Ghetto Braumeister - Biab W/ Controller

[dent]

Couldn't you just run off into a bucket, remove the grain, then boil in the same vessel, negating the need for any kind of bag/hoist etc?
Not as neat, not BIAB or Braumeister though, just looking in form outside some of these BIAB solutions can seem like a complex answer to a simple problem IMPIO (in my poorly informed opinion)

I have built one like this for a mate of mine, it works pretty well. It was built in a 50L keg, with stainless braid for the manifold - so you could optionally use gas to get to mash temp, or recirculate with a heat exchanger. Run off into a bucket, clean out the mash vessel and remove the braid (so it doesn't get clagged with hops) and pour the contents of the bucket back in for the boil. Works great.

 

[datamike]

Not sure if this has been posted before....

An Italian homebrewer is attempting a Braumeister clone.

Sketchy google translation: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...26prmd%3Divnsfd

Michael

 

[Jazzafish]

Not sure if this has been posted before....

An Italian homebrewer is attempting a Braumeister clone.

Sketchy google translation: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...26prmd%3Divnsfd

Michael

Inspirational... very home brewer. I love this part of the hobby, the whole mentality of "I could buy one painlessly in time when the cash/brownie points are together, but I'd rather make one from scratch with blood, sweat and tears." Makes it more rewarding and valuable.

 

[ArnieW]

Not sure if this has been posted before....

An Italian homebrewer is attempting a Braumeister clone.

Sketchy google translation: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...26prmd%3Divnsfd

Michael

And for a version in English, with a bunch of others working on this project ...

Braumeister clone

 

[datamike]

Inspirational... very home brewer. I love this part of the hobby, the whole mentality of "I could buy one painlessly in time when the cash/brownie points are together, but I'd rather make one from scratch with blood, sweat and tears." Makes it more rewarding and valuable.

Inspirational indeed! I bet he gets it to work. I am not sure about the recirculating up through the malt pipe - not sure of the advantage, and it seems like lots of disadvantages in the engineering.

I'll be following this.

Michael

 

[scott_penno]

Pump - $35 ish

Is that pump rated to temperatures of hot wort (100oC+) and food grade? I can't find any references to the fact that it is and as it appears to be a pool/spa pump, wonder whether it's food grade...

sap.

 

[Bizier]

Is that pump rated to temperatures of hot wort (100oC+) and food grade? I can't find any references to the fact that it is and as it appears to be a pool/spa pump, wonder whether it's food grade...

sap.

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtop...f=2&t=32137
I am pretty sure it is the same as the one as mentioned above. I bought one from the UK seller.

I was just making suggestions for one scenario based on bare minimum financial outlay. There are a lot of people using the cheap little brown plastic pump, so it would fit into the 'ghetto' mini system, and others have been testing it for a while. Is it perfect? No. Is it cheap, small and workable? Yes.

For the record I also have a March pump (and I am looking to offload a second one), but I feel that it is a bit of overkill, especially on a small system. If anyone wants to go down the path of paying extra for the best available parts, more power to them.

ED: Ha, we could go even smaller: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mini-Water-Coff...=item3a603d23d9

 

[Tim F]

ED: Ha, we could go even smaller: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mini-Water-Coff...=item3a603d23d9

That is seriously awesome - think it would be enough flow rate for a 15L system? Although I guess it isn't a ton cheaper than the other cheap one posted here.

They have bulk buy pricing...... B)


So in a proper braumeister does the mash take place in the malt pipe with no liquid draining to the larger pot during mashing?

 

[datamike]

That is seriously awesome - think it would be enough flow rate for a 15L system? Although I guess it isn't a ton cheaper than the other cheap one posted here.

They have bulk buy pricing...... B)


So in a proper braumeister does the mash take place in the malt pipe with no liquid draining to the larger pot during mashing?

No. The grain is in the tube. A pump pushes the wort up through the tube (and grain) and spills over the top edge. It's a simple recirc, but up through the grain instead of down.

I've attached a sketch of how it works. I didn't create the sketch. I saved it off another forum, but can't remember which one. Hopefully the author won't mind.

Michael

 

[Tim F]

Gotcha cheers!

