Brewie

[Still Brewn]

Clocked the pre-boling today 50 minutes (I don't know how you US-people translate that into "YOUR minutes", as volume and weight isn't the same as here

I've never timed the firs boil but with that said I do a couple of things to speed the process. I have, so far, always done a quick clean right before my brew session using hot water. Not only does this make sure all the nasties are out of the lines it pre heats the Brewie. I also always use hot water 120° F. Doing the quick clean and the hot water I am able to start off the boil at about 115° about 65° warmer than it would otherwise be. Of course if I want a rest at a lower temperature I will have to adjust my technique. Doing this gives me just enough time to grind my grains, fill the bag and get it in the machine in time for a mash in temp in the low 130's with a rest in the low 120's. If I'm going for a mash in at 150 or so I have more than enough time to prep the grains. I have had to pause the machine when doing a rest in the 120's because it got to temp too fast.

 

[c06u]

Standard B20 here latest B20 firmware, I so far had no problems with the machine, all Brews (5) Pads and (2) own recipes
all have come out right on the numbers and are some of the nicest looking brews I have ever made over nearly 30 years of home-brewing, my only loose end so far has been in setting water level for my own recipes, I tried half way copying pad recipe water levels but levels are ending up high and I end up pulling some wort during the boil to maintain proper level in tank, my guess is a milling issue? it seems the Pad recipes grain absorbed and held more water in grain after mashing then my recipes did, maybe a double mill will fix the issue? any advice would be appreciated

 

[kh54s10]

I don't think the difference between standard milling and fine milling would make a detectable amount of difference in the amount of water absorbed. I have never seen a calculation that takes milling into account. I think the calculators all use a constant. I see 1/2 quart per pound of grain up to .2 gallons per pound. Each calculator probably has it's own pre-set.

 

[Qunaki]

Last time I (brewed with Brewie) weighted the brewie-bag after brewing.
5 kg of malt and the bag was 6.6 kg in total. That is about 32-33% in liters hold of water (remember 1 liter H2O is equal to 1 kg).
Recalculated it into lbs an quarts is about 0.15 quart / lbs (if I calculated it right).
So total water is: Final volume + grain-weight*0.33 + normal water boil-off + some stuck in the hops.
(Changed 10 min preboil to 30 min (and had some extra leaf hops), the final drain-volume was 0.5 l (1/2 a quart) less)
If we can say boil-off water is 1,5l/h (1,6 in quarts), the we should better be able to know final volume.
Unfortunately this does not add up since I use 17+8=25 l for 19 in the bucket, i.e. losing 6l normal (needed 0,5l extra last time for the 20 min extra boil, and more leaf hops - unfortunately one can just add whole liters).
I leave it for here. And hope someone better than me fixing the last numbers. so we know what to expect after drain.
It will always be some kind of guess-timate, since steam during mash (and mash time varies), surrounding temp (and even humidity), 120/230v systems, a fan above or the surrounding air, your own mode, etc. But a better total begin value for every parameter must be better than just guessing.

 

[volx]

Another perfect brew day. A little over 5 gallons of yield, O.G. hit to the point with 67% efficiency. Minimal interaction with the machine. I really really like the Arborfab grain basket. My efficiency is now pretty consistent and cleanup is a breeze.
I love my Brewie+ when it works !

 

[Still Brewn]

67% efficiency. Minimal interaction with the machine. I really really like the Arborfab grain basket. My efficiency is now pretty consistent and cleanup is a breeze.
I love my Brewie+ when it works !

67%..... ouch. What are you brewing, if I may ask? If you have time post the recipe and technique/steps so I can see if I can help improve your % even if you are happy with the results. I have to go back and look but I don't think I have ever gotten below 70% (my errors) and have gotten into the 80's for light beer. I want to say 85% +/- but I can't remember.
It is nice letting the machine do the standing around while brewing.
How are you doing your cleaning? I know it is a breeze overall compared to kettles, kegs and hauling burners into the garage etc, just looking for shortcuts over the methods I have been using as stated in my previous posts.
I finally have 3 full kegs and a partial, first time ever in 12 years of brewing but now I don't have time to have people over to drink it or drink it my self..... the misadventures of home brewing and I'm jonesing to brew, fortunately my niece is getting married and 2 nephew in-laws getting married and my 2nd grandchild is on the way so plenty of celebrations coming up.

