- Joined
- Feb 16, 2012
- Messages
- 3,850
- Reaction score
- 5,411
- Location
- At home, in the brewery in Maryland.
I’m at a crossroads. For the last 12 years I’ve been a dedicated Braumeister brewer, but my trusty unit is getting ’long in the tooth’, as am I. Five to 6 gallon batches are getting to be a bit more than I can reasonably manage or consume. It’s becoming apparent that more frequent brewing of smaller batches might be the answer.
Due to the nature of the device, the 20L Braumeister can be adapted to a shorter malt pipe adapter that I could still use with my low-oxygen gear, but I’m concerned that efficiency might drop off. Eventually I could probably adapt recipes to increase desired OG, but I’d still be facing the same cleanup issues of manhandling that heavy AIO unit.
There is a 10L version of Braumeister, but It’s pricey and it might be too small In capacity. I ran across a sale on Grainfather G30 V3 that caught my eye, especially the modular design and price point verses a replacement Braumeister. Also, the Braumeister is a “mature” product line that has become a dead end for expansion and innovation.
Although I feel like a robust senior citizen, I have to face the reality that my best brewing years are not in front of me. Neither are my heavy lifting days. So, any Grainfather users have insight into small batch (~ 3 gals) with a G30? My biggest concern would be splashing during recirculation and resulting O2 pickup. Does less grain in the pipe + less volume in the wort create any issues?
I still want the ability to brew 5~6 gallon batches, but also have an increasing need to focus on smaller batches and less weight to be lifted, especially during clean up. I’m also not willing to spend an arm+leg ($2,000) for a baseline 10L Braumeister when I can get equivalent value in a full-sized AIO that meets my now and future needs for half the price.
I have really grown accustomed to Braumeister and the level it’s taken my brewing to, but it may be time to move on if I’m going to continue with this hobby. Input from current users is much appreciated.
Due to the nature of the device, the 20L Braumeister can be adapted to a shorter malt pipe adapter that I could still use with my low-oxygen gear, but I’m concerned that efficiency might drop off. Eventually I could probably adapt recipes to increase desired OG, but I’d still be facing the same cleanup issues of manhandling that heavy AIO unit.
There is a 10L version of Braumeister, but It’s pricey and it might be too small In capacity. I ran across a sale on Grainfather G30 V3 that caught my eye, especially the modular design and price point verses a replacement Braumeister. Also, the Braumeister is a “mature” product line that has become a dead end for expansion and innovation.
Although I feel like a robust senior citizen, I have to face the reality that my best brewing years are not in front of me. Neither are my heavy lifting days. So, any Grainfather users have insight into small batch (~ 3 gals) with a G30? My biggest concern would be splashing during recirculation and resulting O2 pickup. Does less grain in the pipe + less volume in the wort create any issues?
I still want the ability to brew 5~6 gallon batches, but also have an increasing need to focus on smaller batches and less weight to be lifted, especially during clean up. I’m also not willing to spend an arm+leg ($2,000) for a baseline 10L Braumeister when I can get equivalent value in a full-sized AIO that meets my now and future needs for half the price.
I have really grown accustomed to Braumeister and the level it’s taken my brewing to, but it may be time to move on if I’m going to continue with this hobby. Input from current users is much appreciated.