GUTEN

[Leyther]

Ive done about 6.5kg, biggest problem you'll have is the overflow pipe. you might struggle to get the top mash plate on and secured with the usual top nut, however if you've got the helix and kept the original bazooka you can stick the bazooka on the overflow pipe to stop grains running down it. I reckon your approaching the limit at 7kg.

 

[nosco]

Thanks Leyther. Thats an excellent idea.

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

Yeah i had to do what leyther did with the bazooka

 

[Leyther]

Thanks Leyther. Thats an excellent idea.

Thank WEAL, it was him who thought of it

 

[nosco]

I should be paying more attention [emoji1]

 

[goatchop41]

I've also seen a bit of silicone tubing used to extend the overflow pipe, both here and on a UK forum

 

[goatchop41]

Speaking of the overflow pipe - do you assemble it with the shorter section on the bottom, or the top? I did the longer section on the bottom during my first go with it, and because of that I don't think that the top plate was able to sit on top of the grains. It was stopped by the one of the threaded connectors and sat on top of that.
Is it supposed to be able to sit on top of the grains? I thought that it needed to in order to create a good compact grain bed for sparging

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

Use the short section on the bottom/ longer section on top if you're doing a bigger grain bill. Just the longer pipe on it's own if it's a small grain bill.

 

[nifty]

Would love to hear some more feedback from anyone who has the 50l model... Brewdays, niggles, batch sizes etc.

Depending on how much grain you have in the batch, you might get a surprise when you go to lift the grain pipe out after mashing. The 50ltr unit was on a stand about 600mm high and when i went to lift the malt pipe out after mashout, I nearly busted some internal organs trying to get it out. I had to stand on the bench and deadlift the grain out. I usually mash with about 9kg of grain, so with the grain, the absorbed liquid and the wort on top, it was a bit of an effort.

Another thing I found was that there is 8 litres of liquid between the base of the malt pipe and the bottom of the boiler, so you might have to take those figures into account when working out your liquid to grain ratio and boil volume.

cheers
steve

 

[nosco]

So 7kg seems to be a little too much[emoji23] ive had to use a couple of bolts to bring the basket up a bit and some silicone hose to stop the over flow so it seems to be working. BS wanted me to use 29lt of strike water!!?? Lucky i didnt i went with 26 and i should have used less again.

Made a bit of a mess but not too bad. A bit more than usual grain than usual went over the side. Hope fully the pump gets it. A little bit of spillage went over the side and on the control panel but it didnt seem to go over the screen. I hope its alright.

 

[Gout]

Depending on how much grain you have in the batch, you might get a surprise when you go to lift the grain pipe out after mashing. The 50ltr unit was on a stand about 600mm high and when i went to lift the malt pipe out after mashout, I nearly busted some internal organs trying to get it out. I had to stand on the bench and dead lift the grain out. I usually mash with about 9kg of grain, so with the grain, the absorbed liquid and the wort on top, it was a bit of an effort.

Nifty, i am reading the thread with interest, with the 50Lt unit and the malt pipe weight is there any risk the pipes false floor might give way when lifted?
I am also worried as i planned to brew on a bench (lifting above shoulder height would be hard work) so i will need to consider lowering it to the floor or hook up a hoist, which i have an "I beam" above.... Do you brew on the ground? If so draining to the fermenter will be hard.

 

[rossbaker]

Depending on how much grain you have in the batch, you might get a surprise when you go to lift the grain pipe out after mashing. The 50ltr unit was on a stand about 600mm high and when i went to lift the malt pipe out after mashout, I nearly busted some internal organs trying to get it out. I had to stand on the bench and deadlift the grain out. I usually mash with about 9kg of grain, so with the grain, the absorbed liquid and the wort on top, it was a bit of an effort.

