Dedicated Braumeister Guide, Problems & Solution Thread

[Charst]

I had the same problem Charst so I thought I would put a straight connector into the silicone to make a tight fit.

Its called a Crox, to make them you need a croxing tool, it actually stretches the tube out from the inside to form the bump.

Crox.jpg

bender.jpg
A frigging good set of 1/2" benders (I use specialised SS instrument tube benders, bending SS tube is hard work) and a bit of practice with both wouldn't go astray.
PM me and I might be able to knock one up for you
Mark

Pm'd Mark, I went to bunnings last night and got 5 odd options for how I could make this thing and by the time id priced out all the tools and bits to bend, stretch or solder the copper, it'd be cheaper to have someone skilled make a decent one rather than Butchery Bills efforts over here.


Razz did you just add the connecter to the tube, no soldering?

I found little copper caps for 127.7mm tube last night and that would have probably added the additional diameter required, less than the olive which looks like it may make the silicone too tight.

 

[razz]

I will pick up a connector in the morning. I plan to solder it all together so it won't be dislodged when I lift the malt pipe. I did hold the pieces together with short sections of silicone and they were reasonably tight.

 

[Crusty]

That's a shitload of break/trub razz. I tip my BM at the end to get out what's left under the ball valve & I'm only left with around 2lts or so.

 

[razz]

Hey Crusty, I tipped for a little extra but was trying to leave the break behind. It's the 50 model and the height of the inlet to the tap is about 55mm from the base. Both breaks were reasonable size, the cold was probably a bit bigger as the chiller dropped the wort to 17 degrees in 30 minutes. Having the pump running from 84 degrees made a huge difference compared to my other system.

 

[real_beer]

Woohoo! Power circuit installed this morning and I picked up a chain and ratchet from a mate for hoisting the grain. Brewing this Friday.

It's amazing how a power point can get a bloke so excited isn't it :lol:

I was on an American brewing forum the other week and someone provided a link to a hunters lifter they use to lift their grain bag, looks pretty good:

http://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Specialties-Lift-System-Gambrel/dp/B003RY9YIU

 

[razz]

Howling Dog, thanks for the pics of your pick-up in the kettle. I've fitted mine and it works a treat. I added ten litres of tap water to the kettle and it only just covers the copper pipe. After I drained the kettle I had one litre left. I'm happy with that.

 

[Howlingdog]

Glad it worked for you. I think I'll get somme SS pipe and smick it up.

 

[WitWonder]

Guys can anyone provide some tips for efficiency increases with the BM? Been using ours for a while now and seem to struggle to get much more than 70% efficiency. My mash schedule these days is mash in at 52, 60 minutes at 65, 20 at 72 and 15 at 78. Going on today's numbers I ended up with 45L in the fermenter (plus about 1.5L losses) at 1.044 with 11.5kg of grain - to me that's about 58% efficiency which is pi$$ poor. I don't typically stop and stir the grainbed during mashing (haven't noticed efficiency differences to justify) and my crush seems fairly fine, not sure what the gap is on my Crankenstein. I do sometimes note when emptying out the malt pipe there seems to be some malt in there which hasn't come in to contact with water, does anyone else see that? Only thing I did differently today was did the crush directly into the malt pipe, then lifted and dropped the full malt pipe straight into the kettle. Worked great except do think it impacted efficiency.

 

[razz]

The way I read that bit about how you doughed in WW I'd say that's the problem. Sounds like dry pockets of malt. I think using the 38 degrees rest helps get the malt fully wet before starting the other rests. I leave the mash standing for ten minutes at 38 to make sure it's properly wetted through.

 

[wobbly]

Do you visit the Braumeister Forum if not here's a link to the main page https://forum.braumeisters.net/

There are a number of topics on Brew Efficiency and how to improve it

Wobbly

 

[Blind Dog]

A reasonable rest, preferably stirring, at somewhere between 35 and 45 helps to make sure the graisn are properly hydrated

Overnight mash out helps efficiency by a fair but (mash as normal, program a 10 minute mash out at 78, press the button once to stop the beeping and get the 'lift maltpipe' message, place a towel on the bench top (lid is on already and drips) and leave it until the morning)

 

[Cervantes]

If your crush is fine it could also be affecting your efficiency. The general rule seems to be to go for a mill gap of about 1.2 mm.

Also are you talking about mash efficiency or brewhouse efficiency? There can be a big difference.

 

[Wolfman]

Sounds like dough balls.

I've found mashing in at 36 pouring half the malt in and stir. Then pour the other half in taking time to stir the malt thoroughly does the trick. Also to ensure you have enough water in the malt pipe. I find the water level is to low so I open the valve and catch the water in a jug and pour that into the malt pipe. This way you can ensure that the consistancy of the mash inside the malt pipe is soupy rather than thick.

Then press the go button and your away.

Also make sure the plates are centered on the rod so the malt inside the pipe can move up and down freely.

 

[RobW]

Some nice Braumeister parts here from Italy:

http://www.bacbrewing.com/epages/990497525.sf/it_IT/?ObjectPath=/Shops/990497525/Categories/Braumeister_BM20

Bulk buy maybe?

 

[Cervantes]

Some nice Braumeister parts here from Italy:

http://www.bacbrewing.com/epages/990497525.sf/it_IT/?ObjectPath=/Shops/990497525/Categories/Braumeister_BM20

Bulk buy maybe?

I'd be up for one of these, but not at 58 Euros

 

[Howlingdog]

I'd be up for one of these, but not at 58 Euros

+ delivery costs but if you like SS then you pays for what you get.

 

[wobbly]

Somewhere in the past 12-18 months (maybe longer) I saw a post (not sure what site) detailing how someone had adapted the malt pipe for smaller (half sized) batches by drilling/punching some holes in the malt pipe about half way up and using an extension tube under the clamp bar so as to hold the top plate/screen at the lower level.

When they wanted to do full size batches they had some sort of silicon/rubber band that was a tight fit around the outside of the malt pipe to cover and seal the hole and thereby allow the full volume once again

Did any one else see or know of this and if so could they point me to where it was

Cheers

Wobbly

 

[Coalminer]

https://forum.braumeisters.net/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=101&p=741&hilit=short+malt+pipe+holes#p742

 

[Crusty]

Somewhere in the past 12-18 months (maybe longer) I saw a post (not sure what site) detailing how someone had adapted the malt pipe for smaller (half sized) batches by drilling/punching some holes in the malt pipe about half way up and using an extension tube under the clamp bar so as to hold the top plate/screen at the lower level.

When they wanted to do full size batches they had some sort of silicon/rubber band that was a tight fit around the outside of the malt pipe to cover and seal the hole and thereby allow the full volume once again

Did any one else see or know of this and if so could they point me to where it was

Cheers

Wobbly

It's called a short malt pipe.
Well worth the investment.

 

[dicko]

Somewhere in the past 12-18 months (maybe longer) I saw a post (not sure what site) detailing how someone had adapted the malt pipe for smaller (half sized) batches by drilling/punching some holes in the malt pipe about half way up and using an extension tube under the clamp bar so as to hold the top plate/screen at the lower level.

When they wanted to do full size batches they had some sort of silicon/rubber band that was a tight fit around the outside of the malt pipe to cover and seal the hole and thereby allow the full volume once again

Did any one else see or know of this and if so could they point me to where it was

Cheers

Wobbly

Wobbly,

Just be careful that you get a seal that will seal under the pressure that is in the malt pipe with the pump running when you are back doing a full mash.
I did read somewhere that this can be a problem.......maybe a large s/steel clamp might work but will be a PITA each time you meeded to use it.
I have just got a small pipe and they work well.