Brewtools Miniuni

[RobB]

https://www.brewtools.com/products/fermenters/miniuni
Another player in the budget stainless unitank field. I like the minimalism as most stainless uni tanks have more ports and valves than I’ll ever use, which inevitably adds to the cost.

I’m not sure about the very shallow bottom cone. It looks more like a kegmenter with a bottom port rather than something which would function as a conical.

 

[golfandbrew]

One of the videos online pointed out it was about as conical as a fermzilla. It looks to be even less in the videos. Also, hardly looks budget friendly when you consider the pressure lid is another 160. I think one side port near the bottom for racking arm or carb stone would have made a more complete unit. I also don't seem to recall anyone mentioning anything about temp control, no thermowell or did I miss that? There definitely seems to be some hype behind it, but it's missing the mark for me unfortunately.

 

[Ballaratguy]

That price is EUR so you could add roughly 60% to bring it up to AUD

 

[RobB]

That price is EUR so you could add roughly 60% to bring it up to AUD

At which point it becomes a not-so-budget option. I like the concept, but I wish I could like it more.

 

[crowmanz]

Newera is the Aussie distributor $449 (10L) to $699 (50L) and $279 for their fancy pressure kit. I would probably would just use a standard 4inch pressure lid from a kegmenter and sounding valve.

I wanna see their glycol cooling solutions before I'd be committing to anything.

 

[clickeral]

Just use a 19L cornie keg

 

[hopnotic]

Newera is the Aussie distributor $449 (10L) to $699 (50L) and $279 for their fancy pressure kit. I would probably would just use a standard 4inch pressure lid from a kegmenter and sounding valve.

I wanna see their glycol cooling solutions before I'd be committing to anything.

I have a B80 fermenter hooked up to their minichilly 05 glycol unit. Not cheap @ $2k but superb quality and it crashes 50L of beer from 21c down to 2c in about an hour, depending on ambient temp.

https://www.newerabrewing.com.au/minichilly-05-sb

 

[clickeral]

I have a B80 fermenter hooked up to their minichilly 05 glycol unit. Not cheap @ $2k but superb quality and it crashes 50L of beer from 21c down to 2c in about an hour, depending on ambient temp.

https://www.newerabrewing.com.au/minichilly-05-sb

Do you mean F80?

 

[crowmanz]

I have a B80 fermenter hooked up to their minichilly 05 glycol unit. Not cheap @ $2k but superb quality and it crashes 50L of beer from 21c down to 2c in about an hour, depending on ambient temp.

https://www.newerabrewing.com.au/minichilly-05-sb

I have a glycol chiller, the miniunis currently have no options to use glycol.

Just use a 19L cornie keg

Yeah perfect for a 23L batch

 

[clickeral]

I have a glycol chiller, the miniunis currently have no options to use glycol.

Yeah perfect for a 23L batch

Then go to a 29L kegmenter for half the price, can mod the 4" lid to add a cooling coil

My 58L kegmenter I have done this

 

[hopnotic]

Do you mean F80?

Oops, yep!

 

[crowmanz]

Then go to a 29L kegmenter for half the price, can mod the 4" lid to add a cooling coil

My 58L kegmenter I have done this

Good for you.

I've got a 58L kegmenter. Stopped using it as can't CIP, need to DIY for glycol, and doesn't have bottom drain. Using a cooling coil with only floating dip tube is also annoying.

You going to keep posting off topic?

 

[clickeral]

Good for you.

I've got a 58L kegmenter. Stopped using it as can't CIP, need to DIY for glycol, and doesn't have bottom drain. Using a cooling coil with only floating dip tube is also annoying.

You going to keep posting off topic?

Not really off topic when pointing out more cost effective alternatives

Also you realise you can use hard diptubes and not restricted to floating? I've got a hard-line in my kegmenter and will probably swap my CP unis to hard-line as well. As they are a pain with the coil (I hate coils in the first place)

Pretty easy to add a bottom drain if you really need one.
But you can flip it upside down to CIP the kegmenter just need a drain hole in the 4" end cap.

Not everyone needs to or wants to CIP, pretty easy to clean them out without doing so, know a few guys that steam clean as well

 

[crowmanz]

I guess that was a yes to my question

 

[Jeffmyers5265]

The point of it over a kegmenter is the comical bottom. You can dump the trub and serve right from it. And it’s small enough to put in my kegerator, but they will have jacket and coil options for glycol it sounds like.

