Blichmann BrewEasy

[BierHausPR]

I have the Blichmann Therminator. Great device. Not quite as efficient in Summer,when my groundwater is quite a bit warmer. Very efficient in Winter! Brewed today, did a whirlpool after,as is my routine, and let that stand for 20 mins, then started draining through my Therminator. One pass, and my wort was down from near boiling to 55 F. Could easily have pitched lager yeast, if that was on the menu. I'll have to look into a hop spider.

I have an immersion chiller (50'x1/2") and 2 plate chillers. Ground water temp is about 80F here in Puerto Rico. So I usually chill wort, and wait about 4-6 hours until it reaches pitching temp. I'm dying for a Therminator, but it might be just about the same than my Duda Diesel plate chiller.

 

[craitchky]

Well, after following this thread for the past year, I ordered a 5 gal gas BE turnkey system from Great Fermentations. What a great company to deal with, I was kept well informed by Brian as to ship dates and back order issues.
I will be doing a test run and initial cleaning during the week with just water, then attempt my first all grain this weekend. The information I have gatherd for this thread has been invaluable! Thanks to all of you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences!

Rick

 

[Danam404]

Hey guys,

I filmed my BrewEasy process for Great Fermentations this week. I plan on splicing it all together tomorrow night and hopefully it'll be up monday. Stay tuned!

For those of you who just got the system it will hopefully prove helpful.

 

[Danam404]

Highly recommend a hop spider when using the Therminator. I didn't use it during my first brew on the BE and regretted it tremendously. I spent three hours the second brew day flushing and back flushing with PBW and water before I even started mashing. Take my word for it HOP spider.
The Therminator chills my wort instantly. Great device.

^yes, this. I actually run a immersion chiller in a pot of ice water before the plate chiller, as our groundwater is very warm here in FL. This usually gets me down to about 72 and then my ferm fridge chills it the last few degrees til for pitching temp within 30 mins or so

 

[FATC1TY]

Large thread, and I've read quite a bit of it... So here's a couple questions I have before I seriously type in my CC number for a 10 gallon gas system.

Background- I have brew all grain for a while now, I batch sparge with igloo coolers, and a single kettle. Pump involved, and hopback, with a immersion chiller. Looking to build a big single tier stand, but like the "bling" and like the smaller footprint.

I've seen different places to buy from, which do you all think is the best as of now? Great fermentations has some really positive mentions.

I've seen two different Tower of Power systems.. a "regular one" and the "LTE" one.. Any preference over one and the other?

I'm looking at the 10 gallon system, more for the ability to have the advantage of doing larger mashes for big 5 gallons batches, or large 10 gallon batches of low OG sours and session ales that I want to experiment with. I regularly do only 5 gallons batches.. will I have much trouble in mashing and boiling in the larger kettles? What about efficiency? I keep seeing it's comparison to BIAB, but with my ignorance.. will be dipping under my current batch sparge numbers? I have a MM3 mill, and mill my own grain and average an easy 72+ percent efficiency.

Step mashing.. how do you feel it is on step mashing? Do you think you could perhaps do step mashes, even something similar to a decoction mash?

Extras needed on the system: Have people added the hop blocker to the kettles? How well does it work installed from the onset of the mash, till the completed boil? I use whole hops when I can, and if it works well, I can move to them exclusive if possible. I can use bags, and even a SS 400micro hop spider if needed, but love free floating them in the kettle. How about hooking up my Hop Rocket inline. I plan to buy a plate chiller if I use this system, and want to use the hoprocket to filter, and to add the addition on hops for the hoppier brews?

Plan to buy the wheeled stand... worth it? I haven't decided if I want to brew outside the garage, or drag it all out back.. more likely, out front.. is it worthwhile to wheel around on the concrete?

All told.. do you think you make better beer, or make beer easier, or both? I'm looking at $3000 out the door for everything I need, probably slightly more when done.. I could buy the Blichman kettles, and have my stand welded and have a 2 pump system for less, maybe even a RIMS or HERMS system.. but I like the footprint.. I just don't want to essentially pay 3000 for two kettles and an extra burner that I still have to work like my current system.

Any answered questions are greatly appreciated, and I appreciate the thread as a whole.. tons of info I'm reading through, and hopefully more direct answers can be found in additional reading.

 

[dooman333]

^^^^I second everything he said (but swap out the word gas and input electric) excellent info request.

 

[acyoung]

Large thread, and I've read quite a bit of it... So here's a couple questions I have before I seriously type in my CC number for a 10 gallon gas system.

