Speidel Braumeister (brewmaster)

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cyberbackpacker said:
ausdb, I personally think a new thread about a DIY braumeister should be started. Definitely use this thread as a resource to glean information (that is what I am doing), but I feel a new thread will help to keep it free from "clutter" for those just interested in the impressions, usage, etc. of "official" braumeisters. Just my $.02

:mug:
Click to expand...

I think this is an excellent idea.
 
Once I gather all the electronic components for my "little" project I'll start a thread for mine. ;)
 
Yambor44 said:
Beef,

Can we get a link to the site that has them now posted for sale?

Thanks.

Rob
Click to expand...

http://www.mamut.net/petit/shop/

Was impossible to link directly and there's no picture.
Click the link "Nettbutikk" and they're items no 7356G for yhe 20 liter and 7361H for the 50 liter.

1 USD is 5.43 USD at todays exchange rate for price comparison. He just lowered the price of the Braumeisters, probably because the Euro is weakened against NOK.
 
I have a Braumeister 50 L....and I am very happy with acquisition!

I'm pretending to make a pumpkin ale with BM50 using a very unusual recipe. I will push the overall capabilities of BM50 forward! Let's see what happens....
 
Does anyone know if there are 100' foot long 220v/dryer extension cords?

I've got an open socket in my garage but I brew in the backyard. Adding another 220v outlet in the backyard is going to be expensive as this house is old and we used the last open slot for the hot tub.

I was thinking of running an extension cord from my garage to the backyard. I would need about 100 feet(33 meters).

Anybody have experience with that?
 
wreals said:
Does anyone know if there are 100' foot long 220v/dryer extension cords?

I've got an open socket in my garage but I brew in the backyard. Adding another 220v outlet in the backyard is going to be expensive as this house is old and we used the last open slot for the hot tub.

I was thinking of running an extension cord from my garage to the backyard. I would need about 100 feet(33 meters).

Anybody have experience with that?
Click to expand...


My BM50 stays 10 meters away from the socket. In fact, I cannot found any already-made extension cord that could fit in BM50. Thus, I purchase the same cord-type used for BM50 and "transplanted" the plugs from the original cable. It is working pretty well......:rockin:
 
wreals said:
Does anyone know if there are 100' foot long 220v/dryer extension cords?

I've got an open socket in my garage but I brew in the backyard. Adding another 220v outlet in the backyard is going to be expensive as this house is old and we used the last open slot for the hot tub.

I was thinking of running an extension cord from my garage to the backyard. I would need about 100 feet(33 meters).

Anybody have experience with that?
Click to expand...

Well the 50L version draws 16A, so you'd need 12G wire, I'd pick up some 12G SJO cord from the local big box store (10G if you want to be really safe) and a dryer cord end to make your own.
 
wyzazz said:
Well the 50L version draws 16A, so you'd need 12G wire, I'd pick up some 12G SJO cord from the local big box store (10G if you want to be really safe) and a dryer cord end to make your own.
Click to expand...

Ok, good, thats my plan. My neighbor is a retired electrician, his charge for helping me install a new circuit, pull wire and then wire up my hot tub and GFI cicuit, which took a full day: a large pizza which I shared with him.
 
I'm gonna post this here rather than start a new thread. Just brewed a Pale Ale. All went very smooth.

when I checked my OG after chilling with my refractometer, I got 1.045 which was 65%. Since It was so low I checked it with my hydrometer and got 1.051 after temp correction which is 74%.

Both units have been calibrated although not recently. What do you think? Re-calibrate both?
 
I would get the sample to the calibration temp of your hydrometer and then retest, to eliminate the temp correction. Most brewing hydrometers are calibrated at 20°C (68F) or at least the ones we get in Oz are.
 
ausdb said:
I would get the sample to the calibration temp of your hydrometer and then retest, to eliminate the temp correction. Most brewing hydrometers are calibrated at 20°C (68F) or at least the ones we get in Oz are.
Click to expand...