 

[kymba]

Thought i'd post up a progress report - so far i have picked up the following to run both a kettle element and a non-march pump

kettle element - $9 crazy clarks
pump - $150 CB
REX C-100 pid - $0.90 US +$25US Delivery
SSR - $14 clints components
old cpu heatsink & fan for SSR - free (pay later with beer)
housing - $5 bunnings
illuminated switches - 2 @ $9 jaycar
flat mount sockets - 2 @ $7 jaycar
terminal strip - $2 jaycar
200mm 304SS thermowell - $20 ozsolar
cable glands - 4 @ $2.50 jaycar

things I already had:
12v DC transformer (phone charger to run heatsink fan)
thermal paste
extension cords
spade plugs for wiring into the switches
hx pot
hx stand (a bucket)
copper pipe

other bits:
2 banana binding terminals - $4 jaycar
extra thermocouple wire - $9 jaycar
extra spade plugs - $5 jaycar

things left to do - install banana terminals for TC, wind the hx coil and initialise the PID

not as ghetto as it could be - comes in at about $300

 

[Tanga]

Very pretty, much better looking than I thought she'd end up. Can't wait to see her in action.

Sooo not ghetto though, haven't included the cost of the pots yet. =p But I imagine it could be done cheaper. Using one of those coffee pumps would half the cost if it could recirc fast enough. Hell, use 2.

 

[Bizier]

So when are you putting a HERMS coil into that pot Kymba? It looks kinda like my current HX setup.

 

[kymba]

Very pretty, much better looking than I thought she'd end up. Can't wait to see her in action.

Sooo not ghetto though, haven't included the cost of the pots yet. =p But I imagine it could be done cheaper. Using one of those coffee pumps would half the cost if it could recirc fast enough. Hell, use 2.

yeah the pot was free - from the kitchen! I decided to go the exxy pump as i want to move near boiling liquid through it too

So when are you putting a HERMS coil into that pot Kymba? It looks kinda like my current HX setup.

just gotta wind the coil really, maybe within the year

trying to figure out this PID business first

 

[Spork]

Quick question, and don't want to make a new threat as it (sort of) ties in with this one.
Can anyone tell me how accurate the thermostat on a crown urn is?
Can I just set it it 65-66c, after heating the water to strike temp, and leave it during the mash, or would I get better control using an STC 1000 (or PID - but I already have STC 1000) and it's temp probe to control the urn?

 

[vykuza]

I don't have a Crown, but my Birko is only accurate-ish at best. Maybe 3-5deg? Probably not good enough for brewing. I would definitely use an STC-1000 or PID.

Edit: Maybe throw a therm in there to test it with a couple of litres of water?

 

[Spork]

I don't have a Crown, but my Birko is only accurate-ish at best. Maybe 3-5deg? Probably not good enough for brewing. I would definitely use an STC-1000 or PID.

Edit: Maybe throw a therm in there to test it with a couple of litres of water?

Thanks Nick, will do that next time.
Did my first brew in it today and got terrible efficiency.
Next time I think I'll sparge.

Nevermind.

Dr Smurtos Light GA!
Will be perfect to drink during a brew day.

 

[Malted]

Sooo not ghetto though

:icon_offtopic:
Pray tell, what are your criteria dear Tanga?

Should it wear hubcaps as a hat?
Should it wear disposable shopping bags (difficult in SA) over its feet?
Should it know at least three different strokes to be used when dumpster diving?
Should it push about its lifes possessions (or stuff gathered from the dumpster) in a shopping cart?
Should it mumble, talk and fart to itself such that it is indistinguishable as to which is which?
Should it make unwashed hippies complain about it's body odour?

And I assume you also want to make Ghetto beer?

 

[crozdog]

just found these stainless steel MUST BASKETs / SCREENs which may be of interest to the BIAB community - http://www.wems.com.au/stainless-steel-sup...et--screen.html

or look in their calalogue http://www.wems.com.au/WEMSCatalogue.pdf lots of good gear ;-)

1.5 hole x 200 dia x 500 high MUSTB2H500 is probably the best.... they do custom work too. Guess someone like Beerbelly could make em too...

dunno about pricing
no affiliation blah blah

 

[Tanga]

:icon_offtopic:
Pray tell, what are your criteria dear Tanga?

Should it wear hubcaps as a hat?
Should it wear disposable shopping bags (difficult in SA) over its feet?
Should it know at least three different strokes to be used when dumpster diving?
Should it push about its lifes possessions (or stuff gathered from the dumpster) in a shopping cart?
Should it mumble, talk and fart to itself such that it is indistinguishable as to which is which?
Should it make unwashed hippies complain about it's body odour?

And I assume you also want to make Ghetto beer?

Laaaawl. I was thinking cost under 100 bucks to start, but hubcaps as a hat would work.