Things are getting interesting, BB Icemaster Max 2....

[eric19312]

This was easier to find before Blichmann started selling glycol system but it is still there.

https://blichmannengineering.freshdesk.com/support/discussions/topics/5000065537
Not sure why he was comparing to solid state cooling -- guess the brew jacket was popular new gadget when it was written - but advantages of freezer include cheaper than glycol options, footprint not much more than the fermenter itself, plenty of chilling power, no insulation and fewer things stuck to the conical make it easier to clean (not to mention no chilling coil to clean), no condensation dripping on floor, very low operating cost.

I would guess operating cost is substantially lower than glycol. Both systems are using a compressor to get rid of heat but the freezer is properly insulated.

None of that has changed but there is clearly demand for the glycol systems so he is offering one.

 

[hopjunkie26]

What do you do if you want to ferment a kveik at 92 degrees?

I have a DIY glycol setup right now and what I do for heating is not all that dissimilar than your method. On both of my fermenters (one Anvil bucket and one Spike CF10) I have a reptile aquarium heating cord attached for heating. Simply plug that into the heat side of my STC and set temp. I can easily get into the 90s.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OVBEEK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Can someone explain the 'recent' upswing in homebrewers using gylcol. I took a break from geeking out on brewing for a couple years and now it's commonplace to use glycol in systems at home. Why? What wasn't quite cutting it?

Do you think the precision ferm temp from being jacketed is worth it?

So... I don't today have a glycol system. I ferment in a converted 15.5 gallon sanke keg in a fridge using an external relay controller.

That said, if I moved to glycol (and I'd consider it if the cost of glycol + 2 conical jacketed 14-15 gal fermenters was lower) here are the reasons I would do so:

1. I'd prefer a conical fermenter that I can more easily dump trub and ferment under pressure. I currently transfer under pressure but if I fermented under pressure I think it would help to minimize O2 pickup during cold crash and then transfer and dumping the trub would help achieve clear wort going INTO the kegs rather than picking up trub or hop matter. Key issue solved: a conical won't fit in my fermentation fridge.
2. I don't think I'd never need more than 2 ports on a glycol system, but with two conicals and individual temp control for each I could ferment two beers at once. Key issue solved: multiple concurrent fermentations that won't fit in a fridge.
3. I live in a relatively small house, and garage space is at at premium. I'd like to get a chest freezer for meat and other things, but literally have NO more room in the garage. A glycol system and two fermenters would not take up the floor area of the current fermentation fridge and would allow that fridge to be retired to make room for a deep freezer. Key issue solved: make room for other projects because the glycol system takes up less room and the fermenters can be more easily spaced where there's room.
4. And it's just damn cool.

Problem, of course, is cost. I don't brew often enough to truly justify it at current pricing. If I didn't have a wife and kids, and was more frequently entertaining friends and thus going through beer faster? At that point it might make sense.

 

[deuc224]

This. Many seem to think of the pros do it a certain way, it must be superior, but in reality, it's usually driven by the sheer size of their batches. For 5-10 gallon batches, we have the luxury of equipment and processes that work as well or better and are relatively cheaper and easier with literally zero compromise.

Say you get a glycol system. What do you do if you want to ferment a kveik at 92 degrees? In my chest freezer, I have a heating pad that keeps it right on temp, plus the freezer, controller, heating pad and fermenter combined are much less expensive than just the glycol chiller.

I'm fine with people setting up mini pro rigs if that trips their trigger, but you don't get better beer and you spend a ton of dough on it. But everyone should do what works for them.

I'll pass.

Oh, and I batch sparge.

Tbh, heating wort is never a serious problem, it can be achieved in many simple inexpensive ways. But cooling the wort has always been a problem for most. Its really not a fair comparison, I ended up just swinging for the fences and couldnt wait on the ETA of the Max2 and decided to get a Max4. Ill probably grab another grainfather conical and use 2 fermenters for a while until Brewtools comes up with its 1/2 barrel fermenter, then just buy that one to do full batches. Rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

 

[jekeane]

I have a peguin glycol chiller it works well. keeps 4 conicals at temps in a florida garage. It crashes down to 38° when set to 28° glycol temp which I find sufficient. It only has a 2 gallon glycol tank which is tight for 4 pumps and probably plays a role in the 38° crashing.

