Speidel Braumeister (brewmaster)

[Yambor44]

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
I'm also going to try this filter screen.

Looks good! I think I have some small copper wire I could have used.

Keep us posted on that hop filter. When you brewing next?

 

[diegobonatto]

I think the hfk2 also found an interesting solution for the problem of cloth filters. But I guess if the low pH of mash and high temperatures will not corrode the copper wires (or not)?
I will use conditioned malt in my next brewing in order to prevent the "volcano" effect as showed by Yambor.

 

[Yambor44]

I think the hfk2 also found an interesting solution for the problem of cloth filters. But I guess if the low pH of mash and high temperatures will not corrode the copper wires (or not)?
I will use conditioned malt in my next brewing in order to prevent the "volcano" effect as showed by Yambor.

Are the drain elbows we use in the spigot brass or copper??

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachments/f14/29037-speidel-braumeister-brewmaster-dsc_0796.jpg

 

[hfk2]

I plan to remove the copper wire after each brew and replace it with new wire. It only took about 1 minute to do each sieve, as I only had to stitch at the warped sides instead of all the way around.

 

[diegobonatto]

Good question from Yambor, but hfk2 found the solution for copper wires too...

 

[hfk2]

The tubing I used is copper pipe type M. My immersion chiller is also copper. Once the copper oxidizes the patina provides a barrier that protects the metal. Copper pipes have been used for potable water for decades so it must be quite safe.

 

[Yambor44]

The tubing I used is copper pipe type M. My immersion chiller is also copper. Once the copper oxidizes the patina provides a barrier that protects the metal. Copper pipes have been used for potable water for decades so it must be quite safe.

That's what I was thinking. So your wire should be fine also??

 

[hfk2]

Unfortunately my pump stopped pumping. It's making a clanking noise. Doesn't seem as loud as Yambor44's did when it stopped. Maybe some grain is stuck in the impeller, but I can't get it to clear so I'm in manual heat mode using my March pump to circulate from the top down. We'll see what happens.

 

[Yambor44]

Unfortunately my pump stopped pumping. It's making a clanking noise. Doesn't seem as loud as Yambor44's did when it stopped. Maybe some grain is stuck in the impeller, but I can't get it to clear so I'm in manual heat mode using my March pump to circulate from the top down. We'll see what happens.

Man that sucks. Lets hope it's just a piece of grain.

 

[Yambor44]

How is everyone cleaning your stainless on these. I have been using the green scrubby and I'm seeing some scratches now.

 

[hfk2]

Same way, I use the 3M synthetic steel wool 0000. Mainly using it on the heating elements because you can wrap it around it and get the back side. Amazing that a synthetic can scratch stainless steel. I'm now just using a sponge on the stainless.

 

[hfk2]

I'm BIAB in stainless

 

[gustavf]

How is everyone cleaning your stainless on these. I have been using the green scrubby and I'm seeing some scratches now.

I'm using a regular dishwashing brush and have some barely visible scratches.

 

[DeGarre]

I use the softest sponge and chamois leather...

 

[roomfullofmirrors]

How is everyone cleaning your stainless on these. I have been using the green scrubby and I'm seeing some scratches now.

Rinse out for obvious particles and then ...sodium percarbonate (diaper sanitiser) soak and hose off with pressure nozzle.

Any stubborn residue might get a brush off, but generally a warm napisan soak lifts everything.
The other day I set the temp at 60 Celsius and ran the pumps for twenty minutes. Throw the pipe and screens in as well. Simple!

 

[makomachine]

Unfortunately my pump stopped pumping. It's making a clanking noise. Doesn't seem as loud as Yambor44's did when it stopped. Maybe some grain is stuck in the impeller, but I can't get it to clear so I'm in manual heat mode using my March pump to circulate from the top down. We'll see what happens.

Sorry to hear that! Did you get it figured out?

 

[Yambor44]

Rinse out for obvious particles and then ...sodium percarbonate (diaper sanitiser) soak and hose off with pressure nozzle.

Any stubborn residue might get a brush off, but generally a warm napisan soak lifts everything.
The other day I set the temp at 60 Celsius and ran the pumps for twenty minutes. Throw the pipe and screens in as well. Simple!

Good info! I ran mine as well yesterday to clean with some BKF (Bar Keepers Friend) but only at about 45c (so I could still get my hands in there, after I unplugged of course) and just enough to cover the coils. Then I placed the filter that was sewn onto the sieve in it to soak a bit with the pumps on. Rinsed all real well, scrubbed elements with green scrubby and internal pot with terry cloth towel.

