Yeah, and it would be even more for 0.125 material which is what I'm using. You could use aluminum instead of copper. Not quite as good, but probably close close enough I'm sure.
Blichmann 10 Gallon MLT warped
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Yeah, and it would be even more for 0.125 material which is what I'm using. You could use aluminum instead of copper. Not quite as good, but probably close close enough I'm sure.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
Just think if you had ordered .125"x 20" diameter call it 100 count 20 years ago you would still be rich selling then way cheaper than the supplier above.
At one steel plant we rewired I picked up four 24" x 24" x 2" thick squares of steel. Great for on the workbench as a pounding base, wonder how they would work as a even heat mass for a pot? Sure would take some energy to get up to temp but also rather stable once at the set temp. This would be a great addition for those Gray-Hound bus stands that have been posted.
At one steel plant we rewired I picked up four 24" x 24" x 2" thick squares of steel. Great for on the workbench as a pounding base, wonder how they would work as a even heat mass for a pot? Sure would take some energy to get up to temp but also rather stable once at the set temp. This would be a great addition for those Gray-Hound bus stands that have been posted.
Lonnie Mac
Well-Known Member
OP
OP
I'll take one my friend! Can you ship USPS?
I can't even imagine what shipping charges would be on something like that.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
Scott;
with my bad back limping day to day I can't even tumble a 24" square by 2" thick slab of these hot rolled steel slabs not alone 4 of 'em I picked up free off the job site ( the pack rat in me). I would bet if a skirt were added plus gas heated this would allow for a rather cheap and even heat from a gas flame directly to the slab under the brew pot. This including using a copper disk which is now too high in dollars these days with the crazy prices of copper they're asking. This would work with a 1 barrel brew with those 2" sq/ tube frames of 1/4" wall thickness able to hold up 18 wheel big rigs. WTF on over builds? Without starting a pissing war why the hell wasn't 4130 Chromoly tubing used instead like in aircraft frames and structrures the last 65 years I ask?
Shipping charges, better to drive and pick up from a thick steel supply house.
UPS would freak out on a package of 145# with the shipping box. JMO's on the base weights. Get yor 7 barrel brewery running before the summer thirst rush starts.
with my bad back limping day to day I can't even tumble a 24" square by 2" thick slab of these hot rolled steel slabs not alone 4 of 'em I picked up free off the job site ( the pack rat in me). I would bet if a skirt were added plus gas heated this would allow for a rather cheap and even heat from a gas flame directly to the slab under the brew pot. This including using a copper disk which is now too high in dollars these days with the crazy prices of copper they're asking. This would work with a 1 barrel brew with those 2" sq/ tube frames of 1/4" wall thickness able to hold up 18 wheel big rigs. WTF on over builds? Without starting a pissing war why the hell wasn't 4130 Chromoly tubing used instead like in aircraft frames and structrures the last 65 years I ask?
Shipping charges, better to drive and pick up from a thick steel supply house.
UPS would freak out on a package of 145# with the shipping box. JMO's on the base weights. Get yor 7 barrel brewery running before the summer thirst rush starts.
I'm with you on this BB. I've never understood the need for the extreme over design on these rigs. I'd like to see someone take the opposite approach and design a rig like you would a bridge using the lightest structural members possible. One of my friends built an SS Brutus clone. He transported it to a group brew on two occasions. It required four men and a boy to move the damn thing. Way heavier than it needed to be IMO. He recently told me that he will never be transporting it again unless forced at gunpoint and I fully understand why. Even the wooden rigs I see are often over-designed. You would think that 4 x 4, 2 x 6 and 2 x 4 lumber was the only material available.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
Who'll be the first using 3/8" wall 6" box tube? A one up thing, LOL!
OP
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In order to get that 7 bbl system running I need to find a heat source for the boiler and a place to store the fermenter. I'll also need a LOT more kegs to store the brew in. I also will need a glycol chiller, a bigger pump and a larger grain mill. Just a few minor technicalities.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
In order to get that 7 bbl system running I need to find a heat source for the boiler and a place to store the fermenter. I'll also need a LOT more kegs to store the brew in. I also will need a glycol chiller, a bigger pump and a larger grain mill. Just a few minor technicalities.
Yeah Scott, called MUNY and a rather large pile of it.
OP
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So I've got the pump running and lowered the flame and still get some scorching. Not nearly as bad but still some. I even resorted to a coarser grind of my malts (which lowered my efficiency 10%) hoping to have less flour on the bottom. Now I'm wondering if the warped bottom is hitting the false bottom and keeping the wort from flowing properly? Any thoughts on that?
I sent John Blichmann an e-mail asking the same question and still waiting on his reply.
