Powercat
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I agree 100%.
High Gravity Custom eBIAB System
- Thread starter goofiefoot
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I agree 100%.
Pretty much what I plan on tomorrow for 10.5 gallons. Beersmith calls for 13.6 gallons and I'm thinking with the basket, that's too much to fit with 20.4 lbs of grain so I think I can get to 12.5 gallons and fit it all in with enough room for the recirc to still do a decent job.
For what it’s worth, and hopefully useful information for you. I mash 23 pounds of grain in 12-gallons of strike water in a 62 quart High Gravity system. The mash thickness is thin at 2qts/lb. And when running the pump unrestricted the mash doesn’t foam over making a mess of everything.
After the mash I sparge with enough water to reach my pre-boil gravity. Once you get the volumes dialed in for your new HG system brewdays will become a breeze.
After the mash I sparge with enough water to reach my pre-boil gravity. Once you get the volumes dialed in for your new HG system brewdays will become a breeze.
Very successful day using my HG system for a 10.5 gallon brew. Beat the numbers by a small amount (better crush) and ended up using 12.5 gallons of water in the mash to almost 21 lbs of grain then did a small sparging to add the remaining gallon or so. Probably could have used just a tad bit more water but the day was almost perfect. No problems with re-circulation or with erratic temperatures. Pretty much getting this system tweaked and down pat.
I appreciate all the ideas and suggestions in this thread.
I appreciate all the ideas and suggestions in this thread.
nesbit6363
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Does any of ur dip tube touch the coil? Do you get scorching around the area or is it ok if it’s the coil touches the diptube ?
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Just placed my order for the 240V with 15 Gallon BrewBuilt Kettle and the riptide pump. Can't wait!
Personally, I would be concerned having anything metal touching the heating element. It just sounds wrong to me.
nesbit6363
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I feel the same way. Every dip tube that I’ve looked at will have to go through the coil though. Have you seen any that hug the side of the kettle? I have about a inch of space between the coil and the side of the kettle.
Not sure what a dip tube is but I did install a whirlpool port about three inches down from the top of the kettle. I use a stainless steel basket to hold the grain bag.
There isn't enough room between the side of the basket and the port for a return elbow. So now after the mash is done I lift the basket out and screw on an Anvil 90 degree swivel elbow.
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I had High Gravity install a whirlpool that hugs the side of the kettle between the kettle and the basket and it is about 2 " above the BoilCoil.
I also am not sure what you mean by dip tube.
I also am not sure what you mean by dip tube.
Maybe referring to the pickup for the ball valve?
nesbit6363
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Yea I guess I meant the pick up tube
I have the SS Brewtech kettle and it has a trub dam that helps to keep the funk out and it sits between 2 coils of the Boil Coil. It doesn't touch the coils but I don't think it would be a problem if it did.
nesbit6363
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Ok thanks everyone for there input. I have a spike kettle with the boil coil in it and if I use their pick up tube it will go through the boil coil but I think it will touch.
Austin_
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I tried something new last night. Instead of circulating the mash through the lid, I recirculated it through my whirlpool return. I stirred the mash a couple times just in case, but every temperature reading I took only showed a two degree difference between the core of the mash and the outside recirculating water. I don't think it would work too well for a step mash like the lid port does, but it worked really well for a single infusion mash.
I thought of doing this but even a slow flow where my whirlpool is would pack the grains. I also thought I could connect a hose to the whirlpool port (mine is just about the Boil Coil) and pulling the hose up on top of the grain bed but I think I have my system down now and seem to be having good luck so for now, I'm leaving well enough alone.
Just got shipping notification, I should have it on Tuesday. I feel like a kid a few days before Christmas.
Received it, it's marvelous. Have it all put together but waiting on my electrician before I can fire it up. Had an 3500W induction cooker previously so needed to get a new line run for this.
I think at some point recently they changed from SS Brewtech as the "non Bayou Classic" model to BrewBuilt, which is what I opted for. It's solid, no complaints at all.
