Stainless, insulated, bottom draining mash tun with top

[dtfeld]

Found these being used in Europe to make a stainless steel, insulated bottom draining mashtun. Come in various sizes but most interesting to me is a 70L (appr 18.5 gallon with a threaded drain already installed or a 80L (appr 21 gal), but no preinstalled drain (see link below on the mods to add bottom drain).

As my plastic igloo is on its last legs (never could get it to stop leaking completely) and had a gusher doing a 10 gal batch yesterday, this might be my "upgrade" Price is around $150 but shipping to the US is an issue and probably expensive. These are for sale on several european homebrew shops' websites.

The are about 18" inside and I'll just order a peice of SS preforated sheet and cut my own false bottom. I think it'll make a stronger more leak resistant tun. I was contemplating a Blichman 15g or a Stout 19g with bottom drain, but either way those options are $400-$500 and are not insulated. I'll weld in the drain and use Kal's o-ring and washers to seal any other fittings in.


Here is the ebay ad...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MARMITE-THE...&otn=2&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=7820004145139275429

Here is a 3 page write up on how to add a bottom drain and a false bottom to to it...
http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/home_brew_faq-equipment-mashing-ss-thermopot-mash-tun_1.htm

Anybody seen one in person or know where to get one state side?

 

[uberg33k]

Oh wow. That's really awesome.

To all you vendors out there, I would buy a 40L version of this in a heart beat.

 

[cino101]

I agree! Who is setting up the group buy?

 

[dtfeld]

I found the european supplier , but suspect its made in china. I asked for pricing on the 70l and 80l but If I can get quotes on other sizes as well..I think there are about 5 sizes I've seen.

 

[klyph]

If a homebrew store owner could find the chinese manufacturer and buy direct, I bet they'd make a killing on these.

 

[sarsnik]

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16181

Might be of some help also.

Someone also on another thread:

"I have been using a 70ltr thermos for about two years now, really pleased with it, I regularly mash over-night and the temp drop for 12 hours is 8-10 degrees - not bad."

So less than a degree and hour is pretty good...

 

[sarsnik]

I emailed the vendor to see if they're willing to ship to the US. Or rather, how much it would cost to ship here...

 

[BainbridgeBrewer]

Subscribed, I'm interested to see what comes of this.

 

[jammin]

I'd like to get 1 maybe of 2 of these.

 

[2BeerSpeer]

i like

 

[dtfeld]

So far...no response from the Mfg...They are in Germany, so maybe no one speaks english at that company...

 

[uberg33k]

Anyone get any response from the manufacturer yet?

Are there any brewers here from the UK or continental Europe that could perhaps help out with sourcing?

 

[sarsnik]

The retailer told me they do not ship to the US. I have some german connections so I'll try to ship there, then have them ship to me.

 

[uberg33k]

The retailer told me they do not ship to the US.

Man, I really wanted one of these.

 

[sarsnik]

I'm still not sure if they can be direct fired yet. I think there is insulation between the metal

 

[gator50]

I'm still not sure if they can be direct fired yet. I think there is insulation between the metal

irregardless the stainless interior wall is way more desirable in comparison to a plastic cooler. i would have taken this over a keg for my mash tun in a heartbeat as well. insulated stainless steel is the best of both worlds (granted you can insulate your kegs, they just aren't as pretty)

you need to find a willing exporter who will load up some shipping containers headed towards the usa

 

[Couchy]

Hi gys. First post here.

Been following the use and modification of these insulated stainless steel Thermopots in from here in Australia.

Thought I'd pass some information on in the hope it can help you guys understand where the UK boys are at.

There is a homebrew shop in England that sells the 50 litre and 60 litre versions of these pots. I think the shop buys them from a dealer on ebay France, which sources them from the makers in Germany. The ebay France people will respond to emails in English, but it seems the German factory does not respond.
See http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Brewing_and_Mashing_Equipment.html (go to bottom of the page, left hand side of product listing).

As already mentioned in this thread, there has been considerable discusion on these pots on Jim's Beer Kit forum in England. One poster named 'Mitch' has taken steps to have equivalent pots made in China in commercial quantities and importing them into the UK. His thread starts here: http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=48527. He has not posted for a month or so, but has dome more recently on another UK forum, The Home Brew Forum, at : http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=23234.

Hope this helps.

They seem like ideal mash tuns, but would also make good fermentors with a heating/cooling loop inserted down through the lid.

Couchy

 

[uberg33k]

**stuff about a group buy**[/B]

I'd be in for a 38.5L unit, possibly a 50L if we're restricting selection to streamline things/leverage volume purchasing. Anything larger than 50L and I'm out. I simply don't have room or need for anything that big.

I'd like to help with the shipping part, but there's no way I could accept a pallet shipment. My place is too tiny to deal with all that.

Hi gys. First post here.

Been following the use and modification of these insulated stainless steel Thermopots in from here in Australia.

Thought I'd pass some information on in the hope it can help you guys understand where the UK boys are at.

