GUTEN

[Pundy]

First brew for me tonight on the guten. All was going great until I went to lift the malt pipe out and the false bottom fell through! A lot of draining, cleaning and filtering later I did get a brew done, albeit a few points under expected gravity.

I’m guessing I had the false bottom upside down? I had it so the inner was “lower” than the edges, and I’m thinking it should be the other way? I can’t really tell from the tiny picture in the manual.

 

[Leyther]

Ive never had the bottom fall through in 18m so I suspect you had something wrong, it goes on the inside of the malt pipe and rests on the lip.

I've never had an issue with the pump either and I have done some seriously hoppy brews.

I'm still struggling with draining though, the bazooka is usless so thats a none starter, I have had mixed success witht he helix, I did an especially hoppy beer yesterday so I used a hop spider hence only the bittering hops and proteins where in the boil, I did a whirlpool although given the hop spider sat in there during it then its probably not as efficient as without it however it took an absolute age to drain (> hour and then only with me helping it), and I even lifted it out and one point to check it but it wasnt blocked. That is becoming my biggest paint point in the whole brewing process now.

As someone else asked yes the switches can be problematic, you'll get a year out of it but then it might start to fail, you can pickup a replacement dual gang on ebay for $2.99 (from China) or get two singles from jaycar, its not hard to replace.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I did switch the pump on when I had the immersion chiller in after the temp had dropped to about 75. I thought the recirculation would help speed up the chill. That was when the pump wouldn't work and was blocked.
I noticed in old posts you sourced the helix - where can I get one from if I decide to go that way?

I sourced them from China first batch was an MO of 100 subsequent orders were for 200 MO.

First brew for me tonight on the guten. All was going great until I went to lift the malt pipe out and the false bottom fell through! A lot of draining, cleaning and filtering later I did get a brew done, albeit a few points under expected gravity.

I’m guessing I had the false bottom upside down? I had it so the inner was “lower” than the edges, and I’m thinking it should be the other way? I can’t really tell from the tiny picture in the manual.

Yes you had the base screen upside down, the raised centre section should be facing upwards, any downward force then pushes the screen outwards making it impossible to fall through.

 

[Abird89]

I find with the helix the first half drains pretty well, the next quarter slowly and then the last quarter barely at all / needs assistance from me

 

[Pundy]

Yes you had the base screen upside down, the raised centre section should be facing upwards, any downward force then pushes the screen outwards making it impossible to fall through.

Thanks. That was my conclusion too. Interesting the promo picture on Keg King’s website definitely has it raised center down.

The manual - we’ll that could be either way depending on how I squint.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I just went with logic, not sure which is correct but never had a bottom screen fall out.

 

[user 37368]

First brew for me tonight on the guten. All was going great until I went to lift the malt pipe out and the false bottom fell through! A lot of draining, cleaning and filtering later I did get a brew done, albeit a few points under expected gravity.

I’m guessing I had the false bottom upside down? I had it so the inner was “lower” than the edges, and I’m thinking it should be the other way? I can’t really tell from the tiny picture in the manual.

Happened to me once on the 50l, I used a shifter to massage the rolled lip back out a little, and am very careful. Considering making something to diffuse the recirc and then using the top screen on the bottom as well.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Good idea with the doubling up, easy to pick up some mesh or perforated plate for the top screen, just a bit more insurance.

 

[chesl73]

I sourced them from China first batch was an MO of 100 subsequent orders were for 200 MO.



Yes you had the base screen upside down, the raised centre section should be facing upwards, any downward force then pushes the screen outwards making it impossible to fall through.

Interesting you say this about the false bottom. Leyther posted some pictures a few days ago to illustrate to me the setup and he has it as I did with the raised centre section facing down, ie so the raised edge is facing up. You think then we should have it the other way?

 

[Pundy]

Interesting you say this about the false bottom. Leyther posted some pictures a few days ago to illustrate to me the setup and he has it as I did with the raised centre section facing down, ie so the raised edge is facing up. You think then we should have it the other way?

Take my frustration as a warning! Every picture and video I’ve seen has the center raised section facing down but i think it makes perfect sense pointing it up. Flex the bottom plate both ways and you’ll see why! (Had I not seen the pics the other way I would’ve had it facing up)

I really don’t get why it’s a separate plate and not directly connected to the malt pipe. Or hooked in a way that it fits into the rolled hook of the malt pipe and kind of locks together.

 

[fdsaasdf]

Are the keg king units electrically certified for use in Australia? For $740 they'd want to be!

 

[chesl73]

Take my frustration as a warning! Every picture and video I’ve seen has the center raised section facing down but i think it makes perfect sense pointing it up. Flex the bottom plate both ways and you’ll see why! (Had I not seen the pics the other way I would’ve had it facing up)

I really don’t get why it’s a separate plate and not directly connected to the malt pipe. Or hooked in a way that it fits into the rolled hook of the malt pipe and kind of locks together.

Thanks. Will try it the other way. Have a look at this picture straight from the Keg King website. Setup is with the raised edges pointing up.
What's odd about this photo is the overflow pipe and connectors look different the way it's setup.
The false bottom appears to have a connector sitting on top rather than underneath.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Are the keg king units electrically certified for use in Australia? For $740 they'd want to be!

Yes they have, sighted it before I got mine.

Thanks. Will try it the other way. Have a look at this picture straight from the Keg King website. Setup is with the raised edges pointing up.
What's odd about this photo is the overflow pipe and connectors look different the way it's setup.
The false bottom appears to have a connector sitting on top rather than underneath.

On the top is a straight nipple under the screen is the flanged hollow screw.

 

[krz]

Thanks everyone on this thread.
I have been silently reading everything and today I bought a 50l Guten.
I have enough grain for my first brew which I will start tomorrow.
This is my first experience with all grain brewing.
Normally, what I have done in the past is buy 3 x pre made worts (I have a 66litre SS conical fermenter).
So, this is the next step up.
The bloke at Keg King (the yank) was absolutely grouse. He explained the process, wrote me a recipe and off I went.

The assembly instructions for the Guten are crap.
I've already had a few beers, so will probably re-read tomorrow.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Thanks everyone on this thread.
I have been silently reading everything and today I bought a 50l Guten.
I have enough grain for my first brew which I will start tomorrow.
This is my first experience with all grain brewing.
Normally, what I have done in the past is buy 3 x pre made worts (I have a 66litre SS conical fermenter).
So, this is the next step up.
The bloke at Keg King (the yank) was absolutely grouse. He explained the process, wrote me a recipe and off I went.

The assembly instructions for the Guten are crap.
I've already had a few beers, so will probably re-read tomorrow.

I hadn't noticed any Yankees working there, but I have the 50 litre, I may not be doing any more than a 23 litre batch but I am pleased I can now do a 23 litre without any sparge whatsoever, I am sure once you get used to the system you will never look back.

 

[krz]

I hadn't noticed any Yankees working there, but I have the 50 litre, I may not be doing any more than a 23 litre batch but I am pleased I can now do a 23 litre without any sparge whatsoever, I am sure once you get used to the system you will never look back.

Its all new for me this all grain stuff.
What perked my interest, was that normally I had to buy 3 x worts which is like $130, then today I bought 11kg of grain which was like $40.
So after 8 brews I get my money back!!!! (well thats my justification)

Oh, and the yank. He just keeps on talking.
He's a nice bloke and also knows his stuff.
(off topic) - Glad there is competion now

 

[Frangalooma]

If the pump is the same one that's in the grainfather why does it tell you not to run it after mashing. Ie whirloppling after the boil?
Does anybody use the pump for whirlpooing.?

 

[fdsaasdf]

Yes they have, sighted it before I got mine.

How can this be verified? What is the certificate number?

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

If the pump is the same one that's in the grainfather why does it tell you not to run it after mashing. Ie whirloppling after the boil?
Does anybody use the pump for whirlpooing.?

The guten's pump pick up is a hole in the bottom, so as soon as you turn it on after you've added hops, it will clog up. The grainfather has a filter over the inlet but I think the pump pick up is off the bottom of the vessel and out the side.

 

[NC1984]

Anyone got a BeerSmith profile for the guten 30/40 (everyone else calls it 30 KK calls it 40)