Speidel Braumeister (brewmaster)

[Yambor44]

Weave a small nylon string through the top of the bag.

You guys are gonna keep on until I have to do a sewing video huh?

Good idea.

 

[clex25]

You're very welcome. Who has the alias? Me? You?

How was your brew day?

Me! I have a different username on youtube from which I sent you some questions.

Clex25 - So how was the first brew on it? How was wort clarity, efficiency, etc? You pleased with it?

Well I should also note that this was also my first all-grain batch ever, so I don't really have much to compare it to. I was following the Walker's GRUAGACH 80 recipe that I found here on the site, and kept the default mash schedule that was programmed into the braumeister.

I performed a batch sparge, and ended up with an OG that was high. I think I followed the recipe instructions too closely instead of some advice here in the thread for the braumeister. Next time, I will be adding ~23L of strike water (did about 19 or so this time). Maybe I will increase the grain bill slightly and skip a sparge altogether.

Wort clarity seemed...OK? It was hard to tell since it was pretty dark, and I have never brewed this recipe (or all-grain) before. Efficiency...honestly didn't measure, but I know I was off in the amount of water I started with anyway. Overall It was very easy and its speeding up my introduction to all grain brewing quickly. Next step is getting some software so I can keep better track of my brews and make some calculations I know I've been fudging.

Also, has anyone thought about installing a small screen directly over the pump inlet? I got a small piece of grain stuck in the pump that I was able to remove after cleaning (read: taking it apart) but I would love to skip that if possible.

 

[wyzazz]

Also, has anyone thought about installing a small screen directly over the pump inlet? I got a small piece of grain stuck in the pump that I was able to remove after cleaning (read: taking it apart) but I would love to skip that if possible.

ScubaSteve puts a small stainless sink strainer on his pump inlet, he has a single vessel brewing system similar to the braumeister. Something like the below.

 

[makomachine]

ScubaSteve puts a small stainless sink strainer on his pump inlet, he has a single vessel brewing system similar to the braumeister. Something like the below.

Any worries on fine particles clogging this up and causing a problem? My initial thoughts are to my koi pond filter - too fine filtration and you get clogged quickly. Can you remove this prior to the boil in the Braumeister setup? Hops would for sure clog this up if you were going to try the whirlpool add on.

 

[wyzazz]

Don't know, the only way to tell for sure is to try it!

 

[hfk2]

Chris showed on page 48 how he placed a 1/2" elbow in the pump discharge. You could try the same in the pump intake but place a small bazooka screen or SS mesh from a hot water heater flexible tubing to help filter out larger pieces of grains. a small piece of screen placed just over the intake might clog up very fast. I'll try this on this weekends brew.

 

[makomachine]

Chris showed on page 48 how he placed a 1/2" elbow in the pump discharge. You could try the same in the pump intake but place a small bazooka screen or SS mesh from a hot water heater flexible tubing to help filter out larger pieces of grains. a small piece of screen placed just over the intake might clog up very fast. I'll try this on this weekends brew.

I'm guessing this will also impact pump output and workload. The designers probably over engineered the system but that's something I would watch for if you go the flex tubing / screen route.

 

[hfk2]

Might not be enough room for the discharge elbow. It's really close to the side of the kettle and the heating coils are almost right above it. Also the rubber gasket around the SS sieve is too tight to slide in the malt pipe, even though my sieves fit much looser than Yambor44's. Yambor44 I used two small paperclips to hold my ss mesh to the sieve and it seems to work very well and is very easy (and inexpensive) to do. Thanks

 

[hfk2]

makomachine, I agree. Any restrictions placed on the intake or output side of the pump will reduce its efficiency. Typically it is allowable to restrict the outflow from a pump, but you should never restrict the input. Maybe better hygiene keeping the grain out of the boil kettle is all that's needed. On my 20l the pump is just barely adequate for the job.

 

[Yambor44]

Might not be enough room for the discharge elbow. It's really close to the side of the kettle and the heating coils are almost right above it. Also the rubber gasket around the SS sieve is too tight to slide in the malt pipe, even though my sieves fit much looser than Yambor44's. Yambor44 I used two small paperclips to hold my ss mesh to the sieve and it seems to work very well and is very easy (and inexpensive) to do. Thanks

Make SURE they are stainless paper clips. They must say STAINLESS on the package. Video to follow.....

 

[Yambor44]

 

[hfk2]

Did the paper clips stain after just one use? It looked so promising.

 

[Yambor44]

Did the paper clips stain after just one use? It looked so promising.

Didn't brew with them yet. I soaked the filter & sieve in a solution of white vinegar and water for 24 hours and they rusted/corroded right away. Maybe (probably) a chemical reaction of some kind. I was thinking of that when I soaked them. Also. (a big also) I noticed that the paper clips were NOT stainless steel. It said "Non skid steel finish" on the box.

I see they have them available in stainless, just don't know if that would make any difference. I am waiting on a set of the cloth ones to come in and I will have a draw string sewn on like Davids setup. I think that this has to be the ultimate fix.

I would have to agree with everyone else that something like the draw string setup should be included for the price that is paid for one of these units. I assume the drawstring idea was turned down in lieu of the screens because:

A) money was already invested in the screens and
B) money.

Maybe in the not so distant future as they get our feedback via emails, YouTube and this site, they will come up with a more solid fix. At lest they show they are willing to try better ideas as they did by switching to the screen filters as some of the folks have already received. I would rather have the screen version (if it doesn't rust or corrode at all) as opposed to the clothe filter. Even though it floats up somewhat also, it doesn't "bunch" up. A definite move in the right direction.

 

[wreals]

I am waiting on a set of the cloth ones to come in and I will have a draw string sewn on like Davids setup. I think that this has to be the ultimate fix.

Where did you source getting the drawstring sewn on your filters? A seamstress or did you order them from some vendor?

 

[Yambor44]

Where did you source getting the drawstring sewn on your filters? A seamstress or did you order them from some vendor?

Going to get someone to do it for me. No vendor. I am actually thinking of using some nylon cord (20# fishing line???) and lining it with that (no rust). Then I would blast out the grain after brewing with the water hose and then place sieve's in the dishwasher to get a good soapy, hot cleaning. That may be my next experiment.

 

[beradthefish]

Maybe you could try some stainless safety wire.

Don't BMs now ship with fine SS screens used in conjunction with the coarse screen? If so, can they be purchased?

 

[rlhvegas]

I'm interested in joining the Speidel Family, however the apparent limitation that disturbes me is the 1.057 specific gravity limit the system has. I'm assuming that you would have to use DME to brew beers beyond 1.057. Has this limitation been a problem for anyone? Thanks in advance.

 

[wyzazz]

I'm interested in joining the Speidel Family, however the apparent limitation that disturbes me is the 1.057 specific gravity limit the system has. I'm assuming that you would have to use DME to brew beers beyond 1.057. Has this limitation been a problem for anyone? Thanks in advance.

I really don't think you can put a hard limit on the gravity of a system like this. Earlier in the thread there were methods discussed for brewing bigger beers on this system. You could make a smaller batch of a bigger beer, mash twice, boil longer, there all all sorts of ways to make a higher gravity beer on the Braumeister. On the flipside, if you're always making high gravity beers you may want to think about purchasing/building a more traditional system.

 

[makomachine]

I really don't think you can put a hard limit on the gravity of a system like this. Earlier in the thread there were methods discussed for brewing bigger beers on this system. You could make a smaller batch of a bigger beer, mash twice, boil longer, there all all sorts of ways to make a higher gravity beer on the Braumeister. On the flipside, if you're always making high gravity beers you may want to think about purchasing/building a more traditional system.

