Best Option For Electric Biab

[robbo5253]

Hey All,
Currently doing Extract Brews but looking to go into BIAB as this is all I have room for.
Have been reading around but cant find the right answers.
Looking to go Electric and am running new cables as Bro in Law is a sparkie so will have 15amp Point near by.
Initially it will just be a simple setup but may look to add temp control and maybe a pump for recirc down the track if required.
The options I am looking at, and want some feedback on are:

40l Urn, if so, which model?
50l Pot with fixed element/s
Keggle with fixed element/s.
Either 50l Pot or Keggle with over the side element.

What other options do I have? I dont want to do it and then be disapointed with time to reach boil etc...

Cheers

Robbo

 

[MarkBastard]

40L urns are great, work out of the box, and you can run them on a 10amp if you want.

Having an integrated tap and level-sight is great too.

I would definitely recommend a Crown or Birko urn. Also get your bag from gryphon brewing. Way better than trying to make a DIY one. Get 1m of silicone hose for racking from the urn.

 

[Phoney]

Get 1m of silicone hose for racking from the urn.

Slightly OT; but how does the silicon hose fit around the tap of the Crown?

I have a Birko and it's a PITA. Takes a couple of minutes of fiddling around to get it on there, especially while the tap is all hot and ouchy.... Unless there's an easier way that im yet to discover. :blink:

 

[tavas]

I replaced my (Birko) urn fitting with a 1/2" ball valve, and put a barb on it. No problems at all fitting a silicone hose. Sponsors have the necessary gear (all thread, valve, silicone O rings and nuts).

 

[MarkBastard]

Slightly OT; but how does the silicon hose fit around the tap of the Crown?

I have a Birko and it's a PITA. Takes a couple of minutes of fiddling around to get it on there, especially while the tap is all hot and ouchy.... Unless there's an easier way that im yet to discover. :blink:

It's pretty damn easy except for the first time. It fits really nicely to the point where I'm happy to use the stock tap forever.

I find it's more secure to do it right at the start when the tap is cold and the most important thing to make sure is that the hose and tap are both very dry or it'll slip off too easily.

After I rack to cube and go to pull the hose off it can actually be quite hard to pull off, which is enough for me to be happy in how safe and secure it is when done right (plus the dozen brews done without issue).

 

[Phoney]

I replaced my (Birko) urn fitting with a 1/2" ball valve, and put a barb on it. No problems at all fitting a silicone hose. Sponsors have the necessary gear (all thread, valve, silicone O rings and nuts).

How much did this cost you in total if you dont mind me asking? The last time I looked into it I quickly put it in the too hard & expensive basket.

In the meantime I will follow Marks advice & try to remember to put it on before I start.

Cheers.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Besides a temp controller and kegging gear, my 40L Crown Urn is the best brewing investment I have made.

Simply add a bag and you're away. I also recommend the ready-made bags from Gryphon Brewing. I am sure some people could find the right material and knock up a suitable bag for a bit less but the convenience and knowing that it's been made specifically for this for a few years is worth it IMO.

 

[robbo5253]

Cheers for the replys, looks like the Urn is the way to go...
Now its just a matter of the Crown or the Birko?
And if I go the crown, concealed or exposed element?


Cheers

Robbo

 

[geoff_tewierik]

Concealed, no issues with scorching the wort, or rigging up something to keep the bag off the element.

 

[Bribie G]

If you have access to a 15a socket then I believe Birko also do a 3400w model (as opposed to the normal 2400w). That would be the ducks nuts for a BIAB system.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Absolute ease of use and no mucking about - an urn. But it does present some batch size/gravity limitations, and technique limitations/minor modifications required with the exposed element versions.

What i think is the best and most versatile option - a normal pot with one or two over the side immersion elements.

What i personally would never do - fix an element into a pot for BIAB if an immersion element was in any way an option.

 

[robbo5253]

Thanks for that Thirsty Boy, happy doing single batches and if I want to do higher grain bills, I will do smaller volumes I reckon.
Will start looking around for the 3000w Birko, from what I have read is that its the same price normally as the 2400.

