Brutus Ten ????

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
It would come out to 2 lbs of base malt for every batch I do. Over time it would start to add up. But I could live with it if that's all I could squeeze out of my system
 
Chimone said:
Where did you hear that? It would depend on the type of vessels you would be using. I bet you could pull over 80% easily if you did it right
Click to expand...

Well, I am not sure about that. You are using wort, rather than water to "sparge" in a B20 setup. My efficiency with this method is definitely lower than with a double batch sparge.
 
korndog said:
Well, I am not sure about that. You are using wort, rather than water to "sparge" in a B20 setup. My efficiency with this method is definitely lower than with a double batch sparge.
Click to expand...

Why would you be using wort to sparge and not a fly sparge setup? Im guessing you made one? Got a link so I can read up?

Ive thought about doing a Brutus 20 alot actually. Ive found 25 gallon pots that could be converted to suit your needs very easily. With a nice domed SS false bottom for the MT and using the standard Brutus setup with dual pumps you could very easily get well over 80%. Im just not sure why you would be batch sparging instead of fly sparging.
 
Chimone said:
Why would you be using wort to sparge and not a fly sparge setup? Im guessing you made one? Got a link so I can read up?

Ive thought about doing a Brutus 20 alot actually. Ive found 25 gallon pots that could be converted to suit your needs very easily. With a nice domed SS false bottom for the MT and using the standard Brutus setup with dual pumps you could very easily get well over 80%. Im just not sure why you would be batch sparging instead of fly sparging.
Click to expand...

The whole idea behind the Brutus 20 two vessel system is to utilize a cross transfer between two pots. Eventually, you would reach equilibrium in the two vessels, at which point you would be finished with the mash. I have used this process on my Brutus 10 with good results. My efficiency is less than that of a batch sparge however. Technically, you are not sparging with the wort, but during the cross circulation, you will have wort passing through the grain bed rather than water at some point.

I am personally happy with much lower efficiency #'s than are routinely considered average in my brewing. I'm shooting for refinement rather than efficiency and feel I get a little more margin for error by not pushing the sparge/efficiency limits.
 
Ok thats where I was thinking differently. I thought a Brutus 20 was merely the standard Brutus Setup but with larger (3) vessels. But Im still not sure why you can't have refinement as well as high efficiency. You shouldn't have to sacrifice one for the other
 
Chimone said:
Ok thats where I was thinking differently. I thought a Brutus 20 was merely the standard Brutus Setup but with larger (3) vessels. But Im still not sure why you can't have refinement as well as high efficiency. You shouldn't have to sacrifice one for the other
Click to expand...

I would agree.
 
Chimone said:
But Im still not sure why you can't have refinement as well as high efficiency. You shouldn't have to sacrifice one for the other
Click to expand...

I didn't say you couldn't have both, but that I tend to focus on one and not the other. You can be efficient and still produce good beers, and most brewers do. On the other hand, I taste many home brewed beers that are otherwise fine except that they were over-sparged in the hopes of boosting efficiency by a few points. For my money, backing down the efficiency expectation and spending 10 cents per beer more for base grain is a small price to pay for consistent and delicious wort. I realize that many homebrewers consider high efficiency a badge of honor, and part of the enjoyment of brewing. I just have a slightly different perspective and will continue to no-sparge many of my beers.

KD
 
Ok gotcha, I see where you're coming from. Not sparging does take another variable out of the equation. As for me, I find the extraction to be the part I enjoy the most. Even though we use different techniques we still make top notch beers

Cheers KD


you got any pics of your B2?
 
korndog said:
I didn't say you couldn't have both, but that I tend to focus on one and not the other. You can be efficient and still produce good beers, and most brewers do. On the other hand, I taste many home brewed beers that are otherwise fine except that they were over-sparged in the hopes of boosting efficiency by a few points. For my money, backing down the efficiency expectation and spending 10 cents per beer more for base grain is a small price to pay for consistent and delicious wort. I realize that many homebrewers consider high efficiency a badge of honor, and part of the enjoyment of brewing. I just have a slightly different perspective and will continue to no-sparge many of my beers.

KD
Click to expand...

I am with ya all the way on this Korn... Although I normally always push 85%, and do measure for shats and giggles, eff has and never will be my main concern. This is just where my technics and system have settled in at for my good beers... If my best beers dialed in at 65%, I could care less...

Let me directly point to another thread on the green board where I talked about my 20...

I can't say how many batches I have brewed using this concept on Brutus Ten, and with each, you are exactly right my friend. It is a great fun concept to fool around with but in short, I didn't build the 20 for several reasons... The idea has worked out great for my lower gravity beers, mild's, cream ales, etc...