I sent John Blichmann an e-mail asking the same question and still waiting on his reply.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
Scott; if John Blichmann were a good PR business man plus reading this forum i'd be surprised if he didn't replace your pot free. With so mainy of his pots out there you would think if overheating the pot were a problem there would be many more with warped bottoms. My thinking with these odds you may have a defective pot. JMO.
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Here's the reply I got from John Blichmann:
"We use ours on a recirc system and dont have any trouble. Yes try to pound out the warp with a rubber mallet. But I dont think the warpage should be a problem, but if it is severe it may channel the wort to a certain flow path and leave the remaining wort stagnant leading to scorching?? Get the kettle as flat as possible, clean it well with barkeepers friend and lets see what happens. As far as heating you should heat about 1.5-2 F/min MAX. More than that and you will likely scorch when you reach sacc temp. And the fastest flow rate you can do without sticking (watch the level in the level gauge for a warning that youre sticking) is better."
"We use ours on a recirc system and dont have any trouble. Yes try to pound out the warp with a rubber mallet. But I dont think the warpage should be a problem, but if it is severe it may channel the wort to a certain flow path and leave the remaining wort stagnant leading to scorching?? Get the kettle as flat as possible, clean it well with barkeepers friend and lets see what happens. As far as heating you should heat about 1.5-2 F/min MAX. More than that and you will likely scorch when you reach sacc temp. And the fastest flow rate you can do without sticking (watch the level in the level gauge for a warning that youre sticking) is better."
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
Talk about beating around the issue, "pound out the warp" WTF!. Without one word or mentioning a possible exchange or replacement of it. With this much exposure of fellow brewing members on this forum alone not only "visitors" I call this one as bad business practice if you ask me, i'll speak my mind it's just me. For one thing Blichmann has lost my faith in their products now with your problem shall I call it i'm his number one lost coustomer, yes. There may well be others looking into other brand of manufacture also. I was saving up and looking at purchasing a 27 gallon Blichmann Fermenter, this has changed my mind. I just saved myself $799 before shipping or taxes.
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I really like the Blichmann products too. I guess the false bottom allows so much heat to build up that it's just too much for it. My bad in not recirculating sooner. Live and learn. Hopefully it's not ruined otherwise that's a $400 mistake on my part. I also got my copper plate to help distribute the heat better.
What size copper plate did you get and how thick is it? I think it will make a huge difference. It did for my system. IMO, the FB is not the problem. I have a friend that I sometimes brew with on his Brutus 15 clone and we haven't had scorching problems. It's best to circulate as fast as you can get away with while avoiding a stuck mash. You really need to keep the wort moving below the FB while heating.
OP
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It's a 12" X 12" X 1/8" copper plate. It covers most of the bottom plus I've flattened the Boilermaker's bottom out some now so it should help. I'll find out next time I brew.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
I would bet without that 100% contact you now have the kettle bottom to copper plate your still going to lose some heat transfer costing you longer heat up times plus more gas. I would also think those small solid contact points you have will cause hot spots. At $309 I see listed, deduct the profit Blichmann makes that pot my guess is in the $200 range or less for them to have made unless made in house. Why Blichmann would balk on this one pots profit with not just replacing it is beyond me vs the tens of thousands of dollars in sales and profits. Called good business practice with the customers and respect of the manufacture by the customers. This can be lost. If 'ol John reads this he'll want me to stop my opinions and replies. Just by the HBT members alone not counting visitors to this thread, now at 1,180 views and counting. I wonder what they are thinking now if they were on the fence about a pot purchase by manufacture by name?
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
As the saying goes, "we need pictures".
Scott; this pot oil canned the bottom or just twisted and by how much?
One would think if it were filled to the top with water the pressure with a couple people pressing down it would flatten the bottom again. Factor in some spring back of the bottoms material or add wood shims to get it twisted back and flat again.
If Blichmann knows you hammered on it then it's classified as abused and John may never exchange it, then he's out and it's on you.
As catt said, give it a try and brew with it.
Scott; this pot oil canned the bottom or just twisted and by how much?
One would think if it were filled to the top with water the pressure with a couple people pressing down it would flatten the bottom again. Factor in some spring back of the bottoms material or add wood shims to get it twisted back and flat again.
If Blichmann knows you hammered on it then it's classified as abused and John may never exchange it, then he's out and it's on you.
As catt said, give it a try and brew with it.
Boerderij_Kabouter
Well-Known Member
In defense of John and the Blichmann products, I highly doubt it was a malfunctioning part. No offense Hoss, I have destroyed my fair share of stuff , but incorrectly using a product, intentionally or not, is not a reason to replace a product.
John Blichmann is a stand-up guy with great products. I am afraid you are very wrong on this one Beemer.
, but incorrectly using a product, intentionally or not, is not a reason to replace a product.John Blichmann is a stand-up guy with great products. I am afraid you are very wrong on this one Beemer.