CHeers

Robbo

 

[big78sam]

+1 for the urn - so easy

I also have a Birko urn and had some trouble initially connecting the silicon hose to the tap. However I found that a little slit in the end of the hose allowed me to put it on much easier. I've done 10+ batched with the hose with the little slit since and had no problems.

I went with Birko as I wanted to avoid modifying the boil dry switch for the Crown. If you do a search you will see threads on the modification, including one where people had troubled after doing the modification IIRC. I liked the concept of using it straight out of the box without modofication. There's also a thread comparing the 2 urns (with a poll attached)

 

[tavas]

How much did this cost you in total if you dont mind me asking? The last time I looked into it I quickly put it in the too hard & expensive basket.

In the meantime I will follow Marks advice & try to remember to put it on before I start.

Cheers.

Using parts from Craftbrewer you could do it for $40.60, if you use a brass valve. A stainless valve will up your price to around $65. You may find items cheaper at your LHS, or plumbing supplier. I justify the cost as less than 1 carton of bought beer, and safer. I don't want to be messing around with 30+ litres of boiling wort and a not so sturdy tap system, as my brewing spce is limited.

 

[tavas]

If you have access to a 15a socket then I believe Birko also do a 3400w model (as opposed to the normal 2400w). That would be the ducks nuts for a BIAB system.

Bribie's back!! Welcome back mate.

 

[MarkBastard]

There's now a Crown urn that has an exposed element like the Birko. I think Bribie has one of both so he'd be the best man to say which is better. From what I understand one is taller and thinner than the other and the Crown possibly has a better tap.

 

[tavas]

Cheers for the replys, looks like the Urn is the way to go...
Now its just a matter of the Crown or the Birko?
And if I go the crown, concealed or exposed element?


Cheers

Robbo

Hi Robbo

I use a Birko 40lt urn with a 2400W exposed element. I have had no problems at all with scorching or maintaining a boil. Cleaning is actually quite easy with a wipe out using a wet cloth every brew and a soak with Napisan every 3 or 4 just to get under the element properly. I believe the Crown's work well but do some research on the modification. Some have had failures, some not. Naturally if you mod your urn you will void the warranty.

It does take between 30 - 45 minutes to get up to boil sometimes. So it isn't fast, but some insulation would help that. I use a Mashmaster temp controller and dial up my mash in temp then go off and get other stuff ready while the urn heats up. The urn will sit on the setpoint in case I forget or get busy doing something else (like watching the cricket). I find this setup very convenient but of course it is costly to set up.

edit: I also have a cheap ebay 30 lt urn which has a concealed element. I did have some scorching on that for some reason. Since I got the Birko I haven't used the smaller urn so can't say if it was a one off or not.

 

[MarkBastard]

You may be interested in times to hit temps, this is for a Crown urn 40L 2400w 10amp with concealed element

Starting with 45 degree tap water, takes 25-30 minutes to get 30L of water to 70 degrees
After mash have about 26.2L of wort at 64.5 degrees. Takes about 30 minutes to get to a vigorous boil.

So if you have a 60 minute mash and 60 minute boil, your brew day will be about 3 hours plus maybe another 20 minutes to include filling the urn with hot water at the start, and racking to a cube after flame-out.

Then of course there is cleaning. I'm usually done in 4 hours having all equipment back to the condition it was in when I started.

 

[robbo5253]

Thanks for the times Mark, does anyone have times it takes for the Birko with the exposed element or the times for the 3000w?

Cheers

Robbo

 

[BjornJ]

I mash in 35 litres of water in the 40 litre Birko urn with the exposed element, the 10A/2400 W version.

To help it heat/boil I have an insulation mat cut out to fit around the urn in place for the entire mash/boil, and also wrap it with a blanket or two to help the boil along. Thinking of one of those mats you have under the sleeping bag when camping.

I haven't really timed it but I believe it takes about 25-30 min to get to say 68 degrees, then another 15 or so before it boils after taking the grains out.
It then has a strong, good boil the entire time as I use the temp control knob as an on/off only, turning it all the way to 110 degrees and just leaving it there.



thanks
Bjorn