Will run hotter and add malt pipe next time. I'm assuming this diaper sanitizer is easily found?

 

[hfk2]

One piece of malt completely stops the pumps impeller. Can't figure how the grain is getting out of the malt pipe. The mesh was tight to the sieve, and the sieve sit tight in the malt tube. I'm also careful when adding the malt to the pipe. It seems to get past the top sieve when it starts to rise. Yambor44 did you use your stitched cloth covers and if so how did they work. I'm thinking of making a pair. I wonder if the cloth when wrapped around the edge of the sieve creates a better seal. Was able to salvage the batch using the March pump. O.G. came in as expected but needed to mash longer to get complete conversion. Also, even though I vorlaufed the wort wasn't as clear as when circulating up as the BM does.

 

[jeffmeh]

Good info! I ran mine as well yesterday to clean with some BKF (Bar Keepers Friend) but only at about 45c (so I could still get my hands in there, after I unplugged of course) and just enough to cover the coils. Then I placed the filter that was sewn onto the sieve in it to soak a bit with the pumps on. Rinsed all real well, scrubbed elements with green scrubby and internal pot with terry cloth towel.

Will run hotter and add malt pipe next time. I'm assuming this diaper sanitizer is easily found?

In the U.S. it is branded as Oxiclean, lol.

 

[makomachine]

In the U.S. it is branded as Oxiclean, lol.

Which oxyclean = PBW

 

[Yambor44]

One piece of malt completely stops the pumps impeller. Can't figure how the grain is getting out of the malt pipe. The mesh was tight to the sieve, and the sieve sit tight in the malt tube. I'm also careful when adding the malt to the pipe. It seems to get past the top sieve when it starts to rise. Yambor44 did you use your stitched cloth covers and if so how did they work. I'm thinking of making a pair. I wonder if the cloth when wrapped around the edge of the sieve creates a better seal. Was able to salvage the batch using the March pump. O.G. came in as expected but needed to mash longer to get complete conversion. Also, even though I vorlaufed the wort wasn't as clear as when circulating up as the BM does.

Yes I did and yes they did. Even cleaned well! So far so good but I reserve the right to change my opinion if they don't hold up!!

 

[roomfullofmirrors]

... I'm assuming this diaper sanitizer is easily found?

The "active ingredient" is sodium percarbonate which you can source in bulk. Quick google gave me http://www.chemistrystore.com/search.cgi?keywords=sodium+percarbonate&Click+to+Search.x=20&Click+to+Search.y=11 ...for example. It's good stuff for soaking gear in... breaks downs solids and has antibacterial qualities as well. I don't know much about your oxiclean, but I imagine there would be something like it over there.

...just be sure to use unscented/non-perfumed product

 

[Yambor44]

The "active ingredient" is sodium percarbonate which you can source in bulk. Quick google gave me http://www.chemistrystore.com/search.cgi?keywords=sodium+percarbonate&Click+to+Search.x=20&Click+to+Search.y=11 ...for example. It's good stuff for soaking gear in... breaks downs solids and has antibacterial qualities as well. I don't know much about your oxiclean, but I imagine there would be something like it over there.

...just be sure to use unscented/non-perfumed product

Looks like OxiClean is tha same and cheaper than the other.

The active ingredient in OxiClean is sodium percarbonate (Na2CO3•H2O2), an adduct of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and hydrogen peroxide

 

[Yambor44]

Although maybe it isn't cheaper considering the OxiClean isn't pure active ingredient?

Copied from the following site:

Forget OxiClean -- it's all filler and very little active ingredient. You're paying for a brand and its advertising budget rather than actual performance.

The ingredient in OxiClean that bleaches tough stains is Sodium Percarbonate. OxiClean is 50-60% sodium percarb, the rest is filler. You're better off purchasing 100% pure sodium percarbonate -- the advantage being that you'll get more effectiveness with less product, and you're paying for 100% pure product instead of filler + advertising.

Your best bet is to go to www.kokogm.com (Kokopelli's Green Market) or www.drugstore.com and search for Ecover Ecological Non Chlorine Laundry Bleach (powder). It is 100% percarbonate and comes out cheaper, per lb. of active ingredient, than OxiClean. If you are looking for bulk, you can check out www.thechemistrystore.com, but their shipping/handling charges are quite high. I don't recommend them unless you are looking for something obscure and in large quantities.

