Dedicated Braumeister Guide, Problems & Solution Thread

[real_beer]

Hi all. I'm getting the required 15 amp outlet installed into my brew cave. Have other forum members had a dedicated circuit installed (from board to outlet) or just a 15 amp outlet fitted to an existing circuit? Thanks gang.

razz, an electrician will install a new circuit breaker in your fuse box and then run a new cable to your cave. If you have a tiled roof they often slide a few tiles up and run the cable along the eaves, that's what they did when I had one installed in the garage.

 

[razz]

Thanks real_beer. I figured as much but one of my workmates thought it could be installed on an existing circuit.

 

[Dan2]

Thanks real_beer. I figured as much but one of my workmates thought it could be installed on an existing circuit.

Each 15A outlet must have it's own circuit/breaker

 

[Coalminer]

OK The results are in.

• I started with 17lt (17kg weighed) of tap water in the BM at 47C ex the HWS
• Jacket on the BM
• Dickos Hood on
• Set mash schedule to all zeros and boil schedule to 60 mins at 100C so BM would function on auto
• During boil phase heating element cycled ON/OFF at 81% ON - 18% OFF ratio. This was checked/taken over 6 min time period by counting the "BM Flashing Timer" and noting when the Heater light was ON and when it was OFF
• At the end of the boil time (60mins) the remaining water was reweighed at 14.651kg (14.651lts)
• Evaporation rate = 17 minus 14.651 = 2.349kg (lts) or 13.8%

So the next question to understand is are Coalminers "Boil Off" rates above the result of setting the boil temperature to 102C?
Next question is what/how much is an acceptable target "Boil Off" rate. The Institute of Brewing publication "The Function of Boiling Wort" (unable to attach the PDF link here??) talks about traditional boils lengths being of 90 mins and 10% minimum evaporation and then goes on to say that modern kettle designs operate with 60 min boils and evaporation rates of between 5 and 9%
From my observation of the BM during this test was that to achieve a boil off (evaporation rate) of between 5 and 9% it would be a very very gentle boil with minimal movement of the surface of the wort

I guess the above Institute of Brewing publication raises the age old question about the need or otherwise of a "vigorous/aggressive boil"

In view of this it would appear that it would be acceptable to set the BM temperature to 100C and achieve boil off rates of around the 12 to 14%

Open for discussion

Wobbly

Yes - 102C

 

[Cervantes]

I was actually surprised how much more vigorous the boil was with the smaller volume.

I am wondering can the hood only allow a certain amount of boil off...???

My pre boil volume was 17.4 litres but this only produced 11.5 litres into the fermenter when I took into account loss in the kettle.
This amount will be too small as I want to fill a 12 litre keg most times when I use the short pipe.

Over 80 mins I boiled off 4.9 litres which is an extra half a litre over my 20 litre volume figures.

This is only my first brew so I will be taking accurate figures over the next few times I use the short pipe and will report back here.
I will need to get my final volume spot on before I will determine the exact boil off figure as it obviously is affected by the pre boil volume.

I also had thoughts about cutting the boil temp set point down a degree to possibly achieve the same boil off rate.
This may make a difference to the melanoiden profile of the finished wort or I could be just over thinking the whole process. :unsure:

Dicko,

Do have a Beersmith Equipment Profile for the 20L with short malt pipe that you'd care to share?

Had the short Malt Pipe for a while now, but haven't got around to playing with it.

Thanks

 

[dicko]

Dicko,

Do have a Beersmith Equipment Profile for the 20L with short malt pipe that you'd care to share?

Had the short Malt Pipe for a while now, but haven't got around to playing with it.

Thanks

Andy, I have only done one brew with it so nothing really accurate yet.

The figures above will give you around 10 litres bottling or kegging which may suit some people.

My mash efficiency remained the same but the boil off increased.

More to come as I do more brews.

 

[Cervantes]

Thanks Dicko

 

[Sean_72]

Grain bed not even - I have brewed 9 beers in my BM and had no issue (if it is an issue) with the grain bed with the first 7. With the first 7 brews, when I lifted the fine and coarse mesh filters off the top i found the grain bed was flat and even across the top, but last two brews the grain bed has been uneven, one side flat while the other is uneven, like it is washed out, if that helps the picture.

No issues with efficiency, wort appears to be flowing across the top evenly during recirculation.

Anyone experienced the same, any ideas, should I be concerned?

Cheers,

Sean

 

[real_beer]

I don't know if this is the reason, but maybe your malt pipe was tightened down a little off centre and was enough to stop the filter plates from moving freely up and down inside it. If the grain was then moving about more than normal the wort coming into the pipe under the plate might be pushing the grain to one side. It's only a guess I might be totally off the mark. :icon_cheers:

 

[Charst]

I got my tax return recently so I lashed out and purchased a 50lt BM from GnG at their birthday sale this week. Just organising a sparky mate to install the 15amp circuit. :super:

The Fate's aligned for me too Razz, Tax return arrived in bank the monday the sale began. My new best friend is a 20lt named Lars.

 

[Wolfman]

The Fate's aligned for me too Razz, Tax return arrived in bank the monday the sale began. My new best friend is a 20lt named Lars.

Welcome to the club mate.

 

[Charst]

Welcome to the club mate.

Cheers, Shed Build is on the way and I should be up and running in a month or so.
Made only a couple beers in the last 12 months its been a long time coming.

 

[Sean_72]

I don't know if this is the reason, but maybe your malt pipe was tightened down a little off centre and was enough to stop the filter plates from moving freely up and down inside it. If the grain was then moving about more than normal the wort coming into the pipe under the plate might be pushing the grain to one side. It's only a guess I might be totally off the mark. :icon_cheers:

Food for thought, I will look at that next brew, another thought I had was one of the pumps not working, I don't think it is the case but I will check that next time I brew as well.

 

[razz]

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

 

[razz]

I had the most boring, uneventful brew day ever yesterday. [emoji3] The main problem for the day was the amount of break after chilling in the kettle, 8 lts, and I allowed for 4 lts. I need to fashion a pickup for the inside of the tap. Anyone fancy sharing their ideas please?

 

[Howlingdog]

For 20L BM leaves 250ml in bottom

 

[Charst]

Hey Howling Dog and all,

First batch done with the brau and altough easy i dont want to be leaning the thing over every time.

re your pickup I assume you didn't have any trouble with this sealing up ok? I tried a 12.7mm wide bit of copper and some silcone tube ((to fit half inch bsp) as shown) and it was just marginally loose. I was thinking of soldering a Copper olive to the tube to make a little bump Ala the MHB pickup posted previously.

Ok to solder copper and have it in the boiling wort? how did you joint your bits?
Can anyone tell me how you put the little bump in otherwise so i dont have to solder. cheers

 

[MHB]

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.

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

 

[razz]

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

 

[Howlingdog]

I have two types of tube one is a loose fit, the other has thicker wall and is very snug.