 

[volx]

I am pretty consistently getting 70% +/- 3% efficiency. Only once did I get 80% with a lot of stirring but that is not the point of this machine, at least for me. I am more concerned about consistency and knowing ahead of time that I will hit my numbers.
Last brew was a German hef. The 6-step mash schedule came straight out of Jeff Alworth's "Secrets of Master Brewers" with slightly longer mashing times. I also do a 45 minute sparge at 78 C. The grain bill consisted of 10 lbs (total) wheat and Pilsner malt (60%-40%). PH was adjusted with acidulated malt. O.G. was 1.054.

As for cleaning: I usually lift the grain basket out during boil or pre-boil, once I have collected enough wort. I clean it while the machine is boiling. If I brew an IPA I use it again on the boil side as a hop filter for "whirlpool" hops. I only do a quick clean after the brew and another one prior to the next brew. After 5 brews or so I do a full clean with PBW.

 

[HarkinBanks]

As for cleaning: I usually lift the grain basket out during boil or pre-boil, once I have collected enough wort. I clean it while the machine is boiling. If I brew an IPA I use it again on the boil side as a hop filter for "whirlpool" hops. I only do a quick clean after the brew and another one prior to the next brew. After 5 brews or so I do a full clean with PBW.

Pretty genius idea using the basket for whirlpool hops. Thanks for sharing!

 

[volx]

Pretty genius idea using the basket for whirlpool hops. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks! Another little trick that occurred to me that can be done with the grain basket: if you are short on wort after the initial transfer from mash tun to boil tank (+10 minutes or so), you can do an old fashioned manual sparge. Just heat up some water to 170 F and slowly pour it over the grain bed in the basket. The Brewie will still periodically drain the mash tun into the boil kettle during the pre-boil step, so you can nail your wort level every time reliably, if you care to do so. Just make sure you don't add too much.

 

[Qunaki]

Another perfect brew day. A little over 5 gallons of yield, O.G. hit to the point with 67% efficiency. Minimal interaction with the machine. I really really like the Arborfab grain basket. My efficiency is now pretty consistent and cleanup is a breeze.
I love my Brewie+ when it works !

@Still Brewn: 67% is about what I get with the BrewieBags. Guess we should start to identify how we calculate efficiency, so we do it alike.

@volx: Smart using your pipe as a whirlpool cage. Since the two compartements are alike, this should not be a proplem, except for the bottom burn - guess you use the false bottom/lid (or whatever you call it). Thanks for sharing... a really good idea.

@All
At my last brew I had a problem. (almost only had at home) Whole leaf Challenger for bittering hops. Brewie say that the cages only take 15 gr (0.5 oz) of leaf, and they are spot on according to me. But I wanted 25 gr (ca 1 oz) for 60 min.
[Two years ago, on a beer trade, people sold new/old equipment they didn't use. I bought four new small stainless hop-cages for about 1$/ pce. Thougth they would be great for dry-hopping in a keg . Unfortenately, they don't fit in a keg -Smashed one totally to fit in the hole (guess he knew what he sold, they we're totally useless for that) - will be a mess to get out].

But this time I needed more bittering hops, so I used one, They we're great beacause I now used them as a first woth hopping (10 gr) and the first whent into cage #1 (60 min boil).

Hopefully wit this post, there will be a picture or two (else it hang in the lid, above the sparging wather before the mashout).


// Kim

 

[Qunaki]

Thanks! Another little trick that occurred to me that can be done with the grain basket: if you are short on wort after the initial transfer from mash tun to boil tank (+10 minutes or so), you can do an old fashioned manual sparge. Just heat up some water to 170 F and slowly pour it over the grain bed in the basket. The Brewie will still periodically drain the mash tun into the boil kettle during the pre-boil step, so you can nail your wort level every time reliably, if you care to do so. Just make sure you don't add too much.

Guess most of us used it (see @Still Brewn as he has it in his "recipies"), and the with the BreiweBags (I supose).
Don't get me wrong, I really do like the cages/pipes and might just get one (but I'm in Europe) in the near future - someone said the shipment was too hight, tough. But:
1. The bags are not that bad.
2. The bags are not that akward to clean up - according to me. I dump it in the toilet (learned this from a brewing course [one year after I started brewing], and it worrks great - unless you got critter eataing it, or such. Used the compost too, etc. etc.)
3. It seems like they do as good job as the cages - 67 to 70%

But, yes: I would ceratainly go into the cages. They are just better.
But:
1. As I see it, the efficeincy-problem is not cages v.s. BIAB. It is that brewie (in the end) can't add pure wather to flush out the last sugars from the malt.
2. Hope there was a way for Brewie to store a quart/1 liter in the last sprage step. That would do a lot off diffremce.
3. As said before. Grain is cheap, time is not, just accept that BIAB and how Brewie is build, add some more grains to keep up Your numbers.
4. Do I like Brewie: Yes. Do I like all of Your knowledge and trial-n-errors: Yes. Do I like all the info in this thread about Brewie and new learnings: Yes.
5. All of ya folks are great, and togheter we will make this product the best (I hope and belive).