The real problem is solution. As we know there is a saturation point of any dissolvable solid in water. Our problem of course is sugar in this case. So while there is just the right amount of water to hold ALL the sugar in solution for a light mash, much bigger beers saturate out rather quickly, and no amount of sparging will get the remaining sugars as we are sparging with water that is already saturated beyond retention. The problem it seems remains a sparging issue. I am a BIG cream ale brewer. At first all my trials were based on lighter beers and they worked out great. The system was fun, and a change-up on brew-day was REAL fun. Kinda like playing with new toys!

So while I have never completely given up on the idea of building my 20, I have not fooled with it much more than the occasional light beer. It is very fun! The dang webpage of my original write-up resides on a defunct server that I do not have access to anymore! PeoplePC my azz...

Maybe I was hasty putting that up years ago... Now I can't get the dang thing down! It's kinda lake a bad porno pic. Once you post it, it will remain on the intertube throughout the annals of time!

Lonnie Mac...
 
Chimone said:
Ok gotcha, I see where you're coming from. Not sparging does take another variable out of the equation. As for me, I find the extraction to be the part I enjoy the most. Even though we use different techniques we still make top notch beers

Cheers KD


you got any pics of your B2?
Click to expand...

Ah, well you are sparging just as you normally would except at some point (quickly) you are using sugar water...

Otherwise, my 20 will be just as implied, a bigger Brutus 10 with 3 kettles. There will be no difference except footprint... (And a few other handy things I have been working on...) :)
 
Lonnie Mac said:
Maybe I was hasty putting that up years ago... Now I can't get the dang thing down! It's kinda lake a bad porno pic. Once you post it, it will remain on the intertube throughout the annals of time!

Lonnie Mac...
Click to expand...

I hear ya. I can't live my porno reputation down either. Oh well. :)

Nice to see ya in the forums Lonnie.

KD
 
I thought this was a pretty cool gadget. automatically switches to a fresh tank.

gasreg6.jpg
 
Noticing a problem......

since my welder used 1/4" thick instead of 1/8" I have a weight problem. My casters are starting to bend. Im not brewing again until I get this figured out. Should I weld a plate for the big monster wheels? Man I really need to do something. Mash is recirculating and its driving me crazy now that ive noticed it. Probably beeen like this for a while, but since Ive noticed it now, and rig is brewing.......GAH
 
I here ya, I'm still working on my frame. I'm making it out of 1/4" thick 2" angle iron. It weighs more than a volkswagen. What kind of casters are you using so I know to avoid them.
 
Chimone said:
Noticing a problem......

since my welder used 1/4" thick instead of 1/8" I have a weight problem. My casters are starting to bend. Im not brewing again until I get this figured out. Should I weld a plate for the big monster wheels? Man I really need to do something. Mash is recirculating and its driving me crazy now that ive noticed it. Probably beeen like this for a while, but since Ive noticed it now, and rig is brewing.......GAH
Click to expand...

Is the stem bending? How much does your rig weigh when heavy? You can and should get casters rated for your setup. I recall you used welded plate instead of inserts on the tube ends; what size thread?

KD
 
korndog said:
Is the stem bending? How much does your rig weigh when heavy? You can and should get casters rated for your setup. I recall you used welded plate instead of inserts on the tube ends; what size thread?

KD
Click to expand...

ya stem is bending. No i actually went with the McMaster Carrs inserts which are also showing cracks. My rig is a beast!

I think Im going to have to get a square piece of steel welded on then attach higher rated casters. Mine say 200lbs each lol
 
Chimone said:
ya stem is bending. No i actually went with the McMaster Carrs inserts which are also showing cracks. My rig is a beast!

I think Im going to have to get a square piece of steel welded on then attach higher rated casters. Mine say 200lbs each lol
Click to expand...

Wow, those inserts are load rated at 1000 Lbs. plus. Yeah, I would definitely get that taken care of before next session. I just checked mine and they seem straight with no cracks.
 
so i was wondering if the people who have used 1.5x1.5 1/16" tubing have had any problem's or not. i wouldn't think they would but i'm getting ready to get some steel and was just checking.

dave
 
davefj40 said:
so i was wondering if the people who have used 1.5x1.5 1/16" tubing have had any problem's or not. i wouldn't think they would but i'm getting ready to get some steel and was just checking.

dave
Click to expand...

i used 2x2x1/16 and it worked great, i can't imagine 1.5x1.5 would be a big change.


start_001.JPG
 
yea, i've alway's overbuilt stuff especially when i was building rockcrawling trucks. seeing how this stand will never really move i'm thinking it will be good, and save alot of money on the steel.
 