Background- I have brew all grain for a while now, I batch sparge with igloo coolers, and a single kettle. Pump involved, and hopback, with a immersion chiller. Looking to build a big single tier stand, but like the "bling" and like the smaller footprint.

I've seen different places to buy from, which do you all think is the best as of now? Great fermentations has some really positive mentions.

I've seen two different Tower of Power systems.. a "regular one" and the "LTE" one.. Any preference over one and the other?

I'm looking at the 10 gallon system, more for the ability to have the advantage of doing larger mashes for big 5 gallons batches, or large 10 gallon batches of low OG sours and session ales that I want to experiment with. I regularly do only 5 gallons batches.. will I have much trouble in mashing and boiling in the larger kettles? What about efficiency? I keep seeing it's comparison to BIAB, but with my ignorance.. will be dipping under my current batch sparge numbers? I have a MM3 mill, and mill my own grain and average an easy 72+ percent efficiency.

Step mashing.. how do you feel it is on step mashing? Do you think you could perhaps do step mashes, even something similar to a decoction mash?

Extras needed on the system: Have people added the hop blocker to the kettles? How well does it work installed from the onset of the mash, till the completed boil? I use whole hops when I can, and if it works well, I can move to them exclusive if possible. I can use bags, and even a SS 400micro hop spider if needed, but love free floating them in the kettle. How about hooking up my Hop Rocket inline. I plan to buy a plate chiller if I use this system, and want to use the hoprocket to filter, and to add the addition on hops for the hoppier brews?

Plan to buy the wheeled stand... worth it? I haven't decided if I want to brew outside the garage, or drag it all out back.. more likely, out front.. is it worthwhile to wheel around on the concrete?

All told.. do you think you make better beer, or make beer easier, or both? I'm looking at $3000 out the door for everything I need, probably slightly more when done.. I could buy the Blichman kettles, and have my stand welded and have a 2 pump system for less, maybe even a RIMS or HERMS system.. but I like the footprint.. I just don't want to essentially pay 3000 for two kettles and an extra burner that I still have to work like my current system.

Any answered questions are greatly appreciated, and I appreciate the thread as a whole.. tons of info I'm reading through, and hopefully more direct answers can be found in additional reading.

I was in the same boat you are, and contemplated the BE for a long time. I like the clean look and the idea of a 2 vessel system. At the end of the day I couldn't justify the cost. My alternative was to buy the essential Blichmann parts (TOP and the auto sparge) and I also upgraded to a blichmann burner. I just had my first brewday yesterday and while my own personal brew process can be cleaned up to save time and increase efficiency, the system worked flawlessly! I am happy I stayed with the cooler MLT and my ever loved keggle.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426424785.078768.jpg

 

[acyoung]

Large thread, and I've read quite a bit of it... So here's a couple questions I have before I seriously type in my CC number for a 10 gallon gas system.

Background- I have brew all grain for a while now, I batch sparge with igloo coolers, and a single kettle. Pump involved, and hopback, with a immersion chiller. Looking to build a big single tier stand, but like the "bling" and like the smaller footprint.

I've seen different places to buy from, which do you all think is the best as of now? Great fermentations has some really positive mentions.

I've seen two different Tower of Power systems.. a "regular one" and the "LTE" one.. Any preference over one and the other?

I'm looking at the 10 gallon system, more for the ability to have the advantage of doing larger mashes for big 5 gallons batches, or large 10 gallon batches of low OG sours and session ales that I want to experiment with. I regularly do only 5 gallons batches.. will I have much trouble in mashing and boiling in the larger kettles? What about efficiency? I keep seeing it's comparison to BIAB, but with my ignorance.. will be dipping under my current batch sparge numbers? I have a MM3 mill, and mill my own grain and average an easy 72+ percent efficiency.

Step mashing.. how do you feel it is on step mashing? Do you think you could perhaps do step mashes, even something similar to a decoction mash?

Extras needed on the system: Have people added the hop blocker to the kettles? How well does it work installed from the onset of the mash, till the completed boil? I use whole hops when I can, and if it works well, I can move to them exclusive if possible. I can use bags, and even a SS 400micro hop spider if needed, but love free floating them in the kettle. How about hooking up my Hop Rocket inline. I plan to buy a plate chiller if I use this system, and want to use the hoprocket to filter, and to add the addition on hops for the hoppier brews?

Plan to buy the wheeled stand... worth it? I haven't decided if I want to brew outside the garage, or drag it all out back.. more likely, out front.. is it worthwhile to wheel around on the concrete?