And as usuall, excuse me for all the misspellings and such - this is not my mother of tounge - and everything i write has a red underline markings.

 

[Qunaki]

Pretty genius idea using the basket for whirlpool hops. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, that was not a stuipd one at all.
But there are not an actually whirlpool in Breiwe.
(A side note: Have wanted a pump for more than 10yrs, and finally bought me a Blichman. Then for the first time also used it for whilrlpooling. Woah, what a hops-clean-up-boost, everything was like a sturdy cone in the middle. - Unfortenately my 18yrs home-made brewery has a middle outlet. Now I have to fix a side one)

This is (maybe) far out of the box:
Think if brewie could do a better (as designed) whirlpool?
1. First the should be a clip to clip on the C-design whirlpool attachment (for B+ V2), all of us now have to glue it on.
2. This will force the beer in a anti-clockwise direction, during the chill.
3.(of the board and making it more efficent): Use the mash tank as a harbor for the last whirlpooling - i.e. not pump the flow into the outlet, but get a better swirl (not stopping it by the outlet).
4. Let it sit, and then we should have a good whirpool - or...? What do you believe of such a cracy idea?
5. Hope you understand this idea, and can argue fore/against. It is just a thought of making the machine one step better (I have several mores to come). Unfortenately this is a HW-add. SW changes are so much more easy to change.

 

[Qunaki]

I am pretty consistently getting 70% +/- 3% efficiency. Only once did I get 80% with a lot of stirring but that is not the point of this machine, at least for me.

@volx: Yeah, you hit the nail here.
"that is not the point of this machine"
If we should start agitaing/stiring/watching then we can all use our older systems. If we should be there around (getting better numbers), then it is not an automatic system - yet again we are slave for the brewing/time...
(even if I, still too, have been too much around - but for a nwe toy and interest).
In an ideal world, we should start it, add in grains, hops (whater threatments) etc. and come back for a "Drain after Brew", else it is not atuomatic (AND hopefullly add a finish time - and come back them, i.e a clock when to start the process).
Shure it should notify us for a/any problem . this will just happen now and then.
The real efficiency we should seek in the Brewie itself (SW) or with a grain pipe (without stiring) or HW (future), etc. - but not with manual elbow grease. Then we are just a step back to where we left from.
As people just say, this was my cent of this, but since this is a more costly unit (and with some inflation); this was my $$.

 

[volx]

Yes, that was not a stuipd one at all.
But there are not an actually whirlpool in Breiwe.
(A side note: Have wanted a pump for more than 10yrs, and finally bought me a Blichman. Then for the first time also used it for whilrlpooling. Woah, what a hops-clean-up-boost, everything was like a sturdy cone in the middle. - Unfortenately my 18yrs home-made brewery has a middle outlet. Now I have to fix a side one)

This is (maybe) far out of the box:
Think if brewie could do a better (as designed) whirlpool?
1. First the should be a clip to clip on the C-design whirlpool attachment (for B+ V2), all of us now have to glue it on.
2. This will force the beer in a anti-clockwise direction, during the chill.
3.(of the board and making it more efficent): Use the mash tank as a harbor for the last whirlpooling - i.e. not pump the flow into the outlet, but get a better swirl (not stopping it by the outlet).
4. Let it sit, and then we should have a good whirpool - or...? What do you believe of such a cracy idea?
5. Hope you understand this idea, and can argue fore/against. It is just a thought of making the machine one step better (I have several mores to come). Unfortenately this is a HW-add. SW changes are so much more easy to change.

The idea of the whirpool is to separate the wort and the trub using a centrifugal force. The way the Brewie is designed, this is really not necessary. That said, a welcome side effect of the whirlpool is also improved extraction of hop oils for hops added at flame out. If you look at my previous posts (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/brewie.506703/page-28#post-8408804 and https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/brewie.506703/page-28#post-8413720) I attempted to create a whirlpool, I think we might have had the same idea. While this kind of worked (the square shape of the kettle is less conducive to creating a circular motion), I did not capture all my hop material and ended up clogging my plate chiller. So this will work in principle, but you still need additional filtering. I have made tasty IPAs with my grain basket as a hop filter and some manual stirring, so I am content with that solution, at least for now.

 

[kh54s10]

The i That said, a welcome side effect of the whirlpool is also improved extraction of hop oils for hops added at flame out.

