Blichmann BrewEasy

[psymonkey]

After a year of service (wow), the BrewEasy...

Hey man - I wanted to thank you for the video you posted on getting the most out of your breweasy. It made a tremendous difference in my enjoyment and love of the system.

The most useful tidbit was that you didn't stir the mash on mash-in. I hadn't considered not doing that, being used to stirring profusely in my old cooler-MLT.

Stirring was causing grains to get forced through the false bottom, which in-turn clogged my little orifice which in-turn caused all sorts of problems to manifest. That simple change has resulted in several smooth brew days. So thank you!

 

[jmitchell3]

The clogging was post boil as all the hops and trub got picked up on the way out of the kettle.

I've done 3 or 4 batches on my BE system, usually begin to recirculate boiling wort for the last 10 minutes of the boil. I use a blichmann hopblocker. The issue I've had is air in the line causing minor cavitation of the pump...further restricting the outflow valve has resolved that problem.

I've not had any issues with hops or trub clogging the pump at all. Haven't done a double IPA yet though either...

 

[Gustatorian]

I've done 3 or 4 batches on my BE system, usually begin to recirculate boiling wort for the last 10 minutes of the boil. I use a blichmann hopblocker. The issue I've had is air in the line causing minor cavitation of the pump...further restricting the outflow valve has resolved that problem.

I've not had any issues with hops or trub clogging the pump at all. Haven't done a double IPA yet though either...

Make sure to open both valves, pre and post pump, before turning on the pump. I always had issued with cavitation/unable to get wort moving until I did this.

 

[Danam404]

pics arent loading from my last post, lets try this:

 

[jmitchell3]

Make sure to open both valves, pre and post pump, before turning on the pump. I always had issued with cavitation/unable to get wort moving until I did this.

Yeah, definitely. In this instance, I think it has been caused by air from the boiling of the wort. It does not appear to be a problem when priming the pump...

 

[jmitchell3]

pics arent loading from my last post, lets try this:

Looks good!

 

[Gustatorian]

Brewed yesterday...still having efficiency issues. After reading this forum (several times), I think it has to do with the grain mill setting. To preface this, I have no control over the mill setting, it's done at the LHBS and they won't change it. They've offered to double-crush and add rice hulls, but most of you guys have said that it's a bad idea/would get a stuck mash, so I opted against that. I've attached 2 photos of what the grain looks like. Let me know if you think the grist isn't fine enough.

Also, when I brew 5 gallon batches, I'm having issues balancing my water between my 15 gallon MT and 20 gallon BK still. That issue being keeping my boil coil underwater so that it doesn't scorch. I've had portions of it out of the water a couple of times, scorching the coil (creating the smell of burnt toast) but never really affecting the beer's flavor. Has anybody ever had a beer ruined due to the coil scorching? Also, has anybody ever ruined a boil coil? When I go to clean it later, there is some black material on the coil, but it always comes off fairly easily.

Also, does anybody have an tips on using the Autosparge? It's always a balancing act that I have to constantly watch during the mash, altering the flow valve after the pump and the valve from the MT to BK. Once I get the balance, I don't have to worry about the boil surfacing. Any recommendations on using the Autosparge would be helpful! And SkullerKurt, I'm probably going to end up buying a RIMs rocket, probably the easiest way to fix this whole situation.

 

[scullerkurt]

Sorry I haven't posted, I've been busy designing my own commercial brewery, just signed a lease. Once I set up my lab scale brewery I promise to get pictures and video to share with ya'll.

 

[jmitchell3]

Crush looks decent. Maybe even on the finer side of moderate. Do you measure your mash pH? What are your calcium levels?

Brewed yesterday...still having efficiency issues. After reading this forum (several times), I think it has to do with the grain mill setting. To preface this, I have no control over the mill setting, it's done at the LHBS and they won't change it. They've offered to double-crush and add rice hulls, but most of you guys have said that it's a bad idea/would get a stuck mash, so I opted against that. I've attached 2 photos of what the grain looks like. Let me know if you think the grist isn't fine enough.

Also, when I brew 5 gallon batches, I'm having issues balancing my water between my 15 gallon MT and 20 gallon BK still. That issue being keeping my boil coil underwater so that it doesn't scorch. I've had portions of it out of the water a couple of times, scorching the coil (creating the smell of burnt toast) but never really affecting the beer's flavor. Has anybody ever had a beer ruined due to the coil scorching? Also, has anybody ever ruined a boil coil? When I go to clean it later, there is some black material on the coil, but it always comes off fairly easily.

Also, does anybody have an tips on using the Autosparge? It's always a balancing act that I have to constantly watch during the mash, altering the flow valve after the pump and the valve from the MT to BK. Once I get the balance, I don't have to worry about the boil surfacing. Any recommendations on using the Autosparge would be helpful! And SkullerKurt, I'm probably going to end up buying a RIMs rocket, probably the easiest way to fix this whole situation.

 

[Gustatorian]

Crush looks decent. Maybe even on the finer side of moderate. Do you measure your mash pH? What are your calcium levels?

Always measure PH, this batch hit spot on at 5.5. Calcium was at 142 ppm.

Do you guys open your valve on the T.O.P fully? I'm worried my efficiency is low because I don't have enough fluid moving within in the MT. Also curious to see how people rake their grain...maybe I'm not raking vigorous enough...

 

[jmitchell3]

Always measure PH, this batch hit spot on at 5.5. Calcium was at 142 ppm.

