Braumeister NEXTGEN Build

[MastersBrewery]

agree with above, looks like making beer the easy way to me! :beerbang:

 

[lael]

Looks great! What is the stainless filter you used under the top plate?

edit: - how are the three legs attached at the bottom of the pot? (50L keggle?)

 

[arzaman]

Hi
I’m actively working to my second generation of Braumesiter clone (single vessel brewing system) and compared to the first release I have

· Increased the volume usinga 50L thermo pot and a 35L malt pipe
· Moved definitely to camlock sealing (is main weakness in current set up)
· And off course introducing full process automation (currently I have just a PID Sestos thermo regulator) through the super Open ArdBir control system derived from Matho’s controller with lot of fix and new features

In order to have both a central threaded rod in order to fix easily the pipe and central camlock I have adopted this strategy: the rod pass through the camlock and is fixed to the bottom of Y (or tee) fitting. The 3/4 ‘’ bore and 8mm rod diameter ensure enough space for worth flow . In this way when you fix the pipe on the top you also tight the camlock. Removing the bottom fitting plug you can also remove the threaded rod

Following picture are self-explaining…what do you think about?

I would like also to introduce a different solution for the bottom filter: since I have just the camlook in the middle of the malt pipe as output channel and not the full surface I would like to use a sort of compact filter avoiding empty space between the false bottom and the pipe.

I have tried to build this filter starting from a strainer (other shape can be sued) that in some way I can fix at the bottom of the pipe with a central hole for the threaded rod

Here some picture, do you see any drawbacks both during the worth recirculation and worth filtering at the end? Is there any risk to create preferred path and non-uniform recirculation or to have trouble during filtration?

Thank you for support
Ciao
Davide

 

[djar007]

Apart from the loss of room in the Mt for grain I like the look of that. How can you ensure it doesn't create channelling up the middle? Is there any way to put a flat cap inside the strainer to direct some of the wort horizontally to help with that. If I am to build another then that would be my biggest concern. Even distribution of return wort accross the malt pipe. Some type of manifold setup may help. I have even been trying with the idea of a cip cleaning ball. I love the setup and look forward to seeing the rest of the build. Regards dave.

 

[lukec]

The filter under the top plate is 316 stainless mesh. I acquired a roll of I from a local scrap yard for the scrap cost per kg in stainless. So it was about $15.
All the legs are welded on and so are the bushes for the pump connections.

Looks great! What is the stainless filter you used under the top plate?

edit: - how are the three legs attached at the bottom of the pot? (50L keggle?)

 

[lael]

I would be interested to see what efficiencies you get. Its my hunch/guess that the high efficiencies achieved in Brau systems are due to a highly open bottom plate that gives great flow through the entire grain bed. I'm not sure you will get that without a little dead space - you don't need much! I think in my systems it would be between 1-2cmax.

If you are using a cam lock I don't think you need a center rod. I would do something like three bolts around the top rim of the pot.

Mash in, Put the top plate in, slide the bolts in place and use wing nuts to lock it in place. I think you would need a thick top plate though (2mm works well).

That said - it looks like your system is pretty much ready to go - maybe try it and see how it goes!

 

[jwollmer]

I remember reading about a member that was selling face plates for the Braumiser controller box. I can't find that thread, can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks

 

[jwollmer]

Also I am having trouble sourcing a bendable heating element in the US. Anyone found a decent option?

Thanks again

 

[MastersBrewery]

face plates are by superoo his site

 

[jwollmer]

Thanks Over Carbed, they look nice!

 

[MastersBrewery]

Elements are avaliable from here

 

[jwollmer]

Thanks mastersbrewery, do most go with Incoloy? Stainless is pretty expensive.

Are you in the US?

 

[MastersBrewery]

nah in Australia that link was from this thread on a US site, you may want to search that site for further links for 'Braumiser' as that may lead you to even cheaper elements. Yes it's the same rig by the master himself

 

[jwollmer]

Regarding Elements on Omega.com it looks lie 2 options work well for me. Given my kettle diameter and wanting to only have 2 coils it looks like I have a max length of 80" or 203cm. I know most use Incoloy but there is a copper offering as well.
Incoloy 30 watts/in 3000W 70" $185 TRI-7045/240V
Incoloy 30 watts/in 3250W 78" $200 TRI-7845/240V
Copper 53 watts/in 3300W 70" $135 TRC-7048/240V
Stainless 50 watts/in 3000W 54" $195 TRSS-5465/240V

2 questions
1) copper vs Incoloy vs Stainless one better or worse then the other?
2) is 53 watts/in a risk to scorch wort?