You have whirlpooling and whirlpool hop additions mixed up into one thing. They are separate procedures. I don't know how the term whirlpool hop additions came about but it is really just starting to cool the wort then adding hops and letting they sit for a period of time. The most common is to cool to 170 degrees, add the hops and wait 15 minutes.

Then you whirlpool to create a vortex. The hop material should drop in the center. Then you drain the wort from the edge leaving the cone in the middle. I don't have a Brewie and think the square tanks would interfere a lot. With my standard round 10 gallon kettle I have had little success in whirlpooling manually.

 

[volx]

You have whirlpooling and whirlpool hop additions mixed up into one thing. They are separate procedures. I don't know how the term whirlpool hop additions came about but it is really just starting to cool the wort then adding hops and letting they sit for a period of time. The most common is to cool to 170 degrees, add the hops and wait 15 minutes.

Fair enough! However, the agitation generated by the whirlpool still aids in the hop oil extraction. I guess technically you have flame out hop additions and whirlpool hop additions, you are correct.

 

[Qunaki]

@volx
Gosh, that is a cool setup, and quess you got the best whirlpool of us all.
Since I've reread the thread, this is I a thing probaly I problay missed twice.
Cool.
As said, brewing for long time but never with a pump, so I'm just a newie on that part.
You are probaly right that a square compartement can't get at good whirlpool - I just don't know.

For the hop oils, as I see it, there is a design flaw (compared to my old calcs):
1. Start of boil, after sparge.
2. Pre heat before adding hops (called delayed hopping)
3. Hop cages are activated - lets bittering our wort.
4. Boiling is done - time to chill and finish.
(Guess/hope everyone agree of that part, it is like any boiling).

5. You set the last hops for, e.g 5 min.
6. The chilling process takes about 20 min.
a) In all the hop cages are the woth +100C/212F.
b) This heat will still be doing hops-oil extraction (and aroma desturation)
c) Our old skills/learnings are down the drain.
d) Maybe I'm wrong

As I see it there is a flaw here (which can be fixed, at least the most of it).
1. Why doesn't Brewie flood the hop cages during chlling?
2. Non boling wort does not extract BU, and don't evaporate the aromas (this you have to interpret as you want too, but I hope you get what I mean)
3. By flooding the cages during the chill-phase, the hops will be more of the accurate timing, according to old knowledge. The flaovour and the aroma wolud (likely) more stay in the beer (as I see it).
4. Here I would like Brewie to be able to stop the shilling phase (80-85C) to extract whirlpool hops according to some recipies. TO become as near as possible.
5. After x minutes time, then do the rest of the chilling phase.

Way past midnight here, got to get some sleep [whish I was a flat earth member, and no time zones]

 

[Qunaki]

Then you drain the wort from the edge leaving the cone in the middle. I don't have a Brewie and think the square tanks would interfere a lot. With my standard round 10 gallon kettle I have had little success in whirlpooling manually.

Bougth my Riptide this season, so I'm not that pro on that.
But the first time using it I had such a good cone bulit up. Problem is my old stuff has the outlet int the middle - whish I had known better some 17 years ago.
Yes a square profile will not be as good as a round one. But If we can get as good whirlpool as we can, this will benefit us.
Today I use an external fruit-filter, and the drain all option. I must say; there is not much in that filter (skipping the sediment step).
Of course I would like to see a better whilrpool in B+, but the hardest part (as I see it), is the hop-heating time. So for my point of view, chill all the hopcages -as soon as possible. This must be a simple SW change.

 

[volx]

@volx

As I see it there is a flaw here (which can be fixed, at least the most of it).
1. Why doesn't Brewie flood the hop cages during chlling?
2. Non boling wort does not extract BU, and don't evaporate the aromas (this you have to read as ypu want too, but I hope ypu get it right)
3. By flooding the cages during the chill-phase, the hops will be more of the accurate timing, according to old knowledge. The flaovour and the aroma wolud (likely) more stay in the beer (as I see it).
4. Here I would like Brewie to be able to stop the shilling phase (80-85C) to extract whirlpool hops according to some recipies. TO become as near as possible.
5. After x minutes time, then do the rest of the chilling phase.

Way past midnight here, got to get some sleep [whish I was a flat earth member]

You can do all that now in developer mode. I basically do what you described above. I just switch to developer mode after the boil and do this manually. I agree with you that this could/should? be a software feature.

 

[Still Brewn]

I have talked a lot to Máté about features/errors etc. One thing he told me in our conversations is that whirlpool hop and 0 minute/flameout hop additions are in the works. It came up because on my first brew the machine froze when I had 0 minute/flameout hop addition. The error occurred because The machine had no idea how long to run the hop pump no settings for it. So that whole concept has to be worked out in several areas of the programming. Additionally there may be a limit on whirlpool hop additions because I'm pretty sure that the hot wort left in the hop chambers is that way for a reason and that is to sanitize the outlet hose. I could be wrong about that aspect but it makes perfect sense to me. I also pause my drain procedure just for that fact part way through step 1of the draining process.

