Brewers Edge - Mash and Boil system $300

[redarmy990]

mine came last week, i havent got round to using it yet as i still have 1 more extract kit, before i move into all grain.
Also i bought the catylist fermentation system, and the brewers edge fits perfectly on the fermentor holder and is a great height for sparging, win win for me.

 

[mpolybius]

mine came last week, i havent got round to using it yet as i still have 1 more extract kit, before i move into all grain.
Also i bought the catylist fermentation system, and the brewers edge fits perfectly on the fermentor holder and is a great height for sparging, win win for me.

Great! Good luck to you! Be sure to post after you do to let us know how it went.

 

[scottibones]

2nd brew day video.

https://youtu.be/nJkIMTX-1rI

 

[mhochman]

2nd brew day video.

https://youtu.be/nJkIMTX-1rI

Thanks for sharing. Did you make the recirc setup or did you buy it somewhere? I'm talking about the ring that sits on the grainbed.

 

[scottibones]

Thanks for sharing. Did you make the recirc setup or did you buy it somewhere? I'm talking about the ring that sits on the grainbed.

It's called loc-line good up to 170 degrees. Here are the pieces I purchased from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Loc-Line-Coolant-Circle-Nozzle-Piece/dp/B00065UDB0/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1491047913&sr=8-8&keywords=loc-line

https://www.amazon.com/Loc-Line-Coolant-Assembly-Acetal-Copolymer/dp/B006VKESA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491047913&sr=8-1&keywords=loc-line

https://www.amazon.com/Loc-Line-Coolant-Assembly-Pliers-System/dp/B006VKETIC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491048129&sr=8-3&keywords=loc-line

 

[mhochman]

It's called loc-line good up to 170 degrees. Here are the pieces I purchased from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Loc-Line-Coolant-Circle-Nozzle-Piece/dp/B00065UDB0/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1491047913&sr=8-8&keywords=loc-line

https://www.amazon.com/Loc-Line-Coolant-Assembly-Acetal-Copolymer/dp/B006VKESA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491047913&sr=8-1&keywords=loc-line

https://www.amazon.com/Loc-Line-Coolant-Assembly-Pliers-System/dp/B006VKETIC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491048129&sr=8-3&keywords=loc-line

Very cool. Thanks!

 

[Alphahorn]

just unpacked mine and those still curious whether it is double walled, it is. Mine came with a big crease/dent in it. I tapped it out of the inner cyclinder with a rubber mallet, but the outer cyclinder is still dented.

 

[garrettbuckeye]

just unpacked mine and those still curious whether it is double walled, it is. Mine came with a big crease/dent in it. I tapped it out of the inner cyclinder with a rubber mallet, but the outer cyclinder is still dented.

Did you buy a scratch and dent model? If not, give Williams a call. They'll make it right.

 

[Alphahorn]

Did you buy a scratch and dent model? If not, give Williams a call. They'll make it right.

No, it just came that way. I'm sure they probably would, but it seems to function properly, so I'll probably just hang on to it. I need it next weekend my son is excited about coming home from college to brew a batch with it.

 

[Alphahorn]

No it just came that way. I need it next weekend so I doubt I'd get a replacement in time. It seems to function properly. A bit disappointing, but wtf it's just cosmetic

 

[garrettbuckeye]

Maybe they'd refund some of your money if you're willing to keep it? Match the scratch and dent prices? Or maybe they'll offer up a gift certificate? I would call. They've been good to me in the past, and I will gladly recommend them to anyone shopping online. I do try to shop local first though.

 

[Alphahorn]

Thanks garrett, i'll give them a call and report back

 

[Alphahorn]

Called Williams they offered either to exchange it or give me some money. It is double walled, but there is no vacuum between them, so it doesn't seem that there will be any functional problems. I told them I'd just use it for a while and call back if there are any problems. It has a 1 year guarantee anyway.

 

[Island_Dan]

Okay so I think it was in here that someone was asking about a kettle screen or Dip tube etc.
I brewers for the first time this weekend and I definitely won't accept almost a gallon of kettle loss due to the valve system that they chose for this electric brewery.
I mentioned that I had purchased a flush mount bulkhead from northern brewer. Looks just like this.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359482.720928.jpg

Well I knew the dip tube would stick it too far so I cut it as short as I could.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359549.625958.jpg

And ended up with it about a quarter inch shorter.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359577.508515.jpg

Well I installed it into the kettle and just as was predicted, the basket sits on top of it still. I ended up using a carbide but cutter and notching the lower lip of the basket to make a notch that went up to the bottom screen since the metal really doesn't need to extend that far down.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359665.428390.jpg

After the notch, the basket still slightly touches the dip tube, but now sits lower enough to allow the lid to close.

I will call that a success and will try brewing with it this way in the next couple weeks. Also I can now attach my pump directly to the outlet to use it for recirculation and the to transfer my wort to my fermenter after chilling.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359773.993764.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359788.974403.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359803.136435.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359812.490994.jpg

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1491359821.892712.jpg

 

[Riverevir]

I am constantly looking for updates on this brew setup. As a newer brewer who has a need/desire to move beyond the kitchen setup this has some strong appeal over buying a kettle ($200) with a propane burner($40+propane). Biab for simplicity and easy cleaning is a big draw for me as I'm not ingrained with old mash setups being that I am new.

With that said, it seems like too easy of a solution. I get that it's lower power than the grainfather but the 120v outlet is what I have available anyway...

Is anyone using this that doesn't actually recommend it? Top things you wish you'd change?? Can the pot detach from the heating source?

 

[fermentinginpa]

I brewed with it for the second time and still love it. You can not detach it, it's one unit so if I had concern it's that if/when it dies after the 1 year warranty it might just have to be tossed and replaced. I added some insulation this time around and am going to get some tubing so there isn't as much loss in the bottom. Eventually I will add a pump but I am happy with it.

