My braumeister clone build

[micbrew]

Heres my build so far ............

I have used a 70 litre kettle
and a 32 litre malt pipe

the kettle stand and the malt pipe were fabricated by Fineweld in Carrum Downs
there skills are great ..ie didn't blow a hole in my pot

the malt pipe has 2 perforated filters ... top and bottom these are held in place by allthread
the malt pipe can be lifted out quite easily and has legs welded to it .
the malt pipe has about 80mm clearance from the kettle floor

the kettle has skin fittings and uses a 2.4 KW heating element from gryphon brewing
I hope to control this with Mathos controller
However im having so much trouble getting it to work wiring issues

if theres anyone in Melbourne sth east suburbs who can help me ..please let me know
im getting desperate to get this thing working

anyway I water tested this afternoon and I need to find my Teflon tape otherwise ok

thanks Mick




View attachment 71851

 

[Dan Pratt]

Good luck with the completely of the build. How will the wort be pushed vertically through the malt pipe when the pipe isn't sealing with the base of the main pot??

 

[stevemc32]

Yeah Pratty has a good point there Mick, you might need to consider a cam-lock solution like a few people have used with some further mods to your malt pipe. There are heaps of examples of the cam-lock malt pipe attachment in the braumiser threads.

 

[djar007]

Looks great mate. If you need any help building the controller I can help you. But i am on the other side of town. Happy to help though.

 

[TheWiggman]

Schmicko.
That element looks suspiciously like my 3600 W element from onlinebrewingsupplies/Gryphon. I also have the 2400 W which doesn't double back.

 

[micbrew]

UPDATE
Brauclone version #2

after digesting the feed back and borrowing some great ideas and mods from other builds on AHB
this is version #2

photos in link below

I have purchased some s/steel tube and socket (for the malt pipe ) from Geordie s/steel to evaluate how it will work , I will get a
piece made to suit with out the socket ... so it will be approx. 350 mm .. 400mm 1/2" s/steel tube with aapprox 30mmm of 1/2 bsp thread
this locked to the kettle floor and connected via a quick disconnect to the pump

I have used the stainless steel eye bolts to fasten the top filter plates to the malt pipe. A fine and corse filter
may add a flat bar across the filters if required

and yes it is the 3.6kw element , apologies Wiggman i was contemplating using 2.4kw ,but ultimately I chose the 3.6kw

now waiting for mathos controller to be built and testing can commence

appreciate the feed back ...

thanks Mick

http://s594.photobucket.com/user/ssunshine15/library/beer%20machine

 

[MastersBrewery]

Nice work!! be sure to support that top filter as pressure has been known to bend even 2mm plate. Good luck with the build mine is in the fab shop now, so hopefully in a few weeks we can both sit back and have an unattended brew session with beer in hand. Though the double I did today on the 3V was easy, I find beers at 7 am a lil harsh.

I find a good coffee is the way to go before 9am

MB

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I like how you have the filter on the top of the malt pipe I have modified my BM to sit the filter on the top but agree 100% with MB you will have to strengthen the top of the filter or it will bow.

 

[dicko]

I like how you have the filter on the top of the malt pipe I have modified my BM to sit the filter on the top but agree 100% with MB you will have to strengthen the top of the filter or it will bow.

Hi weal,
Do you have details pics or a link on the above mods that you have done?

 

[NealK]

The filter will definitely need to be stronger. I would suggest getting a veggie tray on top of what you have. When I ran mine for the first time loads of grain came out around the edges of the filters. I fixed this by making a gasket from some silicone tubing and fitting it around the splatter guard.
Link to pics of my build
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/79602-another-braumeister-inspired-system/page-2

Btw the hole that you have plugged in the bottom of your main pot will probably be a good spot to put the temperature probe for mathos controller.

Looks good mate, keep posting pics of how it develops please.

 

[micbrew]

yes agreed I do have some flat bar s/steel for the top of the filters
need to have it drilled

cheers mick

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Hi weal,
Do you have details pics or a link on the above mods that you have done?

Hi dicko ,
I am pretty sure I have posted the pics before when we were discussing the rise and fall of the grain, I just got a second seal (as bottom seal) and bought some perforated plate and mesh from Geordie, the mesh I cut with a nibbler and the P/Plate with a 4" grinder and S/Steel abrasive cutting disc.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

This is before I added the heavier gauge P/Plate

 

[JB]

Looking good Mick. High anticipation for the opening ceremony!

 

[micbrew]

ok thanks JB no pressure right B)

anyhow I have since had some flat bar drilled for my top filter plate

my other issue is that I have a 1/2 hole in my kettle , which is currently just capped
I was thinking of using a kking thermowell to use with my DS18B20 temp probe
but realize this it too big and will fowl my malt pipe

does anyone know were I can source a smaller thermowell fitting approx. 65mm

thanks Mick

 

[Dan Pratt]

I still don't see how you are going to transfer the wort through the grain bed? It looks like it will be in the middle of the malt pipe.....

