry, shed or kitchen depending on the day) I can take it on the road, my kegs are 19.5 l, I have one 30 l fermenter and two 25 l buckets that all fit together, there are lots of other volume related things because it is such an easy size to get. We are also looking at buying a unit so 15amp points may not be able to be had.

Why I looked at the BM50. Bigger batches which meant less brewing. I did like the idea of being able to brew bigger beers by making less at a time but still finishing with a decent amount for my day, but I don't drink that much big beer ( in fact I have just made my second beer over 6.5% after five years of serious brewing). It came with the need to continue buying larger equipment ( taking up more space) because I like to chill my worth then pitch as I do not like having cubes hanging around, the need to have a 15 amp power point and i don't mind the extra brew days meant that the BM50 was not for me.

You cannot ask the question which one is for me and get the right answer because what one man like another hates. Instead work out what your need /wants are and seek peoples thoughts on it.

Hope this helps.

You know that sad feeling as you get towards the end of the keg, and you're like "is that it? Already?" For a whole day's effort, then babying, taking gravity measurements, and waiting around for several weeks for something that can be polished of pretty quick if theres a few of you.

The ability to experiment with different recipes certainly has been good.

 

[Brewman_]

I must say I do not have Braumeister.
I brew in a bag. To me if you have the cash it is a no brainer, get the 50L. For me time is a premium, my brweing competes with work, training for sport, kids activities and soccer on the weekend, social events, time with the family doing stuff, working on the car, the tractor, blah blah. If this is not you and you are retired or single without a family brewing small btaches might be fine. For me, I still brew small batches of some beers, but if I know I like a brew, I'll knock out 2 batches. It gives me more time to do all of the stuff above, and when I have some spare time to experiment with smaller more interesting batches.
Again no brainer.
Fear_n_loath

 

[Rurik]

You know that sad feeling as you get towards the end of the keg, and you're like "is that it? Already?" For a whole day's effort, then babying, taking gravity measurements, and waiting around for several weeks for something that can be polished of pretty quick if theres a few of you.

The ability to experiment with different recipes certainly has been good.

Not really, I just see it as an opportunity to brew again. I am more of the journey type of brewer.

 

[Brewman_]

Not really, I just see it as an opportunity to brew again. I am more of the journey type of brewer.

Hi Rurik,
I think I know you from MHB. If so, Hope all is well. I used to be like you too, however, I am 10 years further down my journey. If it is not who I think it is oh well.

Fear_n_loath

 

[Cocko]

If you can afford to make the choice then there is no choice IMO - 50L

If you can afford a 50L BM, you should try and build 3.5K worth of your own rig, that would be killer...

1.8c

 

[[email protected]]

If you are anything like me then the 50 would be definately the way to go.
I dont have much time when I brew, the beer I make goes pretty quickly, so it is a no brainer.
I do maxi BIAB double batches in a 50 l keg, and am about to make a clone Braumeister.

Cheers Swampy

 

[Florian]

Another thing to consider:

Brewing 50l of worth doesn't mean you end up with 50l of the same beer.
If you no chill you can create two completely different beers by cube hopping, using different yeasts, doing separate hop boils before pitching and so on. You can even do a quick mini mash on the stove of say a kilo of rye to add to one of your hefeweizen cubes or whatever.

I wish I would have considered this when purchasing mine.

Yes, I have a 20l and sometimes regret it.

 

[Cocko]

I wish I would have considered this when purchasing mine.

Yes, I have a 20l and sometimes regret it.

Ahh diddums.. you ok?