There is a homebrew shop in England that sells the 50 litre and 60 litre versions of these pots. I think the shop buys them from a dealer on ebay France, which sources them from the makers in Germany. The ebay France people will respond to emails in English, but it seems the German factory does not respond.
See http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Brewing_and_Mashing_Equipment.html (go to bottom of the page, left hand side of product listing).

As already mentioned in this thread, there has been considerable discusion on these pots on Jim's Beer Kit forum in England. One poster named 'Mitch' has taken steps to have equivalent pots made in China in commercial quantities and importing them into the UK. His thread starts here: http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=48527. He has not posted for a month or so, but has dome more recently on another UK forum, The Home Brew Forum, at : http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=23234.

Hope this helps.

They seem like ideal mash tuns, but would also make good fermentors with a heating/cooling loop inserted down through the lid.

Couchy

Thanks for the post. I think I've looked at every brew store in the UK and Europe and no one will ship to the US Good to see more international faces though

 

[dtfeld]

Are these made in Germany or in China? I've been involved in the import business from China and Tiawan and would be glad to set it up, including having a variety of sizes, but I have'nt been able to find the manufacturer...plenty of agents , but not the Mfg'er.

 

[dtfeld]

Gentlemen:

I need your help...

I'm working to get 20.5, 38.5, 60 and 80 litre (works out to roughly 5.4, 10.2, 15.9 and 21.1 US gallons) versions quoted and available here in the US. Please PM me if you are interested including the size your interested in and qty you'd like.

NOTE: I am NOT taking orders at this time...I need your input to get some idea of the initial qty's and sizes to work up pricing and shipping cost and options. I can't quarantee I'll have these available. Its a work in progress.

DT

 

[uberg33k]

I think dtfeld is trying to organize it from the US side.

Perhaps this should be moved to the group buy section?

 

[Maltose]

Good luck with that, these pots are only available in Europe as far as I know, if you get it from someone else, it is not the company but an agent who will in turn do the same thing you are trying to do now. What ever way you decide, please let me know soon.

I however am 100% sure you will not find the false bottoms that fit in those pots anywhere else but here in Germany, unless you have one custom made. One is 447mm a very odd size that just is not sold elsewhere and a friend of mine makes them as pictured above.

I'd love to have one of those false bottoms in my kettle. I think the ID of mine is around 18.75" though. Think your friend is up for some custom work?

 

[uberg33k]

I'd love to have one of those false bottoms in my kettle. I think the ID of mine is around 18.75" though. Think your friend is up for some custom work?

Jaybird might also be an option for a false bottom.

 

[2BeerSpeer]

i'm intersted in the big one and a fb

 

[dtfeld]

***UPDATE*** 4/28/12 10:30 pm

Laizure has offered to bundle them up, still looking for a shipping company that can pick up pallets from a residential address, but this is dependent on a large enough volume to justify a pallet. Right now, I'd guess the landed cost to be 2 to 3 times what the european rate is. There are a lot of unknown like the total quantity we'd buy, how many fit on a pallet etc. Sooo. best guesstimate with very little details nailed down...

125 Euro x 2= $250
to
125 Euro x 3 = 375

I'm working with another service that would allow the purchase of 2- 3 at a time shipped to your door for approximately 120E + 3% of purchase price using DHL. In this case its every man for himself. You simply setup an account and have them buy it from Amazon.de. Its shipped to their address in Germany consolidated and shipped DHL diect to you.

Example:

I want 2 80 litre versions @ 121,95 each and 4,95 shipping = 126,90 each or 253.80 total. The cost is 10 Euro to sign up and 110 Euro to ship up to a max size 120cm x 60 cm x 60 cm and 31.5 kg The item is50cm x 50 cm x 55cm and around 15 kg so 2 together top to bottom would be 100cm x 50cm x 55cm and about 30kg, right at the limits.

Cost would be (if it fits) in euros 10,00 Fee +110,00 shipping + 253,80 product + 253,80x3% transaction fee = 381,41

that works out to US$ 505.41 based on 1.3251 exchange rate (variable) or roughly $252.20 per vessle. Same math for the 2 of the 38.5 l version works out to 276,46 euro $365 0r $180 per unit so the shipping and handling if your buying 2 units at a time works out to about $80-$90 which if you think about it, thats not to bad, considering 2 10 gallon rubbermaids premade and delived from midwest supply is about $150/vessle. Obviously you still have to do the conversion but hey isn't that most of the fun?

And the BLING factor!!!!

See http://www.addressgermany.com for the details.

 

[ThinkingOutLoud]

Sweet! :rockin: Any word on pricing yet?

 

[dtfeld]

See Update above for some pricing and options.

 

[dtfeld]

Who's still in?

 

[dtfeld]

Here is a very nice HLT conversion as well.

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=30868

 

[pincorrect]

Just saw this thread. Did you guys eventually get any of these pots imported?

Also, i used Google translate to display one of the German pages for the pot in English. It called them a "vacuum" pot. Is there something like foam insulation between the outer and inner skin, or is it truly a vacuum? If the later, then making modifications like a thermometer port will destroy the vacuum.