Braumeister NEXTGEN Build

[Doogiechap]

now to find a 4 inch long flanged piece of SS tube about 3 inches dia to make a chimney, and boil efficiency will be improved a lot!

anyone know of a suitible item?

Hi mate,
I stumbled across this website which may be heading in the right direction.
Otherwise I'm sure you could find an exhaust fitter that could whip something into shape for you
Cheers
Doug

 

[gava]

Tony,



I had the same idea about SS bowl and was going to implement into my kettle, Now your doing it i'll just copy what you've done make my job easier.

Mines inside so Im going to vent via a tube out the window..

I have been trolling the net for AB PLC's and working as a Control System Engineer..... i know what they cost. The ones on evilbay from china are well priced but im still up for $800+ for what i want. I have done some thinking and i do want to use PLC. but was going to start a search (having only ever used high end gear) for cheaper PLC's. These sound good.

Do you know what the programing software is like. I have the AB software and know it back to front which is why i wanted to go that way.



I was thinking i may have some SS sheets cut and folded to make a square lagging box to go around the pot. fill the inside with insulation and it is still all shiney



Yeah mate.... it has a SS barrel union at both points of the pump for easy removal. You dont need it often but when you do.... ALL PRAISE THE BARREL UNION
f
here is the new "tightarse" dome top for the Braumonster. cost $13

now to find a 4 inch long flanged piece of SS tube about 3 inches dia to make a chimney, and boil efficiency will be improved a lot!

anyone know of a suitible item?

 

[ForkBoy]

One other thing, make sure your filter plates are nice and strong. I was using a 30 cm kettle false bottom as the top mash filter, which worked for 2 brews, but bucked under the pressure during the third. I did it a little differently to matho in that i used cooking splatter guards (fine stainless mesh) as my fine filters, not the hop bag material.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Dan

Hi Dan, I am using the false bottom as the top filter in my ghettobrau. I could not imagine that warping. What did you replace it with?

Ps I don't use a fine filter. I did not think it needed it. Ran very clear after 10 mins or so.I also use a pretty coarse crush and still get >75%.

 

[dmac80]

Hi Dan, I am using the false bottom as the top filter in my ghettobrau. I could not imagine that warping. What did you replace it with?

Ps I don't use a fine filter. I did not think it needed it. Ran very clear after 10 mins or so.I also use a pretty coarse crush and still get >75%.

Hi Forkboy,

I replaced it with some thick stainless sheet with some slots cut in it, haven't tested the replacement filter plate yet though. The false bottom i had was a domed one that was around 0.5 mm thick i think.

Interesting that you haven't used any fine mesh, do you have any pump rests? Was the >75% efficiency mash or brewhouse?

Cheers

 

[ForkBoy]

Hi Forkboy,

I replaced it with some thick stainless sheet with some slots cut in it, haven't tested the replacement filter plate yet though. The false bottom i had was a domed one that was around 0.5 mm thick i think.

Interesting that you haven't used any fine mesh, do you have any pump rests? Was the >75% efficiency mash or brewhouse?

Cheers

I have the beerbelly domed false bottom, which I think is the same as craftbrewer etc, and 0.5mm is probably right. I have a central rod that I bolt it down with so it's under a fair amount of force. I have only run one brew through the dome so far (I started with a strainer first time and that was fail). The dome seems pretty solid, I could not imagine it deflecting at all. I hope it's a workable solution. Maybe the difference is in the crush or the fine mesh?

No, I did not do pump rests or stir the mash.

Efficiency is pre-boil & post boil refractometer reading plugged into beersmith. I used 70% in the recipe and hit OG, but with 2-3 more litres than expected in a 22L batch, so I'm estimating 75% or more. I probably shouldn't quote numbers without being sure, but neither brew has finished with me thinking "well, that was way out". This was sparging with 8-9L water as well.

 

[dmac80]

I have the beerbelly domed false bottom, which I think is the same as craftbrewer etc, and 0.5mm is probably right. I have a central rod that I bolt it down with so it's under a fair amount of force. I have only run one brew through the dome so far (I started with a strainer first time and that was fail). The dome seems pretty solid, I could not imagine it deflecting at all. I hope it's a workable solution. Maybe the difference is in the crush or the fine mesh?

No, I did not do pump rests or stir the mash.