 

[Qunaki]

You can do all that now in developer mode. I basically do what you described above. I just switch to developer mode after the boil and do this manually. I agree with you that this could/should? be a software feature.

Yeah, you are right and nice to see you are doing it (to save flavour and aroma hops - timing is else of).
Then I'm not alone to see this as a SW design flaw (hopefully fixed in the future).

Nice to see your "hangover" and chilling/whirlpool set up.
Yeah, you are a way longer than the rest of us - IMO.

What I am a little against it is:
Poking around the bag/malt pipes during dough in to get rid of dry spots.
Poking again during sparge, to get better efficiency.
Chilling the hop cages after boil (manyally), to get better aroma.

The Brewie somehow become less and less "automatic", adding more manual steps.
Two steps forward and one step back, as I see it.

Those above and add some more and more...., then why not buy a much cheaper set up and do it as usual?
Soon the only addition Brewie give us will be automatic hop additions (and a fancy display). But this could be achieved on any std brew setup with some timing equipment, dropping hops down into a hop cage at certain times.

 

[Still Brewn]

If I brew an IPA I use it again on the boil side as a hop filter for "whirlpool" hops. I only do a quick clean after the brew and another one prior to the next brew. After 5 brews or so I do a full clean with PBW.

I'm not a fan of IPA's but when I want a 0 min or whirlpool hop addition I have been using this tea ball my wife got me from bed bath and beyond. It does the job and will hold about 3/4 ounce before it gets too packed to be useful. I put the can in so you can see that it is not your ordinary size tea ball.

 

[Qunaki]

I'm pretty sure that the hot wort left in the hop chambers is that way for a reason and that is to sanitize the outlet hose. I could be wrong about that aspect but it makes perfect sense to me. I also pause my drain procedure just for that fact part way through step 1of the draining process.

So my hopping times, like 5 min, should become screwed up because of sanitizing, then there is a bigger design flaw than I ever expected.
This is one thing I don't like during drain. Because if you dump it into a bucket, from the last brew (lazy stuff), with the yeast sediment. This hot hop cage wort will kill it.
I sanitize the outlet hose before dumping.

Better maybe then to fill some amount into the mashtun, chill and drain the cages as soon as possible. Dump the mash to sanitize, then the rest of it.

Another solution would be to drain it directly after boil end. An option set in Brewie, and everything hocked up on the outside before - the hose, a bucket etc preset.

 

[Qunaki]

@Still Brewn.
I used about the same thing, but to increase the bittering (using whole hops). See pics #1771 above. Used the chain to get it above the sparge water, then it became some sort of first worth hopping, and was there from the beginning during the boil. The brewie had it "automatic" filled during the sprage out. A hop cage can't hold more than 15gr/ 0,5oz, I needed about the double.
(I'm not either a fan of IPAs - not the most of them atleast)

 

[Still Brewn]

So my hopping times, like 5 min, should become screwed up because of sanitizing, then there is a bigger design flaw than I ever expected.
This is one thing I don't like during drain. Because if you dump it into a bucket, from the last brew (lazy stuff), with the yeast sediment. This hot hop cage wort will kill it.
I sanitize the outlet hose before dumping.

Better maybe then to fill some amount into the mashtun, chill and drain the cages as soon as possible. Dump the mash to sanitize, then the rest of it.

I sanitize also but I don't mind the extra effort on a hose that has been flopping around on the counter for 5+ hours.
I have dumped on a fresh yeast cake once and had no problem with it. I can't say that would always be the case but for me it turned out ok. If you are really worried about it take a container and run the hop chambers into it and add it to the fermenter whil the boil kettle is draining or take a sanitized container and take a scoop of cooled wort and add it to the fermenter before you start draining.

Please note! I did this on a pretty hard yeast cake and I tilted the fermenter to the side so the hot wort was all on one side of the fermenter. I waited to set it level until there was about a gallon of cooled wort mixed in with the hot which, when you use drain all, happens pretty fast.

 

[Still Brewn]

So my hopping times, like 5 min, should become screwed up because of sanitizing, then there is a bigger design flaw than I ever expected.
This is one thing I don't like during drain. Because if you dump it into a bucket, from the last brew (lazy stuff), with the yeast sediment. This hot hop cage wort will kill it.
I sanitize the outlet hose before dumping.