I think at some point recently they changed from SS Brewtech as the "non Bayou Classic" model to BrewBuilt, which is what I opted for. It's solid, no complaints at all.
Great to hear you have it!
Are you saying they don't off the option of SSBrewtech? Yep, just checked and they don't and I wonder why? Maybe because SS Brewtech is spending their time on the new kettles but nothing wrong with BrewBuilt.
I do notice the $200 discount is gone but for anyone else looking to buy, check Basic Brewing's website for a code for $75 off.
Are you saying they don't off the option of SSBrewtech? Yep, just checked and they don't and I wonder why? Maybe because SS Brewtech is spending their time on the new kettles but nothing wrong with BrewBuilt.
I do notice the $200 discount is gone but for anyone else looking to buy, check Basic Brewing's website for a code for $75 off.
There was an instant $100 off when I checked out, and I manually added the BB code for the $75 as well 
Done 4 brews on my high gravity setup and encountered some problems. Got the ss brewtech 20 gal pot setup. Most brews are about 23 lbs grain, double milled, with 15 gal of water (10 gal batch).
Using the stainless steel basket lined with the brew bag, and the pump connected to the spray nozzle on the lid, the mash overflows the basket after 5 to 10 min. Basically the basket is not draining enough. Maybe I’m milling too fine? I’ve tried turning the outflow on the chugger pump to very very low, but it still is filling the basket up faster than it is draining out the bottom. Help!
I have thought about maybe trying the loc line sparge attachment to see if that’s any better. I also see that some people ditch the basket and let the brew bag sit directly on the coils. Seems crazy but I’ll try anything.
My efficiency so far is not great, 69%. I’m used to getting crazy efficiency with biab...
Using the stainless steel basket lined with the brew bag, and the pump connected to the spray nozzle on the lid, the mash overflows the basket after 5 to 10 min. Basically the basket is not draining enough. Maybe I’m milling too fine? I’ve tried turning the outflow on the chugger pump to very very low, but it still is filling the basket up faster than it is draining out the bottom. Help!
I have thought about maybe trying the loc line sparge attachment to see if that’s any better. I also see that some people ditch the basket and let the brew bag sit directly on the coils. Seems crazy but I’ll try anything.
My efficiency so far is not great, 69%. I’m used to getting crazy efficiency with biab...
@bendog15 I have a 15.5-gallon High Gravity system and mash nearly all of my beers using 23 pounds of grain in 12 gallons of strike water. This gives a mash thickness of about 2 qt/lb. I'm not familiar with the new 20-gallon High Gravity system but I'm surprised to hear you're having overflow issues using the same amount of grain. Are you getting a lot of foaming while recirculating the mash? Or possibly using a grain bag that has a mesh size that's too fine?
I had some similar problems with the 15 gallon SS Brewtech. What a number of people have mentioned (these are people who have many types of E systems that work similar to HG systems) is to dough in and let the mash sit about 10 minutes before starting recirculation. Then start very slowly.
Others have suggested conditioning the grain before milling (I've not done that yet).
Lastly, I switched from the Brew Bag, which I like to the Wisler bag and it seems to have helped a bit. Can't say that alone will help you.
I've done 8 batches and the last 3 have gone pretty well. I still stir every 15 minutes or so then turn off the Riptide 5 minutes and then start slowly again. Been working fine since I've done the above.
I did mill thicker but went back to about .30 on my mill and get about 75% efficiency.
Others have suggested conditioning the grain before milling (I've not done that yet).
Lastly, I switched from the Brew Bag, which I like to the Wisler bag and it seems to have helped a bit. Can't say that alone will help you.
I've done 8 batches and the last 3 have gone pretty well. I still stir every 15 minutes or so then turn off the Riptide 5 minutes and then start slowly again. Been working fine since I've done the above.
I did mill thicker but went back to about .30 on my mill and get about 75% efficiency.