 

[TexasWine]

I get that it's lower power than the grainfather...

You sure about that? I think the Grainfather is 1600 watts or thereabouts.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Grainfather and Mash and Boil are both 1600w per google research.

 

[Riverevir]

I guess shame on me - I must have read the specs from the international version on their site and assumed the US version operated with the same voltage requirements. "Power" in my post was referring to the voltage of the outlet as opposed to the heating element.

 

[mpolybius]

I brewed with it for the second time and still love it. You can not detach it, it's one unit so if I had concern it's that if/when it dies after the 1 year warranty it might just have to be tossed and replaced. I added some insulation this time around and am going to get some tubing so there isn't as much loss in the bottom. Eventually I will add a pump but I am happy with it.

I'm brewing today (mashing right now) for the first time and everything seems to be going well so far. I added insulation which I do think helps quite a lot - it seemed to get up to temperature quite quickly although I can't be more precise than that because I forgot to time it. I agree that the only downside I see right now is that the heating elements cannot be replaced so if they fail after a year you just have a big stainless storage container.

- Update: Just started the boil and compared to BrewSmith's estimated pre-boil gravity I'm only off by .001 so I'd say a good start. Very pleased with the performance of the Mash & Boil and easy to use.

 

[Jesse17]

I'm getting ready to go all grain and this is very tempting. My only worry is it seems under powered for winter brewing in Montana. Even if I brew in my shop instead of in front of it, it's usually 20-50° F. in my shop in the winter and it looked like scottibones was having enough issues with temp in 80° F. Florida.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Lots of Reflectix and this?
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/allied-precision-bucket-heater-1000-w

 

[soccerdad]

I'm getting ready to go all grain and this is very tempting. My only worry is it seems under powered for winter brewing in Montana. Even if I brew in my shop instead of in front of it, it's usually 20-50° F. in my shop in the winter and it looked like scottibones was having enough issues with temp in 80° F. Florida.

Why not just brew indoors?

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

Why not just brew indoors?

I agree! I bought this just so I could brew indoors during the winter.

 

[Alphahorn]

just brewed my first batch this weekend. Plenty of power, boiled with the lid on and had to take it off time to time to avoid boil overs. I used it just as it came, no circulation pump so the wort never left the kettle.

 

[mpolybius]

I'm getting ready to go all grain and this is very tempting. My only worry is it seems under powered for winter brewing in Montana. Even if I brew in my shop instead of in front of it, it's usually 20-50° F. in my shop in the winter and it looked like scottibones was having enough issues with temp in 80° F. Florida.

That is pretty cold but I think if you put a few layers of insulation around it, it would maintain a good boil. I put two layers on mine on the outside and one on the lid but you could easily put three or four layers around the sides at least.

 

[mpolybius]

just brewed my first batch this weekend. Plenty of power, boiled with the lid on and had to take it off time to time to avoid boil overs. I used it just as it came, no circulation pump so the wort never left the kettle.

I agree that it has plenty of power to keep up a good boil, especially with some insulation. But a side note - it's okay to keep the lid on until the boil begins but you don't want to keep it on during the boil. There are a lot of compounds that you want to boil off so keeping the lid on defeats this purpose. There is a great video done by BrewSmith where Brad Smith talks to Dr. Charlie Bamforth about this and he goes into great detail about why the boil is so important.

https://youtu.be/YDBKUCkg8cM

 

[RopesByEDK]

And I just got done telling my wife that that I was done buying beer stuff for a while...

Aww, Sugar Honey Iced Tea.

How does that saying go?

It's easier to beg forgiveness then ask permission?

 

[Alphahorn]

I agree that it has plenty of power to keep up a good boil, especially with some insulation. But a side note - it's okay to keep the lid on until the boil begins but you don't want to keep it on during the boil. There are a lot of compounds that you want to boil off so keeping the lid on defeats this purpose. There is a great video done by BrewSmith where Brad Smith talks to Dr. Charlie Bamforth about this and he goes into great detail about why the boil is so important.

https://youtu.be/YDBKUCkg8cM

thanks

 

[mpolybius]

So I've brewed 3 batches with the Brewers Edge so far and wanted to provide a 'lesson's learned', especially based on my experience yesterday. The first two batches went quite well. The third was a different story but I believe now I know why.

In between my second and third batch, I bought a Barley Crusher off of Craigslist from a guy who did BIAB. His setting on the crusher was quite narrow so I changed it to the factory setting of .39. I didn't really do much of a practice crush with it and when I had finished, it looked a bit too fine. It was a semi-large grain bill (14.75 lbs) and I did notice a fair amount of flour. I proceeded on an everything seemed fine until I got to the sparge. At this point I had turned up the temp to 218 which is what they recommend so that it can heat up to boiling temp while the sparge is finishing. At about 189F I got the ER4 code and the unit shut down which indicates an issue with the thermostat an the unit basically tries to protect itself. Fortunately, I figured out a way to hit the reset button without having to life the whole unit up. Got the code twice more during the sparge and then at least 5 more times during the boil. Needless to say, a real PIA. I noticed that stirring helped so by the end I was stirring nearly non-stop.

My best guess is that with the (too) fine crush and the large grain bill there was so much material in the bottom that it kept tripping the error. I'm running a boil this morning with just plain water and have had no issues so that pretty much confirms my suspicion.

Hopefully next time if I get the crush right all will be well. I sure hope so because overall I really like the Mash & Boil. Each time I've hit my OG (even yesterday) and it's easy to use. Other than the reset button being located on the bottom, for $300 it's a pretty good unit.