I used 2 x 2 x 1/16 wall steel tubing myself. The only thing I might have done differently is cut the gas bar shorter and tig weld cover plates on the ends of it to bring the OAL to Lonnies specs. Then weld the assy to the Brutus frame. This would insure an easier leak proof seal of the gas bar assy. If you over penetrate during Mig welding in the corner of the gas beam you've got problems with out having covers sealing the gas bar....YMMV good luck...
 
wildjack6 said:
probably just put in a t like everyone has set up
Click to expand...

Short, Short, Short. Too long and it will interfere with the operation of the ball valve. I bought too long at first and had to change. You want the well to just get into the "T" intersection. Any more and you start to interupt flow and potential grain clogs if the tolerance is too tight.

This is close to what I have. I would have to measure the stem length on mine. I don't even think its 2'5". The picture obviously show a generic thermowell but the description says "2.5".

Edit: These look good http://cgi.ebay.com/Thermowell-1-2-316SS-for-2-5-Thermometer-T100-1-2-R2-5_W0QQitemZ380087119236QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item380087119236&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
 
MNBugeater said:
Short, Short, Short. Too long and it will interfere with the operation of the ball valve. I bought too long at first and had to change. You want the well to just get into the "T" intersection. Any more and you start to interupt flow and potential grain clogs if the tolerance is too tight.

This is close to what I have. I would have to measure the stem length on mine. I don't even think its 2'5". The picture obviously show a generic thermowell but the description says "2.5".
Click to expand...

I have that same probe, except in 304 not 316. When screwed into the stainless "T" it just barley makes it more than half way through. When connected to a ball valve with a close nipple it will be just fine.
 
korndog said:
Where are you putting it?
Click to expand...


On my mashtun I have the "H" type return manifold that sits on top of the grainbed. I thought long and hard about the best way to get a probe to measure flow and the easiest way I found was to just drop the probe into the liquid on top of the mash. I usually try to put the probe into one of the tubes of the return manifold. I get good response on the temp probe and no temperature creep at all when burner shuts off. I try to get a good strong recirculation so there is even heating.
 
Well here it is, this build has been on the back burner for way too long. Got the control panel put together last night, now I need to finish the wiring and gas plumbing. I'm so close to being done with this thing, I cant wait to get some beer going in it!!

SWMBO was always complaing that I spend too much time in the garage working on my "stupid Brewmaster 9000 thing". So that's where the name comes from.

She still curses herself for getting me that first starter kit years ago
 
Sherpa, that Rig is absolutely Dazzling. All stainless rig w/ LP and those beautiful pots and burners. It's like porno for brewers.
 
I finally got my Brutus clone up and running this year. It's only a 5 gallon system, so I modified the frame to fit my kettles. I don't have the propane plumbing finished so I currently move my propane around to get heat where needed. I choose not to mount the pumps to the frame, rather I mounted them to a piece to wood (to be upgraded someday). This way it's pretty easy to bring the pumps in the house when I want. Maybe this fall I'll sand blast it, because I already bought some high-temp engine enamel (Chevy engine orange).

build3.jpg


I have more pictures on my construction page...
Building a Brewery (The Creekwood Brewing Project)

--
Kevin
 
This is my first post but I wanted to commend all these builds. Looks like everyone is having fun which is all that counts (well except for the 1000 pound one that is bending the casters, that sounds like a beast). I am in the process of building up a Brutus 10 based rig and will likely have some questions. I'll post up some pics as I progress. I'm still in the parts collection phase.
 
Quick question as I'm approaching the gas plumbing phase and I'm trying to plan out the gas pipe needs. I saw in my latest Morebeer catalog under the Gas System Hardware section that they offer 1' and 4" Burner jet nipples. They resemble a standard pipe nipple but look like they have a smaller ID. Is this a necessary arrangement? They aren't listed in Lonnie's parts list in the BYO reprint...
 

Similar threads

brewskitom
3V eBrewing Plumbing Advice
Replies
2
Views
742
rjbergen
R
E
Sold SOLD - 20 Gallon E-HERMS brewing system. SC
Replies
4
Views
586
LakeHartwellSkier
LakeHartwellSkier
F
tried out my new aio for the first time
Replies
8
Views
822
cfrazier77
cfrazier77
D
Controlling a glycol chiller
Replies
19
Views
2K
Dland
Dland
H
For Sale Homebrewing Equipment Liquidation
Replies
0
Views
836
Homebrewblowout
H

Latest posts

Back
Top