All told.. do you think you make better beer, or make beer easier, or both? I'm looking at $3000 out the door for everything I need, probably slightly more when done.. I could buy the Blichman kettles, and have my stand welded and have a 2 pump system for less, maybe even a RIMS or HERMS system.. but I like the footprint.. I just don't want to essentially pay 3000 for two kettles and an extra burner that I still have to work like my current system.

Any answered questions are greatly appreciated, and I appreciate the thread as a whole.. tons of info I'm reading through, and hopefully more direct answers can be found in additional reading.

I was in the same boat you are, and contemplated the BE for a long time. I like the clean look and the idea of a 2 vessel system. At the end of the day I couldn't justify the cost. My alternative was to buy the essential Blichmann parts (TOP and the auto sparge) and I also upgraded to a blichmann burner. I just had my first brewday yesterday and while my own personal brew process can be cleaned up to save time and increase efficiency, the system worked flawlessly! I am happy I stayed with the cooler MLT and my ever loved keggle.

 

[acyoung]

Large thread, and I've read quite a bit of it... So here's a couple questions I have before I seriously type in my CC number for a 10 gallon gas system.

Background- I have brew all grain for a while now, I batch sparge with igloo coolers, and a single kettle. Pump involved, and hopback, with a immersion chiller. Looking to build a big single tier stand, but like the "bling" and like the smaller footprint.

I've seen different places to buy from, which do you all think is the best as of now? Great fermentations has some really positive mentions.

I've seen two different Tower of Power systems.. a "regular one" and the "LTE" one.. Any preference over one and the other?

I'm looking at the 10 gallon system, more for the ability to have the advantage of doing larger mashes for big 5 gallons batches, or large 10 gallon batches of low OG sours and session ales that I want to experiment with. I regularly do only 5 gallons batches.. will I have much trouble in mashing and boiling in the larger kettles? What about efficiency? I keep seeing it's comparison to BIAB, but with my ignorance.. will be dipping under my current batch sparge numbers? I have a MM3 mill, and mill my own grain and average an easy 72+ percent efficiency.

Step mashing.. how do you feel it is on step mashing? Do you think you could perhaps do step mashes, even something similar to a decoction mash?

Extras needed on the system: Have people added the hop blocker to the kettles? How well does it work installed from the onset of the mash, till the completed boil? I use whole hops when I can, and if it works well, I can move to them exclusive if possible. I can use bags, and even a SS 400micro hop spider if needed, but love free floating them in the kettle. How about hooking up my Hop Rocket inline. I plan to buy a plate chiller if I use this system, and want to use the hoprocket to filter, and to add the addition on hops for the hoppier brews?

Plan to buy the wheeled stand... worth it? I haven't decided if I want to brew outside the garage, or drag it all out back.. more likely, out front.. is it worthwhile to wheel around on the concrete?

All told.. do you think you make better beer, or make beer easier, or both? I'm looking at $3000 out the door for everything I need, probably slightly more when done.. I could buy the Blichman kettles, and have my stand welded and have a 2 pump system for less, maybe even a RIMS or HERMS system.. but I like the footprint.. I just don't want to essentially pay 3000 for two kettles and an extra burner that I still have to work like my current system.

Any answered questions are greatly appreciated, and I appreciate the thread as a whole.. tons of info I'm reading through, and hopefully more direct answers can be found in additional reading.

I was in the same boat you are, and contemplated the BE for a long time. I like the clean look and the idea of a 2 vessel system. At the end of the day I couldn't justify the cost. My alternative was to buy the essential Blichmann parts (TOP and the auto sparge) and I also upgraded to a blichmann burner. I just had my first brewday yesterday and while my own personal brew process can be cleaned up to save time and increase efficiency, the system worked flawlessly! I am happy I stayed with the cooler MLT and my ever loved keggle. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426431765.548847.jpg

 

[PlexVector]

Well I did not check the pH with a meter. I used the EZ water spreadsheet to calculate the water additions, the spreadsheet calculates the estimated pH value witch I mentioned.


Maybe some day I'll buy a pH meter

I'll be looking forward to your write up and video

I really appreciated all the things you have written here as well as the youtube timelaps video

Here are two photos from my first brew, first one I'm still mashing, the late one I have finished everything, the the beer is fermenting there

http://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/attachm...blichmann-breweasy-2015-03-01-02.39.32-1-.jpg
I was scrolling down the page quickly and first impression of the fermentation chamber picture was a robot knight.

