Braumeister - Tips & Tricks

[Goose]

Over on the other forum it has been quoted on several occasions that a full volume mash does not lose any efficiency percentage points.

This method negates the need for a second vessel, but if it was me I would try both ways just to satisfy my doubts and curiosity.

Thanks Dicko. I will go and dig on the other forum accordingly as I pursue answers to the many questions that spring to mind. Thanks for the tip on how to do the full volume mash, Cervantes.

I am intrigued by zoigl's determination of a 3 l systematic difference between the measured volume and that indicated by the tie rod. Think I will calibrate my 5 l pitcher on my hops scale and see for myself.

One final silly question if I may. I have a circuit capable of the amp draw but notice that the wall plug gets quite warm during heating and when I unplug it the prongs are too hot to touch to skin. I am concerned that my plastic wall socket might melt though it hasn't yet in the 1/2 hour test runs I have done so far. Is this normal ?

 

[dicko]

Zoigl has indicated that he weighed his water to get the correct volume.
After a personal experience using plastic jugs I must agree that weighing water is the way to go.
Some mark the centre rod..I personally made a hang over the side dipstick which indicates voume markings by weight.
Some have also etched their BM kettle.
MHB who was as I believe the original importer of BM's always weighed the water for the volume.
On the hot plug...I am not personally familiar with Singapore domestic supply for power but I would consult a professional in your area.
From memory there is another brewer with a BM from Singapore but unfortunately I think he is on that other forum.
I am on my phone at the moment so I cant give links to the info.
In fact i am lucky to be able to read the screen on this mobile skin

 

[Goose]

cheers Dicko. yes I'm aware of that owner though he has the 20l version, so he has no issues.

fwiw my circuit is 15 A, and the bloke I acquired it from changed the Eu plug to a standard 13A UK 3 pin version. The power cable looks like an overkill, so I am sure that is not the issue.

 

[dicko]

cheers Dicko. yes I'm aware of that owner though he has the 20l version, so he has no issues.

fwiw my circuit is 15 A, and the bloke I acquired it from changed the Eu plug to a standard 13A UK 3 pin version. The power cable looks like an overkill, so I am sure that is not the issue.

Without wanting to be negative or appear to be rude to you we are not really permitted to comment too much on electrical installations due to legal and more importantly safety requirements.
If by some chance that there is a qualified person with the knowledge of Singapore regulations on here then I would hope that he / she may assist you.
As a basic reply I feel that if plug or wiring are getting hot there is an underlying problem that should be addressed by a qualified person

 

[Goose]

Without wanting to be negative or appear to be rude to you we are not really permitted to comment too much on electrical installations due to legal and more importantly safety requirements.
If by some chance that there is a qualified person with the knowledge of Singapore regulations on here then I would hope that he / she may assist you.
As a basic reply I feel that if plug or wiring are getting hot there is an underlying problem that should be addressed by a qualified person

No worries fella. Fully accept your comments on safety.

I will have an electrician install a 15 A socket for me this week.

But can I ask if you know what current it draws at full throttle ?

 

[razz]

Ha ha Dicko. My BM I use as a sous vide

 

[Crusty]

No worries fella. Fully accept your comments on safety.

I will have an electrician install a 15 A socket for me this week.

But can I ask if you know what current it draws at full throttle ?

The 3200w element will draw roughly 13.4a & the two 23w pumps will draw roughly 0.2a so 13.6a has got you covered. A 15a supply is what you'll need.

 

[dicko]

Ha ha Dicko. My BM I use as a sous vide

Used my BM as a sous vide but when my sparger kettle became redundant it aquired a new identity.

It now moves around between family members....

 

[mckenry]

Hey brethren,
Ive read the entire 47 pages before, but basically skim reading looking for losses and temperatures. Please save me from re-reading it all again h34r:
I havent used my shiny new 50L just yet, but I still have a quick question.
When using the supplied lugs to sit the malt pipe on the supporting stirrup,(the bottom lugs, so as high as it can go) does the bottom of the malt pipe clear the top of the wort?
I intend mashing with the recommended 55L first go round the block and sparging.
I've seen a few youtube clips where the whole malt pipe is hoisted right up and out of the kettle. Are people doing that so it sparges properly? Or is the bottom of the grain bed free of all liquid when resting on the bottom lugs?
Thanks,
mckenry

 

[zoigl]

I usually have the malt tube on my hoist at least for the last few litres. You will probably find that some grain will work its way through the bottom hole and/or your lauter water will disappear rapidly. I found that using a plastic brewer's spoon with a long handle jammed into the spindle hole helps.
Once the rubber seal fell off, so make sure that it clears the heating elements.