Better maybe then to fill some amount into the mashtun, chill and drain the cages as soon as possible. Dump the mash to sanitize, then the rest of it.

Another solution would be to drain it directly after boil end. An option set in Brewie, and everything hocked up on the outside before - the hose, a bucket etc preset.

I never thought of this before because it never really bothered me but you could just drain step 1 right into the boil kettle. As long as the pump turns on you will be fine. I can't remember if the pump turn on for the hop cages if you are using "leave sediment" but for "drain all" it does. So you are all set. Just be sure to hit the pause button before the boil kettle starts draining.
If you are concerned about losing hop aroma while your wort is cooling shorten the time you are running the wort thorough it. Since there is no/minimal wort motion in the hop tanks during cooling there is minimal loss in my opinion. Maybe you could experiment with it and let us know what your opinion is.

 

[Qunaki]

I sanitize also but I don't mind the extra effort on a hose that has been flopping around on the counter for 5+ hours.

According to me, this is a must in cleaning (remember i'm lazy).
Firstly, and only the one it does, is take care any old gunk/s.h.i.t resting in the machine. Then it isn't used until "Drain after brew". This is the most critical part, according to me, for the Brewie design.
Na, there should be a "quick clean" for the outlet instead before a brewing session.

 

[Qunaki]

I never thought of this before because it never really bothered me but you could just drain step 1 right into the boil kettle. As long as the pump turns on you will be fine. I can't remember if the pump turn on for the hop cages if you are using "leave sediment" but for "drain all" it does.

The pump will hardly do anything as I see it. Don't know if it is on or off.
I Usually: (If I'm there; Stop the process after chill), then skip sediment, Uuse Leave sediment (which drains the hop cages), then drain the brew. Then I do "Full dran", as above.

So you are all set. Just be sure to hit the pause button before the boil kettle starts draining.

Don't get it, why should I hit pause? I'm more into skip the hop cages step, as it only take the half the time to drain.
Then go back an do a "full drain" (with the hop cages since they still drip).

 

[Qunaki]

The site hung up, here is part 2

If you are concerned about losing hop aroma while your wort is cooling shorten the time you are running the wort thorough it. Since there is no/minimal wort motion in the hop tanks during cooling there is minimal loss in my opinion. Maybe you could experiment with it and let us know what your opinion is.

There you got a really good point. I have never thought of that BIG point. Yes the amount in the 10 and 5 min cages are quite small. Thanks for get my stuck brain into. as a saw it, a HUGE problem, into a SMALL one. Right now I feel quite stupid, of course it doesn't affect the whole wort.
Sometimes one needs a kick in the a.s.s.
Guess I have to get back to my "mind" drawing board.
Absolutely you for shure got more knowledge about Brewie than me (but I have never stated the opposite either).
I kneel in for ya, for kicking my stupid hick-ups into the right direction (right now I just fell to stupid, no further comment). As said before, You are the king in my eyes...

 

[HarkinBanks]

I'm pretty sure that the hot wort left in the hop chambers is that way for a reason and that is to sanitize the outlet hose. I could be wrong about that aspect but it makes perfect sense to me.

You are 100% correct, the hot wort in the chambers is intended to sanitize the dump hose. Probably not a true sanitize step, but it can't hurt.

 

[Still Brewn]

Don't get it, why should I hit pause?

If you pump the hop cages into the boil kettle like I suggested you will then want to hit pause to move your hose to your fermenter but you don't want your wort spraying all over the place when it starts pumping from the boil kettle.

Thanks for the compliments. I only know so much because I have been stuck at home with nothing else to do but read, bug Máté, fiddle with the machine and brew, it's that or watch tv and that gets old really fast. The weather is finally getting nice here so at least now I can get outside in my yard.

You are 100% correct, the hot wort in the chambers is intended to sanitize the dump hose. Probably not a true sanitize step, but it can't hurt.

12 years I have been brewing, 0 infections. Any step I can take to sanitize I'm all for, I would like to keep that record going for another 12.

 

[Still Brewn]

Standard B20 here latest B20 firmware, I so far had no problems with the machine, all Brews (5) Pads and (2) own recipes

Were your own recipes after the 5 Brewie pads? If yes you should run a calibration on your machine. If not run the calibration anyway. Then you can test it to see if it is accurate by making a fake recipe and setting your mash-in water to a known amount something you can measure like exactly 1 gallon or exactly 4 liter. As soon as the machine is full cancel the brew and use the drain settings to drain the boil kettle and measure the water you get out. If you get more (or less) than the amount you set your fake recipe for you actually have an issue. Run a full clean if you haven't and try calibration again and run your fake recipe until mash-in water is in and measure it again. If it still comes out wrong contact tech support.

