Robobrew and associated costs for all grain brewing

[RRising]

I want to get into all grain brewing, i have looked into brew in a bag system but as i don't have a gas stove and the side burner on my bbq is next to useless i have been umming and ahhing about buying a robobrew.

My question is what costs are associated with getting started with AG brewing and is it more more cost effective once set up than using canned extracts kits?

Thanks

 

[Uyllii]

I don't have a robobrew, but I have a grainfather.

You will need a urn (or a way to heat ~17 litres of water to 75C assuming a 5 gal batch) for sparging.
If you want to buy unmilled grain you will need a malt mill, hopper, drill/motor to operate the mill (or muscles) and bucket to catch the grain.

I find the operating costs are similar to extract brewing, but if you buy and store grain and hops in bulk it can be a fair bit cheaper.

I get all my brews measured out, milled and packaged up by forum sponsor brewman and my costs vary from $25 for a simple mid strength ordinary bitter, to about $95 for a hoppy 6/7% IPA (+$6 postage).

 

[Fro-Daddy]

You will need to figure out connections for the immersion chiller if you plan to use it.
I don't use an urn, just hot (65°C) tap water for sparging. There are many opinions on this so do what you feel comfortable with.
A wide tray/container to put the grain basket in is handy.
Metal mash paddle.
Maybe some extra silicon tubing.
A power point you can use ideally without an extension cord.

 

[Dilligaf]

I want to get into all grain brewing, i have looked into brew in a bag system but as i don't have a gas stove and the side burner on my bbq is next to useless i have been umming and ahhing about buying a robobrew.

My question is what costs are associated with getting started with AG brewing and is it more more cost effective once set up than using canned extracts kits?

Thanks

You dont need an Urn - If you have the time you just fill the robobrew to full (30 litres) and heat up full volume to your sparge temp (75 degrees or so) once at temp - drain the water out and keep it aside for sparging ( you will need a vessel that holds 21litres if you use a 19 litre mash. You set the timer before you go to bed and when you wake up your water is heated
Or you could buy an urn - or a sous vide thing - or just sparge with cold water - apparently doesnt make much difference (but adds time)

You will need some silicone tubing - this is true - needed for the mashing process - although maybe the new versions come with a bit - not sure.

You dont need fittings for the immersion chiller if you use the no chill or hot cube method - but you will need a 21 litre food safe cube/container - otherwise you will need some fittings for the immersion chiller to connect to a standard tap etc - also there is a size difference on the immersion chiller and a standard hose

A mash paddle - Yes to this too

Optional extras...
* I bought a kitchen scale and some containers and marked them up with accurate measurements of water volumes
* Hop spider or hop socks
* a tea strainer to put over the overflow valve - added safety net (pun intended)
* A cover to insulate the robobrew to minimise heat loss (but dont cover the base)
* some insulation around the pipe as this is where a lot of heat can be lost - like a heat exchanger
* A milk crate - allows airflow around the robobrew !

Im about to brew batch number 30 in mine (gen 2) -its been awesome

 

[Schikitar]

My question is what costs are associated with getting started with AG brewing

The cost is great and I'm not just talking about money!

You'll love making the leap, I think I brewed one kit in the beginning and then went straight to all grain. I do BIAB in a 40L Crown Urn so I can skip the sparging steps (I'm lazy and it was cheaper to setup as well) but I would have gone to a RB or GF if finances had allowed it at the time. I put more effort/money into the fermentation and packaging side of things..

 

[Thomas Wood]

I'm also looking at moving from extract to all grain with Robobrew end of this year/early next. Not sure if I can justify the cost/effort yet. Hopefully ordering kegs next week as the next step in my homebrew journey.

 

[RRising]

You dont need an Urn - If you have the time you just fill the robobrew to full (30 litres) and heat up full volume to your sparge temp (75 degrees or so) once at temp - drain the water out and keep it aside for sparging ( you will need a vessel that holds 21litres if you use a 19 litre mash. You set the timer before you go to bed and when you wake up your water is heated
Or you could buy an urn - or a sous vide thing - or just sparge with cold water - apparently doesnt make much difference (but adds time)

You will need some silicone tubing - this is true - needed for the mashing process - although maybe the new versions come with a bit - not sure.