I would start by not double milling. I single mill at about a credit card gap and get 69-70% efficiency. Even with that, I dial the flow back over halfway on the recirc. I also bought a brewhardware .com BIAB false bottom I’ll use every now and then and increase the flow a little more if I like.
Too much filtration. Don’t double milk as said above. Don’t use both basket and bag - the goal with recirculation is the grain is the filter.
Going too fine has point of diminishing returns. At some point channeling occurs which decreases efficiency again.
Going too fine has point of diminishing returns. At some point channeling occurs which decreases efficiency again.
Yes getting a lot of foaming. And i use the brew bag for biab mesh filter.
Conditioning for 10 min is not a bad idea. I’ll try that next. And then start the pump very slowly.
Sadly I have a crappy mill that will only mill on a thicker gap. So I pass it through twice. I’ll definitely not tighten the gap so small on the second pass from now on.
I’ve seen those false bottoms on brew hardware, they look awesome! Not trying to buy more equipment for the time being but it’s definitely on my Xmas list.
Good call gonna ditch the basket on next brew and let bag sit directly on coil. Fingers crossed!
Apparently, there are two types of stainless steel baskets we're talking about. One is a fine mesh basket and the original HG basket that has rows and rows of 7/16 inch diameter holes in it. I have the original basket and have to use a fine mesh grain bag inside it to filter the grains.
Are we 100% sure that our grain bags won't burn through it they sit on top of a 5,000-watt heating element?
Are we 100% sure that our grain bags won't burn through it they sit on top of a 5,000-watt heating element?
Austin_
Well-Known Member
What size Wilsner bag do you have?
Ive done 4-5 step mashes with a Wilserbag directly on the element.
With that being said:
1. I have a BoilCoil
2. I don't let the element use 100% when heating in direct contact with the bag.
I'm guessing mine is not really a custom size but I have a 15 gallon pot and I gave him the dimensions of my pot, not the basket in case I every decided not to use the basket. I think I paid $22 for my bag if I remember right.
So I have the BrewBuilt 15 gallon version of this as I mentioned before and it doesn't ship with a pickup tube. I have an SS Brewtech Trub Dam but not sure what I need to allow the press fitting to work. The port allows for any accessory that features 1/2" MPT threads. I can't find any info on the Trub Dam dimensions.
Your best bet is to email Ss Brewtech and ask about their bulkhead that comes with their kettles and ball valves. The thing you need is a their proprietary weldless bulkhead fitting (not the FTP one). I can't find it in their online shop so I'm not sure they sell it separate from their kettles.
If you scroll down the page here:
https://www.ssbrewtech.com/pages/kettle
and look at what comes in the box. It's that bulkhead fitting that you need.
I'm afraid you are probably right. From one of their FAQ pages they mention that these are not sold separately. Bought it from them but it's marketed as a "replacement".
Shoot a support email in and see, never hurts to ask.
Austin_
Well-Known Member
My temperature probe is really struggling for accurate temperatures. It's reading a good 7-8 degrees off compared to two other handheld thermometers. I somehow doubt I'm boiling at 218 degrees at 600 ft. I looked through the EZBoil manual and found a place to adjust the temperature readings, so I'll try that next time and see.
How’s your cleaning process so far on the ss brewtech kettles? I’ve got a 20 gal, so a little tough to lift and rinse out. I’ve been using PBW and running it thru the pump for 20 min with cold water, but still have buildup and gunk on the coils. Next time I’m goin to heat the water while it’s running thru the cleaning cycle...
I have a 15-gallon kettle and clean in place. Right after filling the fermentors and pitching the yeast I clean mine before the wort hardens. Add 3-gallons of water to half a cup of PBW and heat it to 140F. Then let it recirculate for 15 minutes and pump it out through the counterflow chiller. Next, repeat this step omitting the PBW but before pumping it out this time use a long handle brush to remove any shmutz from the heating coil. Follow that with wiping the coils down with a cotton cloth. When done the inside of the kettle and the heating element look like new.
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