Thanks. The hydrometer is supposed to be an auto temp correcting one if that makes a difference.
 
Hi Yambor44, are you sure your hydro is auto correcting. I haven't heard of one. Most are calibrated to 60F or 68F and the sample needs to be brought to that temp of you use a correction formula to get the final gravity. Most Refractometers are ATC. My hydrometer went out of calibration when I bump it too many times and the adhesive holding the paper scale in the glass vial moved. Didn't even know it untill I got my refractometer, and notice none of my readings matched.
 
I know that Northern Brewer/AHS one of those places just started selling a hydrometer that is calibrated at like ~155F, maybe that is what he is using; I would still do a calibration with distilled at the calibration temp though, whatever that is, just to be sure it is accurate.
 
hfk2 said:
Hi Yambor44, are you sure your hydro is auto correcting. I haven't heard of one. Most are calibrated to 60F or 68F and the sample needs to be brought to that temp of you use a correction formula to get the final gravity. Most Refractometers are ATC. My hydrometer went out of calibration when I bump it too many times and the adhesive holding the paper scale in the glass vial moved. Didn't even know it untill I got my refractometer, and notice none of my readings matched.
Click to expand...

DOH! I meant refractometer is ATC, not the other way around. :mug:
 
I'd say check them both with distilled water & keep in mind that if there is any particulate in the refract sample it's pretty easy to skew the reading. When I take a hot refract reading I pull the sample in my brewing spoon and hold it in the wind or blow on it for a bit, after it's cooled for a minute or so I drop it on the refract and take my reading. Sure it's Auto Temperature Correcting, but I don't believe that the range is all that great.
 
I plan on picking up some distilled water today to calibrate both. The refractometer sample was at 68 degrees when I checked it and the hydrometer was in the low 70's and I corrected for that.

I'm wondering if the particle matter you mentioned could be the culprit. I wasn't aware of that. Sometimes I forget to get a sample from the top and have to get it near the bottom, which was the case in this matter.
 
It's kind of a PITA but even bubbles in the sample window can throw the reading off quite a bit.

I forget to take readings all the time, I guess that's what happens when you drink a bit while brewing. ;)
 
Brewing a SNPA clone today and my pump noise (clatter) is back. Also sounds like it is getting air sometimes. Anyone else have this?

 
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Also, I can't remember...are the pumps suppose to be "ON" when boiling? I am running a manual boil so only the elements are on at this point. Heating it up now.
 
Haven't heard that noise. Doesn't sound right so I'd pull it to see if something was trapped in it.

I don't think the pump is supposed to run during the boil.

Yesterday was the first try with the new stainless screens. They worked great. Sank right to the bottom and stayed there without letting through any grains.
 
beefeater said:
Haven't heard that noise. Doesn't sound right so I'd pull it to see if something was trapped in it.

I don't think the pump is supposed to run during the boil.

Yesterday was the first try with the new stainless screens. They worked great. Sank right to the bottom and stayed there without letting through any grains.
Click to expand...

You suck! Ha ha. I used only the homemade screen today and it let a bit more grain thru than I wanted. It's a little small on the outside fringe.

I sent that video link to Thorsten (our rep here in the states) and he said it wasn't normal. Since I clean and check the pumps with every brew and can confirm there is nothing in there, he said he is contacting Speidel on my behalf and will send a new pump out to replace it. GREAT SERVICE!! Especially for a Sunday!!
 
That is really great service! And as you'll be getting a new pump you can use the one you have while you wait without worrying too much about it failing completely!
 
On one of the German home brewing websites a guy had problems with strange noises from his pump. Check the vanes of the pump impeller for signs of wear and also the little ceramic ball that the impeller spins on. His was worn and it meant the pump did not center properly, I think there was a comment about something similar earlier in this thread as well.
 
I'm hoping it is just a bad part and not worn as I have only used it 4 times now. To the untrained eye (mine) all the insides look nice and clean and new (not worn).

