Speidel Braumeister (brewmaster)

[cpa4ny]

This is not really a mod...but close enough.

After struggling a “few” times with hops (pellets) getting stuck in the tap which comes as standard with the Braumeister, I decided I had to do something about it (so tired of trying to clear the tap from stuck hops when transferring to the fermentor and losing a few liters of wort).

So I bought myself the ball lock valve from Speidel which has the same 3/4” thread as the standard tap.

From MoreBeer I bought a Stainless - 1.5" TC x 3/4" Female BSPP, a 1.5” Tri-Clap connector, a Stainless - 1.5" TC x 1" Barb and some gaskets and O-rings. Expensive to order from Sweden, but hopefully well worth it!

This won’t only solve the hops getting stuck in the tap – but also speed up the transfer to the fermentor.

Please note that I use the 20 liter version of the Braumeister. I have not successfully been able to create a Whirlpool due to the dimension of the Braumeister. So the only way for me to get rid of hops and some break material is to strain the wort. Works really well – as long as the hops doesn’t get stuck in the tap

/Anton

Brilliant idea - I also can't stand BM's original valve (mine started leaking).

Can you kindly post the picture of the valve on the BM when you get chance? Just want to see how the whole ensemble looks

 

[bshaf]

If you are using a range/oven 4 prong outlet and plug you will find a black hot wire, a red hot wire, a white neutral and a bare ground. The black and red wires each carry 120volts. Because they are out of phase each acts as the others neutral. The white neutral acts in tandem with the supplied 120 volts to supply just 120volts to run things such as a clock, timer, electronic controls etc. To wire the Speidel cord you do not use the white neutral. It's important that the yellow/green wire in the Speidel cord is wired to the bare copper ground. The other 2 wires in the Speidel cord get wire to the 120 volt lines. You can test your cord with a volt meter. With one probe in the bottom slot of the Speidel plug place the other probe in one of the top slots. You should get 120 volts. Move to the other top slot and you should still get 120 Volts. If you place both probes in one each of the top slots you should get 240 volts.

Hm.. I followed these directions and if i put them both in the top holes i get 240v.. but if i put on on the top and one on the bottom i get 33v in one and 40v in the other.. any ideas?

i used this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014KO11O/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 which fits my dryer plug

 

[bshaf]

Hm.. I followed these directions and if i put them both in the top holes i get 240v.. but if i put on on the top and one on the bottom i get 33v in one and 40v in the other.. any ideas?

i used this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014KO11O/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 which fits my dryer plug

nevermind.. fixed it. i guess on that cable the green was neutral and the white was ground

switching the white (from dryer plug) to the green/yellow (from braumeister) fixed it

 

[smolderingember]

Hello,

I may be interested. I'm also looking at the 50L BM. Looking to move from the several pots and coolers!

Would you take $1100 plus shipping? I'm in Boston.

Thanks and congrats on the engagement! I just got married in June.

Cheers,
Greg

 

[wobdee]

Anyone ever try a Schmitz Decoction mash with this system? Is it possible to boil grains in this system?

This is a basic Schmitz decoction schedule i think might work. Dough in at 122, raise to 150 and hold for 15 min, drain most liquid into another pot or cooler and keep temp around 150, boil mash for 30 min, cool down mash to about 160 then add liquid back in and hold mash at 155 for 30 min.

 

[cpa4ny]

Anyone ever try a Schmitz Decoction mash with this system? Is it possible to boil grains in this system?

This is a basic Schmitz decoction schedule i think might work. Dough in at 122, raise to 150 and hold for 15 min, drain most liquid into another pot or cooler and keep temp around 150, boil mash for 30 min, cool down mash to about 160 then add liquid back in and hold mash at 155 for 30 min.

No - but with step mashing and a bit of melanoidin malt, I think that only very few people can tell the difference between that and a decoction mashed beer. Plus an automated step mash saves A LOT of time ;-)



Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[wobdee]

No - but with step mashing and a bit of melanoidin malt, I think that only very few people can tell the difference between that and a decoction mashed beer. Plus an automated step mash saves A LOT of time ;-)



Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

I must be one of the few that can tell the difference. Melanoidin malt just hasn't given me that German Lager flavor like decoction has and I don't mind the extra hour it takes to do it.

 

[Owly055]

While I agree that one can build a system for less money, I strongly disagree with the "material handler" comment. If that were true, anyone who has built a system with automation is no longer truly a brewer, nor are many commercial microbreweries. The brewer still controls the recipe, the ingredients, the mash parameters, and everything on the cold side.