Im not trying to be picky but the BM is designed to have pressure beneath the actual malt that creates a vertical push of water/wort up through the grains.....you need to either cam lock it or have a neat seal with the main vessel on the base.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I agree with Pratty how are you going to get any pump pressure when the malt pipe is on legs a lot of the flow will be going up the outside of the malt pipe and not up the centre of the pipe.

 

[djgilmore]

ok thanks JB no pressure right B)

does anyone know were I can source a smaller thermowell fitting approx. 65mm

thanks Mick

I got this one from the us through ebay for~$25 (depth into pot is ~46mm):
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/200809913822?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

After I brought this I found that Cheaky peak also have a 70mm thermowell:
http://cheekypeakbrewery.com.au/index.php/everything-mashing/brewing-kettle-accessories/product/176-weldless-304-stainless-steel-70mm-thermowell

Cheers

 

[micbrew]

Thanks djgilmore

that was zactly what I was looking for !

If you see the mods photos a few post back you can see I have added a center pipe to distribute the wort up through the malt pipe
yeah sure the heading brau clone may not be accurate ... perhaps beer machine
its not a replica that's for sure

Im sure it will make beer one day ...who good it will be is another question for another time :beerbang:

cheers mick

 

[wide eyed and legless]

O/k Mick, I see the pipe coming through the centre of the tube and it looks like you have put something else on the centre pipe in the picture with the lower filters on, what is that ? And also does the outlet from the pump start below the bottom filters?

 

[micbrew]

ok another update
went into kk today and they were out of the 70mm thermowell

thanks djgilmore ... Cheeky Peak sorted me out and it should arrive tomorrow in the mail :super:

as I hope to be brewing this Saturday on JBs system ..I may not get a chance to do much work

hey wide eyed
yeah the pipe in that photo ...was 2 x 150mm pieces joined with a socket ...as a prototype

I have since had fabed a piece now ..less the socket .....
this is connected to the kettle and obviously passes through the malt pipe
and yes the pump is located under the kettle

if that's makes sense

cheers mick

 

[grimpanda]

Hey Mick,

I think what Wide Eyed was asking is whether the output of the pump (water/wort) flows out from below the bottom filter.

From your photos it looks like the wort travels up the central 1/2" bsp pipe, which is going up through the malt pipe and bypassing the majority of where your grain bed would be. If this is the case you'll be missing out on the main benefits of a recirculating system (consistent mash temperature, clarification of wort and increased extraction efficiency), seeing as the recirculating wort will only make contact with the top part of the grain bed before flowing out over the top.

As Pratty1 mentioned, you could probably adapt your system using camlocks to have the wort exit from beneath your bottom filter - this way wort will flow evenly up through the entire grain bed. The 'Braubushka' rig is a good example of this method.

Good luck!

 

[micbrew]

IT BREATHES ......

after some further electrical tinkering and bastardization , this is the result
it still requires further tweaking and testing over the next few weeks

and I can evaluate it effectiveness in design and build its no braumesieter ...

but if it cooks a wort ok ..I will be happy

couple of pics in the link


http://s1248.photobucket.com/user/hmcanny01/library/beer%20machine%202

cheers mick

 

[JB]

IT BREATHES ......

after some further electrical tinkering and bastardization , this is the result
it still requires further tweaking and testing over the next few weeks

and I can evaluate it effectiveness in design and build its no braumesieter ...

but if it cooks a wort ok ..I will be happy

couple of pics in the link


http://s1248.photobucket.com/user/hmcanny01/library/beer%20machine%202

cheers mick

Well done Mick! I know how much of a battle it's been for you to get to this point. Your persistence will all be worth it once we get your system dialled in & tweaked / optimised to get some awesome brews on.

Happy brewing mate!

 

[micbrew]

well the big day arrived

the plan being to brew a morning pale ale

with the help of JB , we set about

setting up parameters of mathos controller and also the recipe ...which went smoothly ...thx Jason

water was at strike temp ..we add the grain bill ....
I was a little game ..adding in almost 11 kg of grain !!!
this resulted in grain blocking my malt pipe ...recirculation tube and pump ...feck it

trying to clear hoses, with grain reducing and or blocking the flow , it was almost comical with hot wort flying all over the place

so we attempt to lift the malt pipe and discard some of the grain ... with the grain wet and heavy
it makes my pulley system redundant in moments .... bending the ceiling hook

once we empty some of the grain form the malt pipe ...success

the recirculation of the wort is quite good and the 3.6 kw is running quite well
achieving a rolling boil and mathos controller regulating the temperature perfectly
these are a great bit of kit ...

well after some hours now lost , the decision is made to abort the recipe and go through the motions anyhow
thanks JB for supporting me in the first brew I really needed a calm influence !!

I did manage to yield about 34 litres . I fermented 23 litre for the sake of it
and will see how it goes ... im not holding out much hope

although after cleaning up my mess this evening ..looks to be a mighty krausen working away
clean up was easy with just the 2 vessels

I will now trial a smaller grain bill over the next few weeks

cheers Michael

 

[JB]

A pleasure Mick. Very glad to see you up & running.

Working out your specific system's ideal grain amount & water level's Vs output volumes, to bed down recipe figures you'll be flying mate.
= :chug: