Speidel Braumeister (brewmaster)

[hfk2]

Beefeater, I'm curious to know if you use the pre-programed stepped mash schedule that comes pre-programed into the Braumeister. I have never seen or used a schedule similar to that. Is it because in Germany they use more under modified malt or because they use more wheat than we do here in the U.S?

 

[beefeater]

The germans brew lots of lagers and weissens requiring or at least benefiting from elaborate mash schedules. Have a look at Kaisers pages! I don't remember what was programmed into the Braumeister when I got it but didn't it start veeery low, like 30 something degrees? I never tried that schedule. The braumeister remembers what was programmed last and will use that every time you start it until it is changed.
I have been trying different step mashes because it is so easy to do and nice when I did a couple of pilsners this winter. Lately I've settled on a simpler one:

Mash in at 60 degrees
1 rest/phase 90min/65 degrees
2 rest/phase 0 min/65 deg (have to input something at each step)
3 rest/phase 0 min/65 deg.
4 rest/phase 10min/72 deg. (could probably skip this one too)
5 rest/phase 15min/78 deg. (mashout)
Boiling 90min/102 deg.

This schedule resembles what I did when batch-sparging and it works great for dry ales.

Good luck with the brewing tomorrow!
What are you brewing?

I wanted to brew an APA today but have lost a special fitting I need to connect the chiller to the tap in the kitchen. Can't get a new one till monday :-(

 

[beefeater]

And thanks for the plan for the dip tube! I will definitively get the pieces and make one!

 

[Yambor44]

Wow, gone for the day and this topic lights up! Glad to see that picture of the dip tube. Thats exactly what I made after you first description, thanks a lot for that! I am still a little concerned that the element on my 50l will make contact with the dip tube when the water is boiling. It is only an 1/8" from it on the bottom side.

What are your thoughts?

I am planning on brewing a simple Haus Pale Ale tomorrow and thought for a "control" I would brew without trying a dip tube and tipping as the manual suggests too get the final wort out after chilling.

I still need to fashion some hose for the chiller that I bought with it.

 

[Yambor44]

Is it okay to bend the element a little?

 

[Yambor44]

Here's where it sits:

Not using the tubing, just measuring.

 

[Yambor44]

Here's the final:

 

[wyzazz]

Looks good! The element is really ULWD so bending it a bit shouldn't be an issue. As for the underpowered element issues, you could always just build a small heatstick to supplement I guess. Not very elegant but it would solve the issue.

 

[Yambor44]

Looks good! The element is really ULWD so bending it a bit shouldn't be an issue. As for the underpowered element issues, you could always just build a small heatstick to supplement I guess. Not very elegant but it would solve the issue.

Thanks! Gonna give her a test run today!

 

[hfk2]

Beefeater, I'll be brewing a simple German Pilsner with Weyermann pilsner malt and cara-pils
I am going to use this mash schedule.
Protein rest 15 min @52C
Beta amylase rest 35 min @ 63C
Alpha amylase rest 35 min @ 70C
Mash out 15 min @ 78C
I'm trying simple clean recipes and each time using a different yeast to see what the real difference. If I didn't have a Home Depot open 7 days a week I'd never get anything done. Yambor44 have you tested the dip tube yet? If the tube is touching a coil I'd just make sure to open the spigot to make sure there is water in the dip tube before heating it up. Has Speidel responded to your boomerang lid?

 

[Yambor44]

Yes. They should be shipping it soon. I asked about getting a insulated collar so I could piggy back it with the lid and get free shipping. We'll see. I am about half way thru my phase 4 rest. Just went with default mash schedule. So far

1 Phase/Rest 5 mins at 65 c
2 Phase/Rest 30 mins at 65 c again
3 Phase/Rest 30 mins at 73 c
4 Phase/Rest 15 mins at 78 c

Looking pretty clear, would love to post some pics but this new, top of the line, latest and greatest software on my imac can't seem to locate them so I can DL to a host site! My MacBook Pro works flawless. Called tech support 4 times...what a f**king joke they are.

 

[Yambor44]

Chilling the wort now. Restarted my computer to get the pics to load to host site. ;-(

Here's a couple of pics of the mash recirculating. I have taken video all session so as soon as I get done I will get that up. Not anything fancy, but it shows how it goes.

 

[hfk2]

Looks great. The wort seems very clear, I can see the holes in the screen. I'll bet it smells good too. I'm on phase 2. Let us know how your boil goes. I get a little bored during the mashing phase because there's not much to do.

 

[Yambor44]

Boil went really well. Set it at 102 as suggested and it rolled the whole time.

 

[Yambor44]

This chiller went fast until about 53c (127) then I had to swirl it around. Dropped another 10c right away then stirred, then another 5-10c now its poking at 72F and my chill water is at 64F. Oh well, I'll wait it out....

 

[rico567]

It's amazing how well the Braumeister clarifies the beer. Just something else that their relatively simple design takes care of.

 

[clasley]

Can you run the pump(s) in combination with the immersion chiller? Wouldn't be a true whirlpool chiller but should speed things up greatly.

-Chris

 

[Yambor44]

Can you run the pump(s) in combination with the immersion chiller? Wouldn't be a true whirlpool chiller but should speed things up greatly.

-Chris

Thats a good question! Anyone know the answer? would also come in handy when cleaning.

Edit: Just push the "Pump" button. When in manual anyway. Cleaning right now!