The Braumeister makes the realization of the mash schedule easier (time and temperature), provides an excellent brewing system in a small footprint, and makes for easier cleanup due to fewer vessels. Sure, the capacity is limited by the size of the unit, but that is true in any system. It looks to me like in the 20l system one will have to mash to yield a more concentrated wort, then add make-up water. I am unclear as to how large a grain bill will fit in the tube, and I suspect that really high-gravity brews are out, or will yield less than 20l. So your point regarding flexibility is well taken, but due to capacity issues rather than automation or single-vessel design. However, if the OP understands those constraints and is not concerened about them, then more power to him.

Hey, I can prepare beef wellington and spend a good portion of the day doing it, employing a knife, cutting board, food processor, mixing bowl, rolling pin, and roasting pan. But there are also plenty of outstanding dishes I can prepare in a single pan, dutch oven, or crock pot.

The limited size of the grain tube may limit the amount of grain you can mash, but it in no way limits the gravity of the brew. Even commercial microbrewers use DME in high gravity brews due to the inefficiency of mashing at high gravity. For a high gravity brew, you have 3 choices. One is to do a conventional mash & sparge (or BIAB) with an excessive amount of grain and be satisfied with low efficiency, as you cannot sparge out as much of the sugar. Another is to mash normally and use an extended boil to cook off excess water........ not energy efficient, and the third is to use a normal mash, and add DME or LME to the boil. The latter makes the most sense for most of us, unless you plan to do two beers, one with the first runnings, and another with the sparge...... which is a completely reasonable solution also. Brewers need to be able to "think on their feet".

I wonder how many other all grain brewers occasionally add DME or corn sugar for high gravity...........I do and I'm not ashamed of it. Anybody else want to confess ;-)

H.W.

 

[DogStar]

You can do a double mash. Once the first mash is done you can pull the malt tube and refill it for the second mash. I haven't tried it yet because I don't usually make beers above 1060. The Braumeister mashes very efficiently and I know it's easy to get 1090 or more from the second mash.

For my next beer I'm thinking of an imperial baltic porter so I'll probably be trying this method.

 

[Owly055]

nevermind.. fixed it. i guess on that cable the green was neutral and the white was ground

switching the white (from dryer plug) to the green/yellow (from braumeister) fixed it

Green is NEVER neutral and white is NEVER ground ............. There's something wrong with this picture somewhere. However neutral and ground are both connected to the same buss at the breaker box. Neutral is usually heavier than ground which is just a safety so if something hot comes unhooked and shorts the chassis of whatever you are working with doesn't become electrically hot. These color code standards are universal. If they vary, somebody has screwed up somewhere.

H.W.

 

[HopSong]

Received my BM direct from Germany this week. I think Customs F'd up. There was NO packaging on top of the kettle. Must have been tossed on the box's top side which bent a leg and caused some kinks in the bottom of the kettle. Speidel said they would make it right. Silll, such a L O N G wait and it comes in damaged.

 

[redwing_al]

Received my BM direct from Germany this week. I think Customs F'd up. There was NO packaging on top of the kettle. Must have been tossed on the box's top side which bent a leg and caused some kinks in the bottom of the kettle. Speidel said they would make it right. Silll, such a L O N G wait and it comes in damaged.

why did it come from Germany? Shouldn't it have been shipped from Morebeer? I am in a position to order one, I certainly hope I dont have a hugely long wait!

 

[HopSong]

I bought mine from MoreBeer4U in Florida. They direct ship from Germany. Saved a few hundred bucks that way. First, some accy's much less.. Second.. No tax.. Bigger bucks. Took longer.. but I probably saved about $300 or more. Just took longer. I did have some damage problems which Morebeer4U and Speidel took care of.

 

[redwing_al]

How long is the power cable? Thinking about a location to brew, wondering how long it is or if it can beer lengthened..

By the way, did you but e yours in October? Seems like there was a special then..

 

[uberg33k]

How long is the power cable? Thinking about a location to brew, wondering how long it is or if it can beer lengthened..

By the way, did you but e yours in October? Seems like there was a special then..

If you're looking to buy, you might want to wait till after the first of the year and get the newer model.

 

[Ragtop232]

First I've heard of a newer model. Any idea what will be new? I was hoping a controller with US units that current owners could upgrade.