To give you an idea of dosing differences between OxiClean and Ecover's 100% pure percarbonate: OxiClean includes a big scoop for their product, and you have to use a good portion of it to get out tough stains. Compare that to only 2 TBS of Ecover product to get out colored stains, according to the labeled instructions, or 1 TBS to keep your whites white. You'll need 2-4x the amount of OxiClean, maybe more, to do the same job.

I hope this helps, and let us know what you decide. I've been using Ecover with fantastic results that weren't possible without using an unreasonably high quantity of OxiClean. I, too, have a front loader.

 

[rico567]

Although maybe it isn't cheaper considering the OxiClean isn't pure active ingredient?

Copied from the following site:

Forget OxiClean -- it's all filler and very little active ingredient. You're paying for a brand and its advertising budget rather than actual performance.

The ingredient in OxiClean that bleaches tough stains is Sodium Percarbonate. OxiClean is 50-60% sodium percarb, the rest is filler. You're better off purchasing 100% pure sodium percarbonate -- the advantage being that you'll get more effectiveness with less product, and you're paying for 100% pure product instead of filler + advertising.

Your best bet is to go to www.kokogm.com (Kokopelli's Green Market) or www.drugstore.com and search for Ecover Ecological Non Chlorine Laundry Bleach (powder). It is 100% percarbonate and comes out cheaper, per lb. of active ingredient, than OxiClean. If you are looking for bulk, you can check out www.thechemistrystore.com, but their shipping/handling charges are quite high. I don't recommend them unless you are looking for something obscure and in large quantities.

To give you an idea of dosing differences between OxiClean and Ecover's 100% pure percarbonate: OxiClean includes a big scoop for their product, and you have to use a good portion of it to get out tough stains. Compare that to only 2 TBS of Ecover product to get out colored stains, according to the labeled instructions, or 1 TBS to keep your whites white. You'll need 2-4x the amount of OxiClean, maybe more, to do the same job.

I hope this helps, and let us know what you decide. I've been using Ecover with fantastic results that weren't possible without using an unreasonably high quantity of OxiClean. I, too, have a front loader.

Yes- but even pure percarbonate cleaner is sensitive to water hardness. If you want to address the problem by combining ingredients, I've seen Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (NOT baking soda, which is sodium bicarbonate) recommended to treat hard water before using percarbonate cleaners. The single-application product that contains the chelators to deal with hardness is PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash) from Five Star Chemical. I use PBW, myself, because I don't use all that much of it, and our well water has way too much iron & calcium to use a straight percarbonate cleaner.

 

[makomachine]

The UPS man left me a teaser this afternoon. Morebeer had this in stock but have to wait on the 20L unit coming from Germany...

Is this the same design as others have received as it's different from the pics I've seen.

 

[hfk2]

Looks the same except for the printing/decals. Mine has a somewhat shiny washable outside, and a closed cell type of foam on the inside. The fit around the handles is very tight. Velcro in the back to secure it.

 

[makomachine]

Looks the same except for the printing/decals. Mine has a somewhat shiny washable outside, and a closed cell type of foam on the inside. The fit around the handles is very tight. Velcro in the back to secure it.

I believe we have the same item, just differences in decals. Pics I've seen had a more simple Speidel decal on it. Don't dislike this design, just found it interesting that it was different from the pics.

 

[DeGarre]

Brewing at the moment. My grain bill was 4kg and I sparged with 4 litres. Started mashing with 23 litres, started boiling with 23 litres. No loss there yet.

Temp set up at 102, without any thermo collar and no lid, system shows 99 mostly, sometimes 100.

 

[DeGarre]

Brewing at the moment. My grain bill was 4kg and I sparged with 4 litres. Started mashing with 23 litres, started boiling with 23 litres. No loss there yet.

Temp set up at 102, without any thermo collar and no lid, system shows 99 mostly, sometimes 100.

Lost 3 litres in the boil, and further 0.75 on the way to FV. Was tipping, not sure if a dip tube would've helped me much there. Hit the OG nicely too, so I guess my problems were in not sparging.

Had huge problems getting the filter metal on top of wort without splashing grain on top of it. Having a smallish grain bill adds to the problem. Need to figure out a tool to lower the filter neatly down.

Mashed in at default 38, then did 3x 20 mins at 67, then mash out 10 mins at 77. I did 3x 20 because I am not sure if pump breaks differ accross mash phases so to be sure I just broke it down to 3x 20 instead of 1x 60 then 2x 0 mins.

Very stress-free, was even able to do a beer run while mashing, 8 miles away (some wheat and London Pride). Very happy so far.