Agree. There are limitations and trade offs to every system. I usually brew and prefer beers in this range. When I do a bigger beer, it's rare, and frankly a smaller batch is what I'd prefer. Someone who strictly enjoys barley wines , imperial stouts and IIPAs might be better suited to another setup.

 

[rlhvegas]

Thank you for the response. I currently own a single tier Brutus direct fire system, but really like the small foorprint, ease of use, and electric features of the Speidel. From reading through this thread it seens unamimous that the system is worth the price.

 

[rico567]

Agree. There are limitations and trade offs to every system. I usually brew and prefer beers in this range. When I do a bigger beer, it's rare, and frankly a smaller batch is what I'd prefer. Someone who strictly enjoys barley wines , imperial stouts and IIPAs might be better suited to another setup.

This pretty much parallels my own thinking with the Braumeister. There are limitations to anything. Yes, I have, on pretty rare occasion, brewed beers over 1.057. And there are ways of doing that with the Braumeister, and without it. I think the price is very reasonable for a comprehensive, computer controlled electric brewing system.

 

[Yambor44]

Maybe you could try some stainless safety wire.

Don't BMs now ship with fine SS screens used in conjunction with the coarse screen? If so, can they be purchased?

I purchased some Fishing line (except 50LB test). It is "cloth like". I am going to weave it around the outer most edge of the sieve.

You can purchase the new screens. However I have not been able to obtain them here yet. I keep getting told they are "in the mail" and it seems to be 2 weeks away whenever I ask.

 

[Yambor44]

Here's what I ended up doing for now. Once (If) I can get another set of cloth filters I will have the drawstrings attached.

The only issue I can see is cleaning. My plan is to blast with water fromthe hose, then either soak in a hot Oxi or PBW bath or use Oxi or PBW and wash in the dishwasher.

Anyone have any experience with Oxi or PBW in the dishwasher? I would assume it won't foam too much.

Here's the line I used:

 

[Yambor44]

Here it is in the Malt pipe:

 

[DeGarre]

Great solution Yambor, that should do it!

I have a bit of a problemo I can't get my head around. I bottled my IPA today. 2 weeks ago I brewed and boiled with 24L of water. No sparge, nada. Spent grain and hop bags were very dry and I imagined I did not waste that much during the process, still I only bottled 14.5L.

OG was spot on target 1.06 and FG was 1.016, indicating 5.7% alcvol. If I try to match those numbers in BeerSmith, I start with boil volume 24L (check) and have to put in batch size of 18.5L.

Doesn't this mean I somehow can't account for 4 liters of beer? Where did it go? If I use the actual batch size of 14.5L, gravity estimates goes way up to 1.077. But it was just 1.06 in real life.

If I can't figure this out, next brew I will start with 24L, same grain bill, but will sparge and add water to get 20L into the FV and bottles, and look at the gravity readings to try and find some sense in the figures.

Thanks

 

[diegobonatto]

Hello,

Following the idea of Yambor, I am using a nylon tie wrap (2.5 x 100 mm) to keep the cloth filters within the plates (attached files).
It works very well also.

 

[Yambor44]

Looks good diego. Have you tried it yet?

 

[diegobonatto]

I will try in the next brew day. But I tested the resistance of tie wraps with boiling water during 20 min. The tie wraps supported the boiling temperature and I did not noticed any strange smell or color in the water.

 

[Yambor44]

I will try in the next brew day. But I tested the resistance of tie wraps with boiling water during 20 min. The tie wraps supported the boiling temperature and I did not noticed any strange smell or color in the water.

Good to know. I'm using mine for the first time right now.

On a side note I treid to open my gap on my grain crusher. Long story short I found after taking the crusher apart that I went the wrong way and actually tightened the gap!

So....keeping a watchful eye on the mash looking for squirts!

 

[hfk2]

Seems like we are all on the same track. My SS mesh filters are warped so grain could easily get past it so I found some copper wire and stitched it flat.




I'm also going to try this filter screen.