Efficiency is pre-boil & post boil refractometer reading plugged into beersmith. I used 70% in the recipe and hit OG, but with 2-3 more litres than expected in a 22L batch, so I'm estimating 75% or more. I probably shouldn't quote numbers without being sure, but neither brew has finished with me thinking "well, that was way out". This was sparging with 8-9L water as well.

Ok. My false bottom lasted 2 brews and deformed on the third, letting some grain around the edge of the filter at one section. I hit just over 70% brewhouse efficiency with no sparge, but hope to improve that by reducing kettle losses with a better pickup tube.

I think the finer mesh will possibly put higher stresses on the filter plate.

Cheers

 

[matho]

okay, so the most compatible pots that I can find "off the shelf" for a decent price are:
19L BigW pot (322mm dia x 260 H) (I already have this)
50L Handy Imports (425mm dia x 400 H)
http://www.handyimports.com.au/50l-industr...epan-p-294.html ($134 inc shipping)

GryphonBrewing pump ($37) + shipping

U-bend-it coil or similar if I can get it cheaper, looking at 2400W

Tell me how I am going so far!

Could you please tell me which one it is? I see several 2250 ones in there and no prices!

I wouldn't expect to get any greater volume than the standard 20L with a gravity of no greater than 1065.

from my unit I have found that the minimum water to grain ratio inside the malt pipe is 2.3l/kg and it flows a lot nicer above the 2.7l/Kg so I would say aim for about 3l/kg and all will be well.

Now you are going to have a 19l malt pipe but you will lose about 2-3 l because of the filter plates so let say the volume between the filter plates will be 16l.
In my calculations when working out my unit I went off that crushed grain displaces 0.65l/Kg and it seems about right so using the 3l/kg and 0.65l/kg you get the total volume required is 3.65l/kg so in a 16l space you will be able to fit 4.4 kg. Now if you want 20l into the fermenter you are going to lose about 2l to hot break and hop material so you will need 22l at the end of the boil. Going off the figure of 38ppg which equate to about 316 points per Kg litres, getting 80% eff out of these style of units is fairly easy so you could expect to extract about 253 points per kg litre, so 253 *4.4 kg / 22l you get an OG of 1.050, if you reduce your water to grain ratio to 2.5l/kg you could get 1.058

As Dmac pointed out if you need more volume in your malt pipe you can just get another pot and cut the bottom and handles off and slide it in, very simple, just make sure you make the centre rod long enough too take the extra height. Once you have worked out the malt pipe the rest of the volume calculations only need to concern having enough liquid to cover the element and not too much that the liquid goes over the top of the malt pipe when the grain is added, what ever volume you lack when the malt pipe is removed you can make up with sparging.

hope this helps, you could probably squeeze a bit more out of it but just keep the water to grain ratio above 2.3l/kg

cheers steve

 

[Edak]

from my unit I have found that the minimum water to grain ratio inside the malt pipe is 2.3l/kg and it flows a lot nicer above the 2.7l/Kg so I would say aim for about 3l/kg and all will be well.

Now you are going to have a 19l malt pipe but you will lose about 2-3 l because of the filter plates so let say the volume between the filter plates will be 16l.
In my calculations when working out my unit I went off that crushed grain displaces 0.65l/Kg and it seems about right so using the 3l/kg and 0.65l/kg you get the total volume required is 3.65l/kg so in a 16l space you will be able to fit 4.4 kg. Now if you want 20l into the fermenter you are going to lose about 2l to hot break and hop material so you will need 22l at the end of the boil. Going off the figure of 38ppg which equate to about 316 points per Kg litres, getting 80% eff out of these style of units is fairly easy so you could expect to extract about 253 points per kg litre, so 253 *4.4 kg / 22l you get an OG of 1.050, if you reduce your water to grain ratio to 2.5l/kg you could get 1.058

As Dmac pointed out if you need more volume in your malt pipe you can just get another pot and cut the bottom and handles off and slide it in, very simple, just make sure you make the centre rod long enough too take the extra height. Once you have worked out the malt pipe the rest of the volume calculations only need to concern having enough liquid to cover the element and not too much that the liquid goes over the top of the malt pipe when the grain is added, what ever volume you lack when the malt pipe is removed you can make up with sparging.

hope this helps, you could probably squeeze a bit more out of it but just keep the water to grain ratio above 2.3l/kg

cheers steve

Thanks Steve for the thorough rundown, I guess my initial calcs were a bit off and although I could use two pots for the malt pipe I think that this is not an ideal situation because I will not be able to add much more height to the MP.