OP
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I don't expect John to replace it since I clearly screwed up. I just want to make sure it's usable and not relegated to a HLT instead of a MLT like I want/need it to be. I can't afford scorched batches and it's all part of the learning curve for me. I'm still a rookie, even though I've gone pro.
OP
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In defense of John and the Blichmann products, I highly doubt it was a malfunctioning part. No offense Hoss, I have destroyed my fair share of stuff
John Blichmann is a stand-up guy with great products. I am afraid you are very wrong on this one Beemer.
I agree with you that John is helping me with this situation and I should've started with a lower flame when I upgraded my propane line. I just want it to work now. John does seem to be a caring enough individual about the needs of the brewer and I think that's cool.
bobbytuck
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+1 to HBHoss's comment about John B caring about the brewer.
I ordered a TopTier from RebelBrewer not long ago -- and to make a long story short, I didn't receive all the hardware I needed to put everything together. The big stuff was there but a couple brackets were missing. They were key brackets -- the actual brackets that attached the shelves -- so it was critical that I had those specific brackets to continue with the assembly.
Anyway, over the course of a week -- and a mis-shipped part -- John Blichmann and his staff overnighted several boxes. We mis-communicated initially (my fault -- I didn't include a photo of the parts since there are a couple of different brackets involved in the TopTier) -- but John shipped the necessary parts right away. And I mean, right away. We'd correspond via email in the afternoon, and by the morning a box from Blichmann was on my doorstep.
I got the necessary parts, put everything together, and a few days ago John B. emailed me again -- out of the blue -- to make sure everything was cool and I was able to finish the build.
Hands down, the best customer service I've had in a long time. (Don't get me started about DirecTV at the other end of the spectrum ...)
Best of all, John was determined to fix it -- and he made sure it was fixed. The fact that I was (a) talking to the man himself and (b) that he cared enough to follow-up was amazing -- and, frankly, just plain nice. You spend big bucks on Blichmann products -- I've got three 15 gallon kettles of his in addition to the TopTier -- so you expect big customer service.
I got it -- superb customer service -- and I couldn't be happier.
I realize that's a bit off topic, but I wanted to throw that in there in case folks have any doubts about John B. standing behind his products.
I ordered a TopTier from RebelBrewer not long ago -- and to make a long story short, I didn't receive all the hardware I needed to put everything together. The big stuff was there but a couple brackets were missing. They were key brackets -- the actual brackets that attached the shelves -- so it was critical that I had those specific brackets to continue with the assembly.
Anyway, over the course of a week -- and a mis-shipped part -- John Blichmann and his staff overnighted several boxes. We mis-communicated initially (my fault -- I didn't include a photo of the parts since there are a couple of different brackets involved in the TopTier) -- but John shipped the necessary parts right away. And I mean, right away. We'd correspond via email in the afternoon, and by the morning a box from Blichmann was on my doorstep.
I got the necessary parts, put everything together, and a few days ago John B. emailed me again -- out of the blue -- to make sure everything was cool and I was able to finish the build.
Hands down, the best customer service I've had in a long time. (Don't get me started about DirecTV at the other end of the spectrum ...)
Best of all, John was determined to fix it -- and he made sure it was fixed. The fact that I was (a) talking to the man himself and (b) that he cared enough to follow-up was amazing -- and, frankly, just plain nice. You spend big bucks on Blichmann products -- I've got three 15 gallon kettles of his in addition to the TopTier -- so you expect big customer service.
I got it -- superb customer service -- and I couldn't be happier.
I realize that's a bit off topic, but I wanted to throw that in there in case folks have any doubts about John B. standing behind his products.
BrewBeemer
Well-Known Member
Ok i'll back down, John's a respectable person that solves problems for ya.
My only question is with the high number of Blichmann pots being used
why was Scott's the only one to have the bottom warped when others
I bet must of overheated or scorched their pots also over a time or two? Did Scott use a welding torch and get the bottom hotter than others with their mega BTU propane burners but got away with it? One pot vs all the pots that are in use, come on, I don't buy this. JMO's I'm silent now. Scott I wish you good results from hammering it flat again on your next brew batch, maybe all's well again plus adding a copper plate will help. I've melted a aluminum pot bottom off that went dry boiling water so been there myself.
My only question is with the high number of Blichmann pots being used
why was Scott's the only one to have the bottom warped when others
I bet must of overheated or scorched their pots also over a time or two? Did Scott use a welding torch and get the bottom hotter than others with their mega BTU propane burners but got away with it? One pot vs all the pots that are in use, come on, I don't buy this. JMO's I'm silent now. Scott I wish you good results from hammering it flat again on your next brew batch, maybe all's well again plus adding a copper plate will help. I've melted a aluminum pot bottom off that went dry boiling water so been there myself.
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I appreciate the support and your comments.
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