You dont need fittings for the immersion chiller if you use the no chill or hot cube method - but you will need a 21 litre food safe cube/container - otherwise you will need some fittings for the immersion chiller to connect to a standard tap etc - also there is a size difference on the immersion chiller and a standard hose

A mash paddle - Yes to this too

Optional extras...
* I bought a kitchen scale and some containers and marked them up with accurate measurements of water volumes
* Hop spider or hop socks
* a tea strainer to put over the overflow valve - added safety net (pun intended)
* A cover to insulate the robobrew to minimise heat loss (but dont cover the base)
* some insulation around the pipe as this is where a lot of heat can be lost - like a heat exchanger
* A milk crate - allows airflow around the robobrew !

Im about to brew batch number 30 in mine (gen 2) -its been awesome

Thanks, i was watching the Kegland video on the Robobrew gen3 and they said with the immersion chiller to hook it up to the pump and sit it in a bucket of ice water and let it flow back into into the unit which makes sense.

 

[pnorkle]

Totally off topic @RRising - but "RRising" does that refer to the album "Rainbow Rising?" Nice taste, if so.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I have put a tentative pre purchase order for the 50 litre Guten, so keep an eye out for this, will probably post it in a seperate thread $300 includes hood, lauter helix, new switch fitted. Variable watt ,6 step mash/ boil

 

[RRising]

Totally off topic @RRising - but "RRising" does that refer to the album "Rainbow Rising?" Nice taste, if so.

Sadly no... i honestly cannot remember what the first "R" is, i made the username back in high school and have been using it ever since.

 

[RRising]

Update... i am now the owner of a 35L robobrew, thought bugger it and put the money down for one.

Kegland swindles another $400 off of me.

 

[NC1984]

I have put a tentative pre purchase order for the 50 litre Guten, so keep an eye out for this, will probably post it in a seperate thread $300 includes hood, lauter helix, new switch fitted. Variable watt ,6 step mash/ boil
View attachment 113188

Aren’t the 50L around 700bucks?

 

[David]

Update... i am now the owner of a 35L robobrew, thought bugger it and put the money down for one.

Kegland swindles another $400 off of me.

Having just been down this road recently it is always easy to justify the next $50.

starting looking at Pot + gas ring ~$250
then saw BIAB electric urn ~ $350
then for about the same price as urn + postage + immersion chiller
bought Robobrew. ~ $450

For any other readers in the future I reckon an all grain mash + keg + fermenter setup from scratch you are looking around $1000 - you don't need to spend that much but is a ball park price.

Palmer - How to brew book
robobrew
CO2 tank + regulators
Fermentasaurus + pressure lid
temperature control solution (controller + heater + water jacket plus ice + insulation)
19l keg ( I borrowed one from a mate + some of the mini keg to store in kitchen fridge)
tubing / disconnects / taps
sanitation supplies
hydrometers etc...

The good news is first beer (all grain pale ale) was quite drinkable - which was remarkable. Given I'm a lazy bugger and everyone complains about bottling, and most end up doing all grain. I thought kegging was the starting point rather than buy bottles then buy kegs.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Aren’t the 50L around 700bucks?

Yes 50 litre $740 and the 30 litre $380. These are well worth the money when some of us were buying direct from China I should have bought the 50 litre then, I have the 15 amp power points and since making my brew day easier by doing the no sparge I regret not buying it. And from what I have read on UK forums about them is they don't need the 15 amp circuit they get a rolling boil at 220 watt, the 30 litre is 2500 watt and gets a really rapid boil at 2000 thats the great thing about these units the variable wattage. I am not that bothered about the hop timer on them, the recipe memory is a good point and I don't think a 9 step mash is needed, another plus factor is the reliable yellow pump (same as the grainfather)