 

[Want2BS8ed]

Cinder block stand upgraded to 24x24" stainless table.

Nice table BierHaus. Can you share your source?

Thanks!

M

 

[Want2BS8ed]

This solved all my trub/hop/chiller woes:

http://www.brewershardware.com/FILTER1.html

+1

I have one of those hanging off my TOP (what we affectionately refer to as "Das Beer Dialysis Machine" around here.

I am also using a MoreBeer kettle Spider (http://www.morebeer.com/products/kettle-spider.html) with a 4" Tri-clover fitting to hold the hop bag on (pretty slick actually).

Between the spider and circulating hot wort through the Brewer's Hardware filter and plate chillers (returned through a second valve at the bottom of the boil kettle to form a whirlpool), my wort is hitting the chillers and fermentor pretty dog-gone clean (and at lager pitching temperatures if I circulate ice water through the second chiller).

M

 

[BierHausPR]

Nice table BierHaus. Can you share your source?

Thanks!

M

Here's the one I got. When I got mine, it had Prime shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NFP3WG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

But, I sawed the legs to 18", to lower the BE to a manageable height.

 

[strangr419]

I have an immersion chiller (50'x1/2") and 2 plate chillers. Ground water temp is about 80F here in Puerto Rico. So I usually chill wort, and wait about 4-6 hours until it reaches pitching temp. I'm dying for a Therminator, but it might be just about the same than my Duda Diesel plate chiller.

I know the feeling. I'm in sunny SoFla and the water table gets pretty warm in the summer months. So this weekend I set up my immersion chiller in an 5 gallon bucket filled with ice water and connected it to the ground supply hose and ran that through the immersion chiller then out to the plate chiller (to the water in connection) and it worked like a charm. All I needed was to set up two female connections on the immersion chiller to allow it to be connected both to my hose/groundwater then to the Therminator. Wort was immediately at 75* coming through the Therminator. Pitched instantly upon filling my fermentors.

 

[strangr419]

I have a Stainless Coil that I chill my wort with, my question is how long does it take the Blichmann plate chiller to cool a 10 gallon batch. My stainless coil takes a good hour to cool a 10 gal batch. My coil is only a 3/8 diameter by 50ft and I feel an hour is too long, I want to upgrade. I found a 1/2"x 50' stainless coil or should I go with the Blichmann chiller? Does anyone have experience with the Chillzilla?

The Therminator chills 10 gallons instantly depending on your groundwater temps. See my post above to BierHausPR. I highly recommend the Therminator, I've never chilled wort so quickly.:rockin:

 

[strangr419]

Hey guys,

I filmed my BrewEasy process for Great Fermentations this week. I plan on splicing it all together tomorrow night and hopefully it'll be up monday. Stay tuned!

For those of you who just got the system it will hopefully prove helpful.

Please let us know when and where we can find it.

My efficiency has been pretty poor my past two brews, under 70%. I missed my target OG (1.046) by .006 (1.040) this weekend and was bummed it was the second time in 4 brews that I've been below. Trying to figure this out before next brew day.

 

[ElCid79]

Does the therminator require another pump? Or two for that matter.

How do you integrate it into the brew easy ecosystem.

Thanks.


Is there a really simple clean way to do it.

I am tired of the jumbled mass of special equipment etc. I want to simplify my brew day.

Thanks.

 

[rockydog101]

Hi there. I've been researching brew rigs for months. I don't have big parties, and I drink 1-2 beers most nights of the week. I feel like brewing five gallon batches would be enough. I see me giving away a lot of my beer to friends. I want a relatively simple system. I've been debating between the blichman breweasy and a eBIAB w/ electric hoist. I think the breweasy is the better choice.

My question is this: what limiting factor will there be between buying a breweasy and a traditional three vessel system? I am not at all experienced but I just can't understand why a three vessel would be better - unless you're trying to do two brews at a time, which I wouldn't. Will I have the equipment (not necessarily the skill) to brew a perfect Zombie Dust clone?

Also, electric vs gas?

 

[rockydog101]

Does the therminator require another pump? Or two for that matter.

How do you integrate it into the brew easy ecosystem.

Thanks.


Is there a really simple clean way to do it.

I am tired of the jumbled mass of special equipment etc. I want to simplify my brew day.

Thanks.

My understanding is you would connect hose from the boil kettle to the pump and then pump through the therminator and into your fermenter.

 

[strangr419]

My understanding is you would connect hose from the boil kettle to the pump and then pump through the therminator and into your fermenter.

