Blichmann Top Tier System Debates......

[kyle6357]

So I have settled on getting a Blichmann Top Tier system for my all grain.

I know I want the tower of power. I am just between single or dual controlled.

I am also up in the air on 3 burners, or 2 and use my converted Igloo for my HLT that I already have.

I will get the Blichmann chiller as well.

I think for now I am really only going to do 5 gallon batches so I will stick with 10 gallon Blichmann BKs. I looked at their site and on the 15 gallon BK the thermometer is at the 6.5 gal mark......little too close for those 5 gal batches Ill mostly do.

Should I give anything else any thought?

 

[brewmeister13]

I don't have a blichmann tiered system, but if I were to do it again, I would have 3 burners on my single tier. Currently I mash over my boil flame and move it to the middle after mash out. I also do 5 gallon batches, but love my 15 gallon pot. I mostly use it to boil, my preboil volume is usually around 8.5 gallons, so there is never a boil over, and I can use it if I wanted to do a big beer that wouldn't fit in my 10gallon MT.

 

[brewmeister13]

Oh, and the blichmann thermometers suck. I've calibrated them many times and they are slow to register and impossible to keep consistent, at least for me. I love my thermapen though.

My final advice would be to really know what it is you want to accomplish before making a purchase. There is nothing worse than saving a bunch of money, spending it all on the system you thought you wanted and then needing/wanting to switch out parts.

 

[pkananen]

I currently have two burner tiers. Someday I'll get a tower of power. 2 with a pump works well for me now.

I think 15 gallon pots are the way to go. They are just way more versatile than 10 gallon pots, even though I mostly do 5 gallon batches. I use the bayou classic 15 gallon pots and add a ball valve with camlocks, and a brewhardware sight glass/thermo combo, at about the 3-4 gallon level. That setup works really well and runs about $220 per pot.

I do use the therminator and I like that a lot, but make sure to use a hop spider.


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