It started as an intermittent noise on the first brew session (I think I mentioned it in one of the videos) and yesterday it was pretty bad and constant. Either way, I will be getting a new pump. I just hope I pick the "right" one to replace when the new one arrives!! :p
 
Hi Yambor44, My pump runs while the temperature is ramping up to boil temperature. When it is reachrd and the boil countdown begins the pump shuts off. I get a similar sound but not nearly as loud every time the pump rests, then turns back on. I know it is from air cavitating in the pump. It didn't do it at all the first two brews, but now does it every time the pump comes back on. I find I have to pause the system and when it starts up again the sound is gone. Do you get that sound when first starting out when the controller cycles the pump on and off to purge the air out of it?
 
I know the sound you speak of and this isn't the same. I can actually hear it make both sounds at the same time. I hear the purging sound the pump makes plus this sound which is constant now as you can hear on the video.

Ralf from Speidel sent me the following email after hearing from Thorsten:


Dear Rob,

Thorsten Stein has informed me that you have problems with your pumps.

I’m sure that it is the impeller inside.

I will send you two new impellers.

Please tell me to which address we should send it.

I don’t think that you will have the possibility to visit the homebrew conference in San Diego.

I’m sorry for the troubles.

Thanks

Ralf


I really appreciate their efforts in the area of service after the sale.
 
You might want to remove the pump and run it without the impeller and housing just to make sure it isn't a pump bearing or bent shaft.
 
Hi,

These pumps don't have bearings or shafts, they use a magnetic induction system to drive the impeller which is the only moving part.

If the central "spike" on which the impeller spins is even fractionally out of true you will hear the impeller striking the casing wall.

What you can do is to remove the pump body from the BM and run it with the impeller in place. You should see it spinning fast and true.

Good luck!
 
beefeater said:
Haven't heard that noise. Doesn't sound right so I'd pull it to see if something was trapped in it.

I don't think the pump is supposed to run during the boil.

Yesterday was the first try with the new stainless screens. They worked great. Sank right to the bottom and stayed there without letting through any grains.
Click to expand...

Are these new screens standard equipment or aftermarket? I was never able to pull them up on that Norwegian website.
 
My 20l unit was delivered three weeks ago with the stainless screens. I've brewed three times now and they work great. Just kegged the first batch should have a tasting in a week or so.

On the motors - mine does the same thing intermittently. I wonder if our 60Hz power is playing into any of this. I would assume since the motors are designed for 50Hz that they're running faster at 60Hz?

-Chris
 
rnarzisi said:
@wreals As I understand from one of the Norwegian forums, one method to overcome the inherent capacity limits of the braumeister is to mash twice. The first mash uses half the grain bill and proceeds as normal. After the first mash is complete, remove the malt pipe and empty the spent grain, refill the malt pipe with the remainder of your grain add some top off water and mash in the wort already produced. Finally you can increase the efficiency with a sparge if needed. (Remember I'm getting these directions off of a translated Norwegian site, I have not tried this method myself, YMMV.)
Click to expand...

You have probably read my posts at bryggeri.net.

It is certainly possible to mash several times. I mashed and sparged as normal on the Braumeister, then moved the malt tube to a fermentation bucket and continued the sparging. After sparging, you have enough wort in the Braumeister to do another mash and I heated the wort from the fermentation bucket and used as sparge water.

If doing this, be careful not to get any grains in the wort, as this is likely get stuck in the pump. Clean the malt pipe after each mash, remove any visible grain from the wort and try to find a way to flush the pump between each mash. If the pump stops working while you have the Braumeister full og 1.080 wort and the malt pipe inserted, things are getting messy quiet quickly. (Yes, I have tried.)

I am very happy with my Braumeister, but it is not a very good system for brewing the really big beers. Adding some malt extract to ramp up the OG a bit works fine, and for the occasional barley wine or imperial stout a double or trippel mash is possible. If you normally stay below 1.065, or somewhat higher for the 50 liter version, I can fully recommend this system.
 

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