Another thing I found was that there is 8 litres of liquid between the base of the malt pipe and the bottom of the boiler, so you might have to take those figures into account when working out your liquid to grain ratio and boil volume.

cheers
steve

Thanks nifty this is all really useful information. The 8l gap is significant, that is much more than the robo brew which is my only point of comparison. I wonder if that would affect its ability to produce a higher gravity single batch single batch (without having to increase the boil)? How have you found it other wise when brewing larger batches? Have you needed to use all elements for a rolling boil?

 

[goatchop41]

Nifty, i am reading the thread with interest, with the 50Lt unit and the malt pipe weight is there any risk the pipes false floor might give way when lifted?
I am also worried as i planned to brew on a bench (lifting above shoulder height would be hard work) so i will need to consider lowering it to the floor or hook up a hoist, which i have an "I beam" above.... Do you brew on the ground? If so draining to the fermenter will be hard.

I wouldn't be brewing with it on the ground like a grainfather. The Guten mob themselves say that the handles aren't designed for lifting the whole unit when it is full of liquid and grain, and also say that the pump is not designed for pumping out the finished wort (?maybe just covering their asses against clogging the pump with hop matter?).

I had my 35L on a bench, and (in the words of Carl Barron) almost busted my pooper valve trying to lift the grain basket at chest height, due to a stuck sparge/grain bed. And I comfortably deadlift >130kg at the gym.....hence why I will be brewing on a small (knee height) platform with it from now on - high enough to drain through the tap. but low enough to lift the grain basket without destroying myself

 

[Gout]

I wouldn't be brewing with it on the ground like a grainfather. The Guten mob themselves say that the handles aren't designed for lifting the whole unit when it is full of liquid and grain, and also say that the pump is not designed for pumping out the finished wort (?maybe just covering their asses against clogging the pump with hop matter?).

I mean just lifting the malt pipe up onto its bracket to drain and sparge. I agree tho its going to be hard work so might consider a platform to have it brew just above the fermenter height.

 

[rossbaker]

Sounds like a milk crate might be the perfect platform...

 

[nifty]

Nifty, i am reading the thread with interest, with the 50Lt unit and the malt pipe weight is there any risk the pipes false floor might give way when lifted?
I am also worried as i planned to brew on a bench (lifting above shoulder height would be hard work) so i will need to consider lowering it to the floor or hook up a hoist, which i have an "I beam" above.... Do you brew on the ground? If so draining to the fermenter will be hard.

That's a good point about the grain/liquid weight pushing the base through but it seems pretty sturdy, the rolled lip on the bottom of the pipe is about 4mm wide and there is no flex in the perforated base. I just checked it and i dont think I could push the base through.
I have the unit on an adjustable aluminium work platform set at the lowest height, about 600mm. There was enough room for me to climb up on it to raise the malt pipe.

 

[nifty]

Thanks nifty this is all really useful information. The 8l gap is significant, that is much more than the robo brew which is my only point of comparison. I wonder if that would affect its ability to produce a higher gravity single batch single batch (without having to increase the boil)? How have you found it other wise when brewing larger batches? Have you needed to use all elements for a rolling boil?

I've only done 3 batches and I'm still dialling in the numbers but the last batch I did was with 9kg grain mashed into 32 litres of water. After mash out, sparged with another 17ltr to end up with about 40ltr at 1.060. After a 90min boil I had 34ltr at 1.074. With the 6 program timer you can vary the boil/power times. I set it to boil at 3000w for 1 minute then dropped it back to 90min at 2600w. This maintained the boil easily.

 

[Andy_27]

How do you buy these on Alibaba? All the listings seem to have a minimum order of 50 units?

 

[malt and barley blues]

How do you buy these on Alibaba? All the listings seem to have a minimum order of 50 units?

Ignore that and ask for a price of a single unit.

 

[nosco]

So Beer Smith has done it again. Im brewing a pils and I am about 3lt over estimated pre boil! BS is giving me the shits so far.

Edit:I have been weighing my water. So they should be spot on.