RichardU
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2018
- Messages
- 34
- Reaction score
- 13
For people who brew with the Spike Solo system -- what are your experiences?
After two batches on my 20 gallon system, my most important lesson so far is:
About ten minutes into the mash, the water level in the basket gets high (riptide pump at about 25%). I "refluidized" the grain bed with vigorous stirring, then scraped the bottom of the basked with my paddle. After that, the grain settled and never gave me another problem. This is now an item on my checklist.
I know some people have reported a problem with the basket recirculation hose dropping off the ledge. FWIW, I'm usine a 24" piece of thick-walled (1/8") silicone tubing and it stays on the ledge nicely.
I'm a strong believer in having pulleys to lift the basket. Even if you have the manpower to lift it, It's nice to be able to suspend the basket well above the kettle so it can continue to drain during the boil. When removing the basket, it's pretty easy to simply pull it to the side of the kettle as you lower it. I'm using a 4:1 pulley system so my wife will be able to handle it if she wants.
I'm wondering what others think is the maximum grain bill for this system. I'm planning a Danzig clone with a total mash and water volume of 73L (19.2 gal). Seems like I might need to sparge to be safe, although I'm not sure how much more volume I get from the basket extension above the top of the kettle.
On that note, kudos to Spike for making a basket that extends above the kettle. It's a perfect solution for the additional volume that is only needed during the mash.
Cheers, Richard
After two batches on my 20 gallon system, my most important lesson so far is:
About ten minutes into the mash, the water level in the basket gets high (riptide pump at about 25%). I "refluidized" the grain bed with vigorous stirring, then scraped the bottom of the basked with my paddle. After that, the grain settled and never gave me another problem. This is now an item on my checklist.
I know some people have reported a problem with the basket recirculation hose dropping off the ledge. FWIW, I'm usine a 24" piece of thick-walled (1/8") silicone tubing and it stays on the ledge nicely.
I'm a strong believer in having pulleys to lift the basket. Even if you have the manpower to lift it, It's nice to be able to suspend the basket well above the kettle so it can continue to drain during the boil. When removing the basket, it's pretty easy to simply pull it to the side of the kettle as you lower it. I'm using a 4:1 pulley system so my wife will be able to handle it if she wants.
I'm wondering what others think is the maximum grain bill for this system. I'm planning a Danzig clone with a total mash and water volume of 73L (19.2 gal). Seems like I might need to sparge to be safe, although I'm not sure how much more volume I get from the basket extension above the top of the kettle.
On that note, kudos to Spike for making a basket that extends above the kettle. It's a perfect solution for the additional volume that is only needed during the mash.
Cheers, Richard