It’s definitely in need of some accessories but they’re working on them. I actually plan on using the Brewbuilt lid so I can dry hop under pressure (PRV installed on the 1.5 TC when the dry hopper is not in use)

https://www.kegland.com.au/products...fermenters?_pos=2&_psq=brewbuilt&_ss=e&_v=1.0

 

[wide eyed and legless]

The point of it over a kegmenter is the comical bottom. You can dump the trub and serve right from it. And it’s small enough to put in my kegerator, but they will have jacket and coil options for glycol it sounds like.

It’s definitely in need of some accessories but they’re working on them. I actually plan on using the Brewbuilt lid so I can dry hop under pressure (PRV installed on the 1.5 TC when the dry hopper is not in use)

https://www.kegland.com.au/products...fermenters?_pos=2&_psq=brewbuilt&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Don't you just love a comical bottom. I love them just as much as a Keg Land ring in.

 

[crowmanz]

I like the new version of the miniuni being the miniuni plus that brewtools has announced recently.

Changes over the original are glycol jacket and 2 X 1.5" TC ports for accessories

https://www.brewtools.com/miniuni/7713199/miniuni-40-plus--tank-with-basic-accessories
I asked newera about when they'll get stock but they didn't get any pre-announcement so likely won't get any before the end of the year.

 

[clickeral]

I'd be more open to the glycol jacketed ones as there isn't really many other options at this size range

I'm curious how many people actually drop their yeast/trub etc out. I've had a few brews I've drunk straight from tank without bothering

Previous post wasn't plugging KL a few places have kegmenters, including KK (unless they've discontinued them)

Keen to see pricing, might look at getting a smaller one for small batches but se

 

[golfandbrew]

I like the new version of the miniuni being the miniuni plus that brewtools has announced recently.

Changes over the original are glycol jacket and 2 X 1.5" TC ports for accessories

https://www.brewtools.com/miniuni/7713199/miniuni-40-plus--tank-with-basic-accessories
I asked newera about when they'll get stock but they didn't get any pre-announcement so likely won't get any before the end of the year.

I'm generally not a person who gets excited either way about new products but this miniuni just infuriates me the more I see of it.

BrewTools have put some good products out but this clearly is not one of them.

To call it a unitank "with basic accessories" is nothing short of complete BS. It can't be a "uni" and not be capable of holding pressure. It's more like a stainless steel turd with a shitty plastic stand. But hey you can hang on the wall so at least you won't step on it.

At least with this new model there is a place to add a thermowell. For the price point they are asking they can't expect customers to go back to taping a temp probe to the side of the tank (original version)

And the triclamp handles not only screams money grab but also disaster. It just can't be right that you tell people to pick something up like this. Happy for someone more qualified to call me out this but no way would I trust it.

What shits me the most is how many people I have seen do reviews and conveniently make no mention of these clear errors all while claiming they are not somehow in pocket. Not that I ever believe people that have to say that.

BrewTools is putting their reputation on the line with this product in my opinion. They should have done better and brewers can find better especially as more and more manufacturers enter this space of stainless unitanks.

Apologies for the rant but I feel like someone had to say it.

 

[crowmanz]

I'm generally not a person who gets excited either way about new products but this miniuni just infuriates me the more I see of it.

BrewTools have put some good products out but this clearly is not one of them.

To call it a unitank "with basic accessories" is nothing short of complete BS. It can't be a "uni" and not be capable of holding pressure. It's more like a stainless steel turd with a shitty plastic stand. But hey you can hang on the wall so at least you won't step on it.

At least with this new model there is a place to add a thermowell. For the price point they are asking they can't expect customers to go back to taping a temp probe to the side of the tank (original version)

And the triclamp handles not only screams money grab but also disaster. It just can't be right that you tell people to pick something up like this. Happy for someone more qualified to call me out this but no way would I trust it.

What shits me the most is how many people I have seen do reviews and conveniently make no mention of these clear errors all while claiming they are not somehow in pocket. Not that I ever believe people that have to say that.

BrewTools is putting their reputation on the line with this product in my opinion. They should have done better and brewers can find better especially as more and more manufacturers enter this space of stainless unitanks.

Apologies for the rant but I feel like someone had to say it.

Wow a bit fired up.

How is it not able to hold pressure? Many other fermenters are sold without the accessories to do pressure fermentation. Same goes for thermowell options. Then the handles, I don't know of they designed for carrying while the miniuni is full or not but this is the same with many other fermenters with permanent handles that specifically say they are not rated for full fermenter load.

Brewtools have always been about the customisation of their equipment, you have to add the accessories you want to make the brewhouse / fermenter you want.

I doubt this will have much impact on brewtools. They aren't out to capture the mass market and I'm all for them innovating at the higher end of the market, leave the cheap end to the other 2 Aussie Ks.