 

[Black n Tan]

The grain will not be in contact with wort when you raise the malt pipe and rest on the bottom lugs. I use a hoist to make it easier to lift the malt pipe because it can get quite heavy with the grain and suction. I used to stand on my bench to lift the malt pipe which can be a little awkward so a hoist is a good option.

 

[Goose]

Zoigl has indicated that he weighed his water to get the correct volume.
After a personal experience using plastic jugs I must agree that weighing water is the way to go.
Some mark the centre rod..I personally made a hang over the side dipstick which indicates voume markings by weight.
Some have also etched their BM kettle.
MHB who was as I believe the original importer of BM's always weighed the water for the volume.

Wouldn't mind marking the tie rod for reference to target pre boil volume.

Given I can't weigh 50+ kg accurately, what about pi x diameter squared / 4 x height ?

with my tape measure and my unit I reckon:

Height to top mark on tie rod = 37.2 cm
Diameter of BM tun = 44.0 cm

so 1mm tie rod = 0.152 litres

That puts water volume at 56.6 litres if filled to top notch of tie rod. Of course does not take into account volume of elements + tie rod, less what pump and submerged lines would take up.

Wrong ?

 

[Black n Tan]

Nothing wrong with the calcs and the figure correlates with what I measured using a measuring jug with the top marking at 57L.

 

[Goose]

The 3200w element will draw roughly 13.4a & the two 23w pumps will draw roughly 0.2a so 13.6a has got you covered. A 15a supply is what you'll need.

Thanks Crusty.

I do have a 15 A circuit, but standard sockets and plugs here (UK based) are 13 A rated. The problem was corrected with a 15 A socket and plug. I stress tested it on manual mode running pumps and elements for a good hour, and all good.

I also calibrated a 5 litre flask using my hops scale and found that the 55l mark on the tie rod was in fact, 55l, and marked 1 cm spots above this mark to determine 1.5l increments.

Now I am about ready to put this thing through its paces.... the only thing I have to figure now is how to fill the malt pipe up quickly and easily without spilling it over the side, on my 3V I am just used to dumping it in. :huh:

 

[Cervantes]

Now I am about ready to put this thing through its paces.... the only thing I have to figure now is how to fill the malt pipe up quickly and easily without spilling it over the side, on my 3V I am just used to dumping it in. :huh:

I use a cheap stainless bowl with a hole just smaller than the diameter of the malt pipe cut in the bottom as a hood to increase the vigour of my boil. When mashing in I just turn this up the other way and use it as very effective funnel.

 

[Goose]

I use a cheap stainless bowl with a hole just smaller than the diameter of the malt pipe cut in the bottom as a hood to increase the vigour of my boil. When mashing in I just turn this up the other way and use it as very effective funnel.

Yep next thing might be the hood though going to try the au naturale boil first and see how that goes.

I have seen the SS hood for the 50l version for around 300 bux. Expensive for what it is but not sure I could cut that hole safely even if I could find a 50cm dia bowl and the cutting disks needed.

 

[Cervantes]

Here is a link to Dicko's hood build on the BM forum. I just copied this. This is for a 20L, but the principle would be same for 50L, just with a bigger bowl.

Edit:

Another Dicko tip is to use a square bucket to tip the malt into the malt pipe. This way the malt flows from the corner of the bucket in a narrower stream and is easier to aim than if using a round bucket.

 

[Dan2]

Yep next thing might be the hood though going to try the au naturale boil first and see how that goes.

If you are planning to use a hood, be careful with your hop additions when you do get it.
I've found hop utilisation to be much improved with the hood, and so have put up with a couple of very bitter beers while I recalibrate.

 

[razz]

That's an interesting observation Dan. I have used a s/s hood on my last couple of brews and find that there is always a decent amount of hop matter caught, on the walls, above the boil. I always stir it back in as I thought by not doing so would drop the utilisation.

 

[Dan Pratt]

That's an interesting observation Dan. I have used a s/s hood on my last couple of brews and find that there is always a decent amount of hop matter caught, on the walls, above the boil. I always stir it back in as I thought by not doing so would drop the utilisation.

I found the same thing when I use my hood on the 20L. The hop additions would be on the site of the kettle and I would also move the boiling wort to get that back into the beer, its something that didn't happen with the lid off. I cant say though it had an increased bitterness.

One tip is though, for all your late additions < 15m, just take the dome off and this will bring the boil velocity down and while your adding your flavour/aroma additions there is less driven off.