The Ultimate Brewing Rig

[chappo1970]

Hi Mate,

I agree the speidel system may tick more of the boxes? Disadvantages is one brew/mash at a time and lifting mash out of vessel is a back breaker without help. Just an automated SS BIAB. Videos I have seen on youtube indicate a cleaning PITA.

For a multi vessel Herms system I say there are a few advantages like multi-brews at once and cleaning as you go. IMHO:
* look into a tiered system (like the blichmann) to save room
* Dedicated HX with a dedicated PID controlled element
* Dedicated HLT with a dedicated PID controlled element or two depending on volume
* Dedicated Mash Tun
* Dedicated Kettle with a dedicated PID controlled element or two
* All vessels sized to your maximum batch volumes and power availability
* Dedicated water in manifold via carbon filter
* All vessels with valved outlets and hoses to connect between any vessel you like
* Pump mounted as low as possible

I'd avoid hard plumbing and automated valves, but whatever you like I guess. IMHO they are trouble

Agree with all and above. What I am most struggling with is decent vessels. Seriously thinking about have some custom made.

I like the idea of having the mashing fully automated but wince at the idea of automated valves. Call me old skool but i don't mind swearing at the tap I just turned having no connection on the other end. :lol:

Keep those ideals rolling in Brewers. I think this could be a valuable resource for those when setting up their breweries.


Chap Chap

 

[ekul]

How do you reckon RIMS or herms would go on a biab? You wouldn't get the same wort clarity but it would really help with keeping the mash at a consistant temp. I'm investigating it at the moment. I like portability, which means i want to stay single vessel but it would be great to not worry about mash temps. Just set and forget

 

[schooey]

I agree the speidel system may tick more of the boxes? Disadvantages is one brew/mash at a time and lifting mash out of vessel is a back breaker without help. Just an automated SS BIAB. Videos I have seen on youtube indicate a cleaning PITA.

Agree on the being able to only brew one at a time; It is a bonus to be able to dough in again whilst you are boiling the last one. The heavy lifting part isn't really that bad for a bloke like me, but I could see it being an issue for a skirt wearer like Chappo...

Have to disagree on the cleaning part though... Once I've taken the malt pipe out to boil, I just hose it and the filter plates on the driveway; done in two minutes tops. Once the boil is done and drained, the main body has a handle that is designed so you can lift it on the perfect angle to hose it and drain it. The pump housings are undone in 30 seconds and there is virtually no plumbing to clean. I can clean the main body in under 5 minutes.

I've only given it a run with some PBW once since I've owned it, and that was just to clean up the SS elements and to be honest, it was hardly worth wasting the PBW. It didn't even discolour that much...

Anyway, I never realy thought Chppo would go down the Braumeister track, it would take all the fun of the build out of it for him, I get that. I'll still watch the thread with interest and see what ends up coming out of the garage

 

[chappo1970]

Agree on the being able to only brew one at a time; It is a bonus to be able to dough in again whilst you are boiling the last one. The heavy lifting part isn't really that bad for a bloke like me, but I could see it being an issue for a skirt wearer like Chappo...

Have to disagree on the cleaning part though... Once I've taken the malt pipe out to boil, I just hose it and the filter plates on the driveway; done in two minutes tops. Once the boil is done and drained, the main body has a handle that is designed so you can lift it on the perfect angle to hose it and drain it. The pump housings are undone in 30 seconds and there is virtually no plumbing to clean. I can clean the main body in under 5 minutes.

I've only given it a run with some PBW once since I've owned it, and that was just to clean up the SS elements and to be honest, it was hardly worth wasting the PBW. It didn't even discolour that much...

Anyway, I never realy thought Chppo would go down the Braumeister track, it would take all the fun of the build out of it for him, I get that. I'll still watch the thread with interest and see what ends up coming out of the garage

Schooey,

You are a big shirt lifter! Seriously, the whole malt pipe thingameebob on those lovely bits of kit. How effective is it? I really like the idea but have always wondered how effective they really are as your not really sparging the grain bed. Would be interested on your opinion.

Cheers

Chap Chap

 

[schooey]

Well I can only talk in numbers Chappo.. The three vessel I built would give out between 80-85%, The braumeister gives me the same kinda figures on the same kind of beers... I'm really not sure how important a sparge is when you're constantly re-circulating through the mash, but I'm sure there are many schools of thought on it..

When I lift the malt pipe out, I place it in a cut off vessel that may or may not resemble a bulk beverage packinging canister and I pour through 8-10 litres of 75-80C water (dependant on what I'm brewing) in a kind of pseudo sparge, but it's really more like washing the grains... It's not really necesaary, and I might only gain a few points at the most doing it. Why do I do it/ Mainly so I can get the pre-boil volume exacly right for the extraction that I have achieved. That's about it. I've brewed batches without doing this and have still gotten around 80% Brewhaus Eff, so no complaints

 

[chappo1970]

Well I can only talk in numbers Chappo.. The three vessel I built would give out between 80-85%, The braumeister gives me the same kinda figures on the same kind of beers... I'm really not sure how important a sparge is when you're constantly re-circulating through the mash, but I'm sure there are many schools of thought on it..