If you are sure the machine is calibrated properly and it is taking in the proper amount of water then the fault is with your recipe. Try doing what I do and remove 2 quarts of sparge water from the boil kettle just before sparge starts. I use this water to rinse my grains after mash tun has drained to get more sugars out but you can do the same thing but only use as much of it as your boil kettle will hold. Measure the remaining water and reduce your recipe by that amount.

By the way the machine should warn you when you enter a recipe that will overflow it. It has always warned me when I have entered something wrong.

 

[Still Brewn]

By the way I keep forgetting about dev mode.... I'm pretty sure you can do the same thing from there.... take in a known amount (something you can measure) and then measure to output.
This will make it so you don't have to make a fake recipe. I think you can also just pour in a known amount and see the measurement if it comes up with an amount off from what you poured in you will know something needs done

 

[Nate R]

Hello all fellow Brewie peeps.

I have the original Brewie machine ("B20" I think is is called). I have had a blown fuse (simple fix with ceramic fuse) and then my SD card went down. Shortly after that I had to move... so it has been a long time since I fired her up. Kudos to Mate for sending me a new flash card so I did not have to try to flash one myself.

At any rate, I just fired up the machine, and am about to complete my second brew of the day! Man is this thing fun! My "setup" at the new home is for it to be tucked away in the garage, so when I do roll it out might as well make full use of it and hammer out two brews.

Kind of just wanted to post for anyone still on the fence on this thing... it really is great. I think as long as they have ironed out the B+ (new version) issues with the boil tank/heat element problem, and you got the money, pull the trigger!

Anyways, been off of the forum mostly but wanted to jump back in- a couple of questions if y'all don't mind:

-For Original Brewie, what is latest software? I cannot get past 3.0 (I think I read here about a 3.1- but was that beta?)
-For those of you using the grain basket (can't remember from where but I can find that in a previous thread). How much better efficiency are you getting with it?

Thanks all! Hope you all had a great brew weekend!

 

[Still Brewn]

Hello all fellow Brewie peeps.

I have the original Brewie machine ("B20" I think is is called). I have had a blown fuse (simple fix with ceramic fuse) and then my SD card went down. Shortly after that I had to move... so it has been a long time since I fired her up. Kudos to Mate for sending me a new flash card so I did not have to try to flash one myself.

At any rate, I just fired up the machine, and am about to complete my second brew of the day! Man is this thing fun! My "setup" at the new home is for it to be tucked away in the garage, so when I do roll it out might as well make full use of it and hammer out two brews.

Kind of just wanted to post for anyone still on the fence on this thing... it really is great. I think as long as they have ironed out the B+ (new version) issues with the boil tank/heat element problem, and you got the money, pull the trigger!

Anyways, been off of the forum mostly but wanted to jump back in- a couple of questions if y'all don't mind:

-For Original Brewie, what is latest software? I cannot get past 3.0 (I think I read here about a 3.1- but was that beta?)
-For those of you using the grain basket (can't remember from where but I can find that in a previous thread). How much better efficiency are you getting with it?

Thanks all! Hope you all had a great brew weekend!

The next update is when the O Brewie is suppose to be updated so it is current with the B+. It will be 3.1.2 if I remember correctly that is what Máté told me a while back. I just don't have time right now to go back through so many emails. I'm pretty sure ther was not going to be a 3.1.1 or there will be and it will be a very short time and then there will be a 3.1.2. 3.1.2 is complete but is still being tested last I talked to Máté. There are features of 3.1.2 that are not in the test version of it. So I am eagerly awaiting the final version. Of course this is just a bunch of 1's and 0's so thing could change at any time because they sometimes they don't play well together.

 

[c06u]

Hello all fellow Brewie peeps.

I have the original Brewie machine ("B20" I think is is called). I have had a blown fuse (simple fix with ceramic fuse) and then my SD card went down. Shortly after that I had to move... so it has been a long time since I fired her up. Kudos to Mate for sending me a new flash card so I did not have to try to flash one myself.

At any rate, I just fired up the machine, and am about to complete my second brew of the day! Man is this thing fun! My "setup" at the new home is for it to be tucked away in the garage, so when I do roll it out might as well make full use of it and hammer out two brews.

Kind of just wanted to post for anyone still on the fence on this thing... it really is great. I think as long as they have ironed out the B+ (new version) issues with the boil tank/heat element problem, and you got the money, pull the trigger!

Anyways, been off of the forum mostly but wanted to jump back in- a couple of questions if y'all don't mind:

-For Original Brewie, what is latest software? I cannot get past 3.0 (I think I read here about a 3.1- but was that beta?)
-For those of you using the grain basket (can't remember from where but I can find that in a previous thread). How much better efficiency are you getting with it?

Thanks all! Hope you all had a great brew weekend!

Hi

It's 3.0, last report from them is that update is still in work, I think about the only thing an update gives you is it updates the Brewie pad data base BTW my B20 had the same original issue on the SD card, replaced and it has performed flawless through 8 brews, 6 pads and two of my own brews, all came out right on the numbers OG FG

 

[Nate R]

Hi

It's 3.0, last report from them is that update is still in work, I think about the only thing an update gives you is it updates the Brewie pad data base BTW my B20 had the same original issue on the SD card, replaced and it has performed flawless through 8 brews, 6 pads and two of my own brews, all came out right on the numbers OG FG

Thanks! Glad to hear it!

 

[Qunaki]

@Still Brewn:
#1. Think would laburate with how to drain. Usually I drain "with" sediment and next time Drain all.
#2. Only had 2 bad brews for +15 years, both Scottish (and brewed after each other).
#3. Before I only used boiling water, now I mix it with StarSan - depending on the stage.
#4. Bought, for the first time during all these years, a new package of the Scottish yeast
(hope it will get better this time).
#5 Landed some new Marris Otter (50 lbs), and a lot of hops. Still got to do something with my Pils-malt..
#6. Probably missed some here. But this is a great forum, and You have tought me soo much. Thanks!

Were your own recipes after the 5 Brewie pads? If yes you should run a calibration on your machine. If not run the calibration anyway. Then you can test it to see if it is accurate by making a fake recipe and setting your mash-in water to a known amount something you can measure like exactly 1 gallon or exactly 4 liter. As soon as the machine is full cancel the brew and use the drain settings to drain the boil kettle and measure the water you get out. If you get more (or less) than the amount you set your fake recipe for you actually have an issue.

As usually: Smart! Never had a special issue with this, though. But good to know we could get better figures. On the contrary: I we should have to poke around and stir during a mash, then this isn't an automatic system.
Of course have I too been stirring, but to add some more cheap grains get the efficiency right, seems to me ok. Usually 80-85%, now about 68%.
(Still feels lika a malt-pipe is coming in the future)

 

[Qunaki]

Tried out my first brew from Brewie, the Simcluck (a SmaSh with Simcoe).
Drinkable, but not more. Either I didn't expect more. 3 out of 5 mostly.

Tried out my Dry Stout. Hopefully people seen my mis-failure wit the hop time before in this thread.
F-ed up adding my first recipie in the B20+. Made another with twice the hops (and right hops time to save it).

Verdict: This Stout is absolutely not a Stout.
1. Double hops (second time) doesn't add up to the bittering-level (mixed).
Odd: The color isn't black, as a stout, more like a porter. Almost the same Stout recipe used before….
The "double IBU+" doesn't add up to normal calcs (somehow expected).
Verdict: This is absolutely NOT a stout, it is a nice Porter.
Too sweet, have some hop-aroma, it isn't black!! (but almost, i.e. not that brown)

What came out (after two brews) are a nice sweet porter, not much bittering hops. Nice hop aroma.
Somewhat too sweet (not for at porter, though), but with a balanced bittering. Nice aroma and it is not perfectly brown, but not black either (this is what puzzle me the most).
Hope there was a comp. right now, to get a sec. opinion.

My thoughts goes down to if the Stout was originally a f-up Porter?
Because this is certainly a f,ed-up Stout.
You are all welcome home to try it out (we work out how where sleep and the rest).
Sweden Rock …. soon here.

Final thoughts:
A perfect mid-alc beer that You could have/like more than one of - that is absolutely me.
A comp vinner. Unfortunately not.
Do I like it? Oddly yes.

 

[Qunaki]

What happened #1 Where is my Stout?
I know the first time I brew, I usually brew a stout. And my data says that I have transfered a stout recipe to Brewie. But did I brew it????
And I also have a movie (because Brewie became high in sound-volume) of a Schwarzbier (and I misspelled the word), so yes - I have done one. Now I recall I made one (because I had the yeast going).

But I don't have a Stout and I don't have a Schwarzbier.... (some aliens took it?)
Probably I have mixed a stout and a Schwarz - what the f... (I missed the hops timing the first time, on the stout... or?).
That is why, the stout is not black, and a bit sweet - haha.
(Jesus, geting 50+ has its negatives : - )
Now I'm quite eager to brew a Schwarzbier again, just because I am not a lager brewer (and found a new place to keep it cooler during fermentation).
For the stout, I care less. There will be plenty of times brewing it.