Do you guys open your valve on the T.O.P fully? I'm worried my efficiency is low because I don't have enough fluid moving within in the MT. Also curious to see how people rake their grain...maybe I'm not raking vigorous enough...

I just do what DanaM says to and rake the top third or so every 15 mins. not much, just enough to even it out and prevent channeling.

Was 5.5 pH at room temp or mash temp?

 

[Gustatorian]

I just do what DanaM says to and rake the top third or so every 15 mins. not much, just enough to even it out and prevent channeling.

Was 5.5 pH at room temp or mash temp?

At RT, at mash temp, I'm around 5.25-5.3

 

[jmitchell3]

At RT, at mash temp, I'm around 5.25-5.3

Dunno, everything looks to be on target then. Might be worth doing a lower gravity recipe and have the lhbs double-mill your grains and see what happens...

 

[Gustatorian]

Dunno, everything looks to be on target then. Might be worth doing a lower gravity recipe and have the lhbs double-mill your grains and see what happens...

Does anybody have any experience with double-milled grain and the BrewEasy?

What if I pack with a ton of rice hulls?

 

[jmitchell3]

Does anybody have any experience with double-milled grain and the BrewEasy?

What if I pack with a ton of rice hulls?

I'd say if you can fit em, throw in 2-3 lbs of rice hulls and you should have a fighting chance of a good result.

 

[Danam404]

Does anybody have any experience with double-milled grain and the BrewEasy?

What if I pack with a ton of rice hulls?

I do not believe a double crush is worth messing with on this system... Generally the crush is about the last place you'll find your efficiency problems, and the risk of a stuck mash is not worth it.

 

[Gustatorian]

I do not believe a double crush is worth messing with on this system... Generally the crush is about the last place you'll find your efficiency problems, and the risk of a stuck mash is not worth it.

Really? I've had several friends up their efficiency on 3-vessel systems by increasing crush. I know it will at least give me 2-3% more, but I don't know if I should risk it...

 

[Gustatorian]

anybody know if pH will drop due to scorching the boilcoil/wort? I'm usually spot-on with calculating pH and the batch I brewed today was 0.2 points below. I did have some issue with keeping the boilcoil submerged, but everything else checks out. Scale is measuring perfect, grain bill check out in EZ water calculator and BruNwater. Anybody have any theories...?

 

[scullerkurt]

Not sure about scorching impact on ph, but I wonder about water ph, and grain ph (they aren't fixed values)

 

[jackers252]

Here is a dumb question. How do you guys do your sparge at the end? Do you ramp the temp up to 170 and as soon as the tower reads that, start your 10 minute timer, or do you wait for your grain bed to reach 170 before starting the timer?

I've been starting it once the wort temp hits 170 but I'm wondering if I'm missing some sugars that way.

 

[scullerkurt]

My system Ramps up quick b/c I have the rims rocket, once the grain temp is close to 168 (167 or so) I start the 10 min clock...my ramp time is somewhere around 10 mins to get the GRAIN temp to 168...my wort temp hits 168 in a minute or so. If I'm gonna have a mash start to get stuck, it's usually in the mash out...so keep a close watch. One other thing, mash out is to denature the enzymes, even if you don't hit 168 in the grain bed, you'll quickly hit 168 when you start heating the bk. Better to be on the cold side of 168 than too hot on mash out, you don't want off flavors (that evidently comes with being too hot). Just my humble opinion...

 

[Want2BS8ed]

I've been starting it once the wort temp hits 170 but I'm wondering if I'm missing some sugars that way.

This is what I have been doing as well. Interested to hear other's experiences.

M

 

[Daryous]

I have a blichmann breweasy 5 gal electric full setup for sale if interested

 

[chewymatingcall]

This is what I have been doing as well. Interested to hear other's experiences.

M

I've been going based off of the mash tun temperature.

 

[chewymatingcall]

Has anyone made a Czech Pils on the BrewEasy? I'm trying to determine how to build the (very soft) water and if I should add any specialty malts to make sure there is some body. Any thoughts?

 

[MrEggSandwich]

So is the consensus here that 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon electric is a no go? New to all grain and electric 10 gallon looks really good to me..would mainly do 5 gallon batches, but would want that flexibility.

 

[scullerkurt]

Do two five gallon batches, problem fixed

 

[popquizkid]

So is the consensus here that 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon electric is a no go? New to all grain and electric 10 gallon looks really good to me..would mainly do 5 gallon batches, but would want that flexibility.

I am really curious about this as well. I typically make 6 gallon batches and was wondering if there would be problems keeping the coil submerged during the mash re-circulation, or keeping enough liquid in mashtun.

While I like having the ability to do 10 gallon batches that is not the norm for me.

 

[richl025]

This question was discussed much earlier in the thread.

IIRC, the consensus was: yes, you CAN do 5 gallon batches in the 10 gallon system, you just need to keep a closer eye on the level in the bottom kettle.

I plan on buying one of these next year, and like many people here, will probably do mainly 5 gallon batches - I was planning to scale my recipes up for 7 gall or so & just discard the excess...

 

[mash-mongrel]

This question was discussed much earlier in the thread.



IIRC, the consensus was: yes, you CAN do 5 gallon batches in the 10 gallon system, you just need to keep a closer eye on the level in the bottom kettle.



I plan on buying one of these next year, and like many people here, will probably do mainly 5 gallon batches - I was planning to scale my recipes up for 7 gall or so & just discard the excess...

Is there something that could be made out of stainless to displace the water. How about a smaller stainless pot that fits nicely inside and not touch the boil coil, in the MT which could be removed before the boil.