Back to the drawing board for me I guess.

 

[Edak]

Has anyone else made any progress with their build?
I need some more ideas.

I would love to think of a good way to do this using an urn. It would require a rim inside the urn about 1/3 from the bottom to which a similarly sized "malt" pipe would seal down. Instead of letting it overflow, the wort would be pumped from above the grain to below. The pump would require that the level of the wort is above text inlet.
This replaces the outer cavity of the BM with an"under" cavity.
Tell me I am crazy.

 

[kelbygreen]

but you would always have a outer cavity wouldnt you??? unless the malt pipe was that tight and a rubber surround that it filled the external water tight. Water will flow the easiest way and if you have a gap down the sides and the bottom water tight the water on the sides will get stuck.

I have not had anything to do with anything like this so what I said is prob way off but just my thoughts lol

 

[Edak]

but you would always have a outer cavity wouldnt you??? unless the malt pipe was that tight and a rubber surround that it filled the external water tight. Water will flow the easiest way and if you have a gap down the sides and the bottom water tight the water on the sides will get stuck.

I have not had anything to do with anything like this so what I said is prob way off but just my thoughts lol

True, I was drunk when I wrote that.

 

[Edak]

Ok so i am on holidays in sunny/rainy cairns and have discovered the marine shop up the road which is the same company where you got your skin fittings from. Looks like I am going to drag my wife over there

 

[Edak]

Ok so i am on holidays in sunny/rainy cairns and have discovered the marine shop up the road which is the same company where you got your skin fittings from. Looks like I am going to drag my wife over there

OK I called them (Whitworths) , asked that they have the skin fittings I wanted in stock and caught a taxi there and when I got there they didn't f'ing have any! So pissed with them. Their excuse is that their computers stock levels are up to 10 days old, and so when they "checked" they didn't check at all, rather put me on hold and twiddling their thumbs for a minute then tell me some crap.

Never giving them my business again....

 

[Edak]

OK,

So I have acquired some of the parts I need and now need to get the smaller 19L pot into the new larger 50L pot.

50L pot ($99 @ chefland)

Pot with pot in it (19L pot from bigW) ($20)
Looks like about 4-5cm around the edges.

Interesting tray which I saw for cheap down at chef-land (marked as pizza tray for $5.95)
Top

Bottom

Theoretical assembly

I am curious about whether this pizza tray will be suitable or not. I will have to cut it down for the lower tray if I am to use it. It fits almost perfectly into the top of the pot. The holes are about 8mm (without measuring them).

What do you think?

Also, what is the recommended way to smooth off the area where I cut the handles off the 19L pot?

 

[dmac80]

Also, what is the recommended way to smooth off the area where I cut the handles off the 19L pot?

edak,

I used a flap disc on the angle grinder.

cheers

 

[matho]

looks good edak,

make sure the filter plates are very rigid because my first filter plates just bent as soon as the pump was turned on, and then the next filter plate made out of 1.2mm stainless bent too, what caused it was the filter material was clogging up and then pushed the filter plate, I opened up the slots and used a IKEA splatter guard which worked.

as for the handles, if there is no sharp edges I would leave them as is, to smooth of my handles I used a flap disc on the angle grinder.

cheers steve

 

[lukec]

Hi everyone,



Ive been watching this thread with great interest for ages and decided to contribute some pics of my build so far.

The only things now are the element, which im having professionaly bent for a perfect fit and the march pump which will be installed tomorrow.

 

[matho]

that looks awesome,
for all the people thinking of using those shaped vessels how are you sealing the bottom of the malt pipe?

keep us posted

cheers steve

 

[lukec]

that looks awesome,
for all the people thinking of using those shaped vessels how are you sealing the bottom of the malt pipe?

keep us posted

cheers steve

I have used 12mm silicone tube attached to the base of the malt pipe, gave it a test run this arvo with little brown pump and it sealed really well. No way it would work with grain in there though.I will only be only using a kk temp controller to begin with as I have limited electrical skills. And the pump will just be on a manual switch.
Just got to make up the legs tomorrow and pick up elemnpent during week and with some luck I will be brewing in it next weekend.It will just need a thorough clean before I use it.

 

[Tony]

50L pot ($99 @ chefland)

Ooooooo :huh:

Can you please put up the dimentions (H x Dia) of that pot please.

It looks like it could make a good malt pipe for my build