Jim

 

[redwing_al]

If you're looking to buy, you might want to wait till after the first of the year and get the newer model.

i learned that the new model will be about 5-7% more $ and that the older model will be upgradable to the new controller. Speidel plans to offer a buy-back/ trade-in program for BM owners who have the previous model. As long as I can get the upgrade, I'm good!

 

[mrclean]

Any info on new model changes? Sorry if I missed it

 

[Smeller]

Info on the new model in this thread..

https://forum.braumeisters.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=611&start=15#p5967

 

[HopSong]

I believe the unit has not changed.. Only the control box.

 

[Yambor44]

What has changed about the control box, just the appearance?

 

[redwing_al]

I have some questions on the 20L Braumeister if anyone could help answer:

I take delivery next week...

1. what is the smallest batch I can brew? 2Gallon, 3gallon? Just wondering in case I want to get in some inexpensive practice rounds..

2. I use Beersmith and I downloaded a profile of a 20l Braumeister set up. I noticed that the step mash time that was loaded in the mash profile was very loooong. Is this necessary for every brew? What are logical step mash profiles?

3. Has anyone really landed on the 'perfect all-round' equipment & Mash profile for Beersmith? Seems like a lot of variations out there, just kind of wondering which one to use, where to start and to go to find it...

I am sure I will have many more questions, so please be patient with me as I ramp up my learnings!

thanks...

 

[nielsr]

What has changed about the control box, just the appearance?

It comes with new functionalities like mash schedule memory (10) and network connectivity. The software will be upgradable by the user.

- Niels

 

[redwing_al]

Fellow US Meister-Braus on the Braumeister...

I will need to change out the male plug to connect to the receptacle that I installed today (twist lock). Does anyone know the color coding for the BM plug so I can connect my plug correctly?

I would much appreciate some guidance before it comes!

thanks!

 

[redwing_al]

I wonder if there is a possibility of having a Braumeister sub category in the Electric brewing or All Grain forums like there is for BIAB?

 

[Jeffbeckley]

It got really quiet here after the announcement of a new model. Any new news? Has anyone seen this yet..
I'm in the market to buy a 20l and cant decide to purchase one now or wait for the new model. I do know if I were to buy one now I would buy one second hand with hopes that I can upgrade later. What to do?

 

[Scele]

I have some questions on the 20L Braumeister if anyone could help answer:

I take delivery next week...

1. what is the smallest batch I can brew? 2Gallon, 3gallon? Just wondering in case I want to get in some inexpensive practice rounds..

2. I use Beersmith and I downloaded a profile of a 20l Braumeister set up. I noticed that the step mash time that was loaded in the mash profile was very loooong. Is this necessary for every brew? What are logical step mash profiles?

3. Has anyone really landed on the 'perfect all-round' equipment & Mash profile for Beersmith? Seems like a lot of variations out there, just kind of wondering which one to use, where to start and to go to find it...

I am sure I will have many more questions, so please be patient with me as I ramp up my learnings!

thanks...

1. Don't know, never did a smaller than 5 gallon batch.

2. I deleted the protein step, that cuts it to an hour and a half. I get better head from just running 60 minute 65 - 67 C single step infusions with a mash out at 78 C for 10 mins. The protein step really isn't needed for modern well modified malts.

3. I often use the single infusion mashes in beersmith changing a degree or two up or down once in a while. I like to use the mantra "They were brewing before thermometers and Star San"

 

[redwing_al]

Hey everyone, for the fun of it, I created this collaborative map. Let's created a global view of Braumeister owners. I have added mine: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... u7E_M_58-A

If you want to add yours, follow the link and use the "add marker" to post the location. I have placed mine in the middle of the city in which I live, not necessarily my home address.

Link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... u7E_M_58-A

 

[Soviet]

Does anyone want to buy my Braumeister 50L? I would sell it at a discount, along with my upgraded ball valve and quick disconnect, and thermal jacket. I'm thinking of downsizing to a smaller braumeister or getting the breweasy system from blichmann. Oh, and I also have the shortened mash pipe in addition to the regular one, allowing you to brew 5 gallon batches.

 

[redwing_al]

Does anyone want to buy my Braumeister 50L? I would sell it at a discount, along with my upgraded ball valve and quick disconnect, and thermal jacket. I'm thinking of downsizing to a smaller braumeister or getting the breweasy system from blichmann. Oh, and I also have the shortened mash pipe in addition to the regular one, allowing you to brew 5 gallon batches.

Where are you located?