 

[hfk2]

Yes, push up and down arrows together to exit program mode and push just the down arrow to enter manual mode. Push enter to start pump. You'll be surprised how fast it will cool your wort down. Yambor44 how are you going to clean the elements. I thought I had them pretty clean but when I was starting to brew today I noticed a light buildup. I'm more concerned that if I don't get them clean each time the crud will build up making the elements less efficient. I think the 20l needs another 500 watts to give a good boil without partially covering the pot.

 

[Yambor44]

Hfk2,

I heated my water up to 122F (50c) HOT and added PBW (2 TBSP). I added the PBW while it was heating up with the pumps running and it seemed to mix it decently. Then I took a small stiff bristled brush and scrubbed the elements. I also used a smaller brush to clean the pump holes.

 

[beefeater]

Good to see you guys are up and running!
How were your efficiencies?

I have noticed that while cooling the temperature reading aren't very accurate compared to what I measure on the surface. I think the trub settles on the sensor and insulate it.

Running the pump while cooling will speed things up but I haven't been doing that because then the settled hops and trub will be put back in suspension and I'll have to wait again for that to settle.

I just clean the elements as good as I can with a brush, keeps them ok but difficult to get to the "back" where they're close to the kettle.
I'll also put the hose from the chiller into the pump holes a couple times each direction and blow out everything inside with water.
Every five brew or so I've been giving it a more thorough cleaning with some acid to keep things nice and shiny. Then I'll also pull the pump and clean the rotor inside.

One advice; don't use leaf hops directly in the kettle, they will clog the pump and you will have to pull it after each brew and won't be able torun it during chilling! Pellets is no problem

 

[Yambor44]

My efficiency today was 84%. I was pleasantly surprised! I am trying to edit my video at the moment but one thing I did was recirculate the wort after raising the malt pipe. I did this by simply running a vorlauf from the spigot and pouring it back into the top of the malt pipe. I left the screen and filter in place. I probably did about 2 gallons a quart or 2 at the time.

My temps were pretty much dead on between what the computer was displaying and what I was checking at the top.

I flipped the unit over and unscrewed the pump heads and cleaned that out as well.

My only challenge was the bottom filter not seating all the way. I was curious about that as you have 14 gallons of hot water in the kettle when you add the malt pipe and then the screen and then the filter....which floats on the top (which you will see if I can ever get my video loaded). I also have video of the placement of the bottom filter after I dug the spent grains out. I NEED ONE OF THOSE SCREEN FILTERS!!!

All in all I had a BLAST brewing on this unit and even though I had an almost 8 hour brew day I am very relaxed and not spent. If this thing holds up this way every brew, it was WELL worth the money....to me.

I did use my dip tube and it worked great!! My hops clogged it up at the end and I only ended up with about 9 1/2 gallons of wort in the buckets. even though, for not adding any additional water I was excited about that because running regular water I only leave 1/2 quart behind. With the hops (6 ounces) I left over a gallon behind.

 

[Yambor44]

Here's the recipe I made:

Robs Haus Pale Ale #77
10-A American Pale Ale
Author: Rob
Date: 4/17/11

Size: 11.0 gal
Efficiency: 84.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 196.03 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.059 (1.045 - 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.015 (1.010 - 1.015)
Color: 11.16 (5.0 - 14.0)
Alcohol: 5.79% (4.5% - 6.2%)
Bitterness: 35.7 (30.0 - 45.0)

Ingredients:
20.0 lb Canadian Craft Brewers Pale Malt
1.0 lb Crystal Malt 60°L
1.0 lb Honey Malt
2.0 oz Cascade (5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1.85 oz Cascade (5.4%) - added during boil, boiled 30 min
1.0 oz Cascade (5%) - added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
1.25 oz Cascade (5.4%) - added during boil, boiled 5.0 min

Notes
First session on the BrewMaster!

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.15

 

[beefeater]

My only challenge was the bottom filter not seating all the way. I was curious about that as you have 14 gallons of hot water in the kettle when you add the malt pipe and then the screen and then the filter....which floats on the top (which you will see if I can ever get my video loaded). I also have video of the placement of the bottom filter after I dug the spent grains out. I NEED ONE OF THOSE SCREEN FILTERS!!!

If you got the cloth filters with a recent production unit that's probably what's available for that size at the moment. I have never seen screen filters for any size Speidel described or for sale anywhere before they showed up in this discussion so it must be a very recent upgrade. A lot of users here in Norway have been wishing for them to make stainless screen filtes after experiencing the same thing as you did today with the cloth filters.
I've been stitching the bottom filter to the bottom screen with small pieces of steel string/wire before inserting both at the same time into the malt pipe. Others have been using alength of stainless chain around the edge to weight it down.

Congratulations on a successful brew!

 

[Yambor44]

Here's "part" of the brew day....

 

[Yambor44]

Part II....

 

[chemman14]

looking forward to the other parts

 

[wyzazz]

Just a thought, but here is my plan for the Malt Pipe Filter issue. Maybe forgo the cloth filters altogether and just use a Swiss Voile bag like the BIAB folks do. I use one currently for BIAB and it works great, just put in your false bottom, add your grain bag with all the grain and tie the top closed, then add the false top. The grain should float pretty freely in the malt pipe at that point. If the center post ends up being an issue you could always fashion the bag with that in mind.

 

[wildwest450]

Cool video, I like the way you say guuh-loves.

_

 

[Yambor44]

Part III....