When I lift the malt pipe out, I place it in a cut off vessel that may or may not resemble a bulk beverage packinging canister and I pour through 8-10 litres of 75-80C water (dependant on what I'm brewing) in a kind of pseudo sparge, but it's really more like washing the grains... It's not really necesaary, and I might only gain a few points at the most doing it. Why do I do it/ Mainly so I can get the pre-boil volume exacly right for the extraction that I have achieved. That's about it. I've brewed batches without doing this and have still gotten around 80% Brewhaus Eff, so no complaints

Thanks Schooey for the insight. Yep with you there about the sparge/re-circ argument. Interesting that you hit the same numbers which I think is fantastic BTW. Have you notice any determinable differences with you house beers? Less clarity, more clarity, etc etc?

Chap Chap

 

[schooey]

Thanks Schooey for the insight. Yep with you there about the sparge/re-circ argument. Interesting that you hit the same numbers which I think is fantastic BTW. Have you notice any determinable differences with you house beers? Less clarity, more clarity, etc etc?

Chap Chap

As you know, on my previous rig I did full recirculation mashing, and ran a disc of termimesh under the standard false bottom. When I began doing that, my clarity of wort into the kettle increased out of sight from when I did a static mash with a plain false bottom. The Braumeister gives me equal or better clarity before the boil as to what I achieved with the recirculation mash and termimesh.

In terms of clarity of the end product, well then that depends on a lot more than what I make the wort with i.e. chilling/or no chilling, fermentation, dry hopping blah blah blah.. but to answer your question, no I don't see or taste any differences in my house beers from my change in equipment. I think sometimes we focus too much on the shiny things that only get us to the wort stage, which is only small part of the job of making an actual great beer!

 

[chappo1970]

As you know, on my previous rig I did full recirculation mashing, and ran a disc of termimesh under the standard false bottom. When I began doing that, my clarity of wort into the kettle increased out of sight from when I did a static mash with a plain false bottom. The Braumeister gives me equal or better clarity before the boil as to what I achieved with the recirculation mash and termimesh.

In terms of clarity of the end product, well then that depends on a lot more than what I make the wort with i.e. chilling/or no chilling, fermentation, dry hopping blah blah blah.. but to answer your question, no I don't see or taste any differences in my house beers from my change in equipment. I think sometimes we focus too much on the shiny things that only get us to the wort stage, which is only small part of the job of making an actual great beer!

Bloody good point schooey. I have always said brewing a good beer is by thirds. Recipe, Water/Mashing/Boiling and finally proper fermentation techniques and good yeast selection. Wait is that 5? :lol:

Anyway I guess my point is that care and diligence is required at every stage.

Chap Chap

 

[Jazzafish]

This guy posted a 5 part series on his first brew using a speidel system

Worth a look. Going down his road I'd look at the larger volume systems
The big one here:


edit link fix

 

[schooey]

This guy posted a 5 part series on his first brew using a speidel system

Worth a look. Going down his road I'd look at the larger volume systems
The big one here:


edit link fix

Ahh yep... I can see why you thought it was a PITA to clean... :blink:

I particularlyt liked the part where he said "I was gonna unscrew this part here and pull this hose out but I was a bit wary of that"... It's the frickin' power cable you tard!

When I first rinse mine, I put the end of those in the pump ports and flush them through; this gets rid of any grain (if you've been useless enough to let any spill down the side while filling the malt pipe in the first place) from the pumps.

I think he took the typical American approach to the job; overcomplicate the **** out of it and then have a gripe about how complicated it is...

 

[seravitae]

Chap,

Maybe we should get together soon to talk stuff and beer - we had a lot of good ideas for the perfect brewery If you didnt manage to keep a copy of our scribbles i've got them mostly stored somewhere up in these ol' neurons..

S.

 

[chappo1970]

Chap,

Maybe we should get together soon to talk stuff and beer - we had a lot of good ideas for the perfect brewery If you didnt manage to keep a copy of our scribbles i've got them mostly stored somewhere up in these ol' neurons..

S.

Love too Seb. Also have some hardware to return to you.

Chap Chap

 

[argon]

here's some pics of a nice compact brewery from the brewing network... certainly everything at hand here. Nice touch with the grated drain in front of the rig.

Dr Scott's Brewery

 

[chappo1970]

here's some pics of a nice compact brewery from the brewing network... certainly everything at hand here. Nice touch with the grated drain in front of the rig.

Dr Scott's Brewery

View attachment 46285

Nice find Argon! Very neat and yeah makes perfect sense to have a grated drain for all of the spillage/boilovers

 

[schooey]

That brewery is left handed! The kettle is on the left hand side...

Oh the humanity...

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

That brewery is left handed! The kettle is on the left hand side...

Oh the humanity...

Must be american....... they do everything opposite to us

 

[argon]

That brewery is left handed! The kettle is on the left hand side...

Oh the humanity...

really.... mine's on the left So that's why i'm so shit at making beer... i'm standing on the wrong side.

 

[schooey]

really.... mine's on the left

My condolences...

 

[argon]

My condolences...

hey wait a minute... do you stand on the left side of your braumeister when your boiling?

 

[chappo1970]

Nuthin' wrong with Lefties