Rockydog101 is right. That's the way to do it. You only need one pump.

 

[ElCid79]

So we can use the pump integrated into the tower of power or we need a secondary?

 

[ElCid79]

Also, is the blichmann website down? I have been trying to get on to do some research and am not having any luck.

 

[strangr419]

So we can use the pump integrated into the tower of power or we need a secondary?

One pump will do it all.

 

[chewymatingcall]

I ran a test batch with cold water today. Does everyone use the Blichmann disconnects or does anyone use cam locks?

 

[Danam404]

Hi there. I've been researching brew rigs for months. I don't have big parties, and I drink 1-2 beers most nights of the week. I feel like brewing five gallon batches would be enough. I see me giving away a lot of my beer to friends. I want a relatively simple system. I've been debating between the blichman breweasy and a eBIAB w/ electric hoist. I think the breweasy is the better choice.

My question is this: what limiting factor will there be between buying a breweasy and a traditional three vessel system? I am not at all experienced but I just can't understand why a three vessel would be better - unless you're trying to do two brews at a time, which I wouldn't. Will I have the equipment (not necessarily the skill) to brew a perfect Zombie Dust clone?

Also, electric vs gas?

In my opinion, a brew easy is superior to any BIAB system except for maybe in the cost department.

As far as a traditional 3-vessel fly sparge system, your limiting factor is the efficiency. Much easier to reach the mid-70's if not 80% efficiency with a traditional setup, but with some honing of your skills and research it can be done on this system.

So really, the limiting factor in creating whatever beer you want would be your skill and attention to detail.

This all being said, if this is your first foray into home brewing, I would not drop thousands of dollars on an all-grain system before you know if you even like the hobby. Thats a great way to get frustrated and quit, and a massive waste of money.

Dana

 

[Danam404]

I ran a test batch with cold water today. Does everyone use the Blichmann disconnects or does anyone use cam locks?

I outfitted my whole system with the morebeer stainless QD's. they are awesome.

Also bought hose thread QD's for the water portion of the terminator. Makes for an easy day

 

[Danam404]

Also, is the blichmann website down? I have been trying to get on to do some research and am not having any luck.

probably. and i wouldn't expect to get much info from there even when it comes back.

 

[Danam404]

I know the feeling. I'm in sunny SoFla and the water table gets pretty warm in the summer months. So this weekend I set up my immersion chiller in an 5 gallon bucket filled with ice water and connected it to the ground supply hose and ran that through the immersion chiller then out to the plate chiller (to the water in connection) and it worked like a charm. All I needed was to set up two female connections on the immersion chiller to allow it to be connected both to my hose/groundwater then to the Therminator. Wort was immediately at 75* coming through the Therminator. Pitched instantly upon filling my fermentors.

This is exactly how I have mine set up as well, here in Sarasota. I also get to about 74*, but I let my ferm fridge get the beer down to the 60's before I pitch, usually.

 

[Danam404]

Hi there. I've been researching brew rigs for months. I don't have big parties, and I drink 1-2 beers most nights of the week. I feel like brewing five gallon batches would be enough. I see me giving away a lot of my beer to friends. I want a relatively simple system. I've been debating between the blichman breweasy and a eBIAB w/ electric hoist. I think the breweasy is the better choice.

My question is this: what limiting factor will there be between buying a breweasy and a traditional three vessel system? I am not at all experienced but I just can't understand why a three vessel would be better - unless you're trying to do two brews at a time, which I wouldn't. Will I have the equipment (not necessarily the skill) to brew a perfect Zombie Dust clone?

Also, electric vs gas?

Oh... and electric FTW if you're properly set up for it.

 

[mash-mongrel]

I ran a test batch with cold water today. Does everyone use the Blichmann disconnects or does anyone use cam locks?

I use all Camlocks and Dust Caps on every connection, pumps and hoses. I started using Oxy-San as a sanitizer, it is a no rinse, safe for stainless steel, a cleaner and safe to use with beer production. Once I sanitize, I let everything drip dry then cap everything having it ready to go for the next time I brew. I rinse out the pump with water on the other hand because I was using PBW, before and I didn't rinse which I thing caused the pump to stick a little.

I brewed another 10 gallon batch last night for a total of 36 gallons. I'm shaving time off every batch but I'm fed up with the HopBlocker, its got to be replaced.

I second the electric 240 volt version, I enjoy brewing entirely indoors including cleaning equipment in my basement. The only downfall to the electric kit is cleaning the boilcoil which isn't that hard but more time consuming then the rest of the system.