 

[lael]

mine are incoloy - http://www.tobins.com.au/TescoCatalogue2014.pdf#page=2 - bm73HO - which is 1w per mm appx I guess. When I bought mine they said they could handle boil dry scenarios - which was a big factor in my thinking. I do get some stuff sticking to the element, but it cleans up pretty easily with an OLD nylon scrubber (so soft) and some sod. perc. in warm water. If you are willing to take more time I am sure a longer soak would clean it up all nicely..

 

[lehtinel]

First post, forgive all possible mistakes. I'll start by thanking everyone that has posted pictures, suggestions and links here, and especially to Mathos for the designing, coding and whatnot.

I'll start my build by doing the control box, should be all clear (been soldering some headphone amps and stuff so I will go smoothly).

But:

The pots, I live in Europe (Glasgow, Scotland until september this year and then back to Finland), what I can find here cheap and good (I think) are these:

Main tank would be this, readily isolated so the brewing process should benefit:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Edelstahl-Thermoport-Thermobehaelter-60-Liter-Neuware-/351038279448?

And mash tun would be this:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/380877763834

The pump woud be the same as the orig. Braumeister uses AFAIK, Vortex BW-512:

http://www.deutsche-vortex.de/index.php?id=103&L=1

Having a little problems on sourcing the heating element here in Europe, any help on that would be appreciated, Omega.com seems to be one choice.

Now with the tank volumes I calculated the max grain bill to around 9kg, and that would make for a nice sized batch at once. But will one, say, 2500w element be enough for the vessels sizes? I guess the pump would be up to the job, although when comparing to the 20/50l Braumeisters my pots seem to be in the middle, with the outer being 450x450mm and the inner 350x350mm.

 

[MastersBrewery]

On the weekend with Lael, we did a 10.3kg grain bill in 350x350 malt pipe, that is probably the absolute limit, efficiency didn't seem to suffer too much.

 

[angus_grant]

Man, 10kgs is epic.

Thought I'd pop my head back in to this thread and let everyone know that I have eventually got my brau-clone producing beer. http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/65940-introducing-brewton/page-7#entry1159243
Only 5.5kgs for me though. I'll need to work out the efficiency as BrewMate calculated figures of 79% for my 23L batch. It was meant to be 1053 but came out at 1060 and produced 25L of wort (so should get a keg and a few bottles), so quite happy with that. I'll bump my efficiency up to 79% and see what the next batch works out at.

Awesome to finally be producing beer with my system. It has been a VERY long time coming. Was a much easier process that BIAB. No need to constantly make sure mash is recirculating, bag is off element, etc, etc. Had a beer and sat listening to the pump winding over and wort trickling over while planning how to sparge out. Will have to fix that before the next batch which is this weekend with a couple of boys coming around.

Pleased with how clear the wort ends up. This was about 30 mins in to 60min mash

There always has to be something ghetto with my system. I have an idea to solve my sparging problem. Should hopefully be a one-person solution. Will get around to building a hoist system but not going to happen just yet.

Hmm, just found some online efficiency calculators which provide estimated efficiencies without taking particular grain varieties into account. 88% to 90% which seems way too high..... I must be entering something incorrectly.

5.5kgs BB Ale malt
1060 SG at end of boil (temp corrected refractometer reading and confirmed with temp corrected hydrometer reading)
25L into fermentor last night

What other details are needed to provide some figures? I'm just a bit dubious of getting 88% efficiency. It was my first time sparging and last runnings were 1025 coming out of the bottom of the malt pipe.

 

[lael]

On the weekend with Lael, we did a 10.3kg grain bill in 350x350 malt pipe, that is probably the absolute limit, efficiency didn't seem to suffer too much.

I would like to claim we pushed it that far... was a tad smaller @9.3kg. the malt pipe is just on 33cmID (the outside of the rolled rim is 35cm...), and 35cm tall. Minus 3cm of height for the grain capacity (plates 1cm from top and bottom + a little spare for good measure) gives about 27L - which is just on a fluidisation of 3.0L/kg grain. I think the lowest you want to go is around 2.8L/Kg - I'll have to try it some time and report back. Efficiency of that one was supposed to be 28L 1.071 preboil. Numbers were pretty bang on - I think I was a little higher than that after sparging - allowing for an effiency in the low 90s. I suspect that when you push the limit too far your efficiency drops far enough that it is not worthwhile trying to cram the malt into the pipe. I'll try a bigger grain bill soon though just for kicks. Maybe that Traquair house ale recipe I was looking at....

 

[MastersBrewery]

ah well got the .3 right anyway