The new morebeer / brewbuilt one looks very nice for the pricepoint. 4 built in pumps and controllers for 899 is a deal when you consider a good glycol pump is $35 and a inkbird is another $28. I would be interested to know how easily you can replace those parts if something died.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Tbh, heating wort is never a serious problem, it can be achieved in many simple inexpensive ways. But cooling the wort has always been a problem for most. Its really not a fair comparison, I ended up just swinging for the fences and couldnt wait on the ETA of the Max2 and decided to get a Max4. Ill probably grab another grainfather conical and use 2 fermenters for a while until Brewtools comes up with its 1/2 barrel fermenter, then just buy that one to do full batches. Rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

Needing to heat a fermenter is not as common, and heating a fermenter like my 6g BmB in a fermentation chamber is pretty easy indeed. I'm just not sure you you do it when your temp control is an immersed coil connected to a device that only chills. I suppose you could wrap it with heating pads and insulate it. It just seems like massive overkill and a huge unnecessary expense unless you're brewing huge batches. I have a massive beer brewing budget and a wife who supports whatever I want to do for brewing. A house with a good situation for brewing was literally a "must-have" for us when we moved last summer. If I wanted to buy a $1000 setup for fermenting, it would not be a problem, but there's no added value in it at my scale, so why spend the money?

That being said, there are an astonishing number of homebrewers here who brew huge batches. They either drink an amazing amount of beer or it's not all for personal consumption. I brew about 10 5g batches a year for my wife and myself (and the occasional visitor). I can't fathom brewing 15-30G batches. I could not drink even 10 gallons fast enough to justify that. If it was a style that really should be consumed fresh, I'd have to dump half anyway.

But for those who do, bigger conicals and $500-$1000 temp control rigs are probably a viable option.

 

[deuc224]

Yeah HWK, I dont see myself brewing huge amounts of beer, but everything ive learned has pointed me to the direction that fermentation is the most important part and temp control is extremely vital. Its why I got the set up I have, Grainfather conical that heats and a glycol chiller that cools it. Dial in the temps, adjust the chiller temp to the probe temp in the conical and let her go. Convenience is something i may over value more than others, but if im this deep into the game, whats a few more dollars gonna hurt?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Yeah HWK, I dont see myself brewing huge amounts of beer, but everything ive learned has pointed me to the direction that fermentation is the most important part and temp control is extremely vital. Its why I got the set up I have, Grainfather conical that heats and a glycol chiller that cools it. Dial in the temps, adjust the chiller temp to the probe temp in the conical and let her go. Convenience is something i may over value more than others, but if im this deep into the game, whats a few more dollars gonna hurt?

Yeah, I just put my big mouth bubbler in a chest freezer, set the temp on my inkbird and slide its temp probe into the thermowell. The freezer and heating pad takes care of the rest. The whole rig for $250.

 

[verboten]

With glycol and inkbird WiFi controllers this is 3 heated and cooled fermenters. That’s why it’s my choice.
Plus the beer is better.

 

[CodeSection]

With glycol and inkbird WiFi controllers this is 3 heated and cooled fermenters. That’s why it’s my choice.
Plus the beer is better.

Not to mention your recently acquired Spike Flex+.........

 

[verboten]

Yep, the cart will look a bit different, 2 flex and a Chapman 14 gallon. It won’t be quite as pretty, but will still be set up in a similar way.

 

[deuc224]

Glycol chiller came in, now for a set up and test run.

 

[thrillhouse]

It's now listed as shipping in Summer...I guess that's a three month window.

 

[hopjunkie26]

It's now listed as shipping in Summer...I guess that's a three month window.

Saw that. Been a little frustrated with MoreBeer. Normally they are very responsive but they have gone dark on me.

Been emailing back and forth with their sales guy for a while about the Max 2 (I ordered at the beginning of March). Just asking some questions and stuff. Then reached out to him regarding the Cannular and Cannular Pro (a few guys from my club and I are going in on a can seamer) and he hasn't responded since the beginning of May (3 weeks since he lasted responded).

Found that shocking because like I said, they are usually very responsive with stuff. Anyone had any issues with them responding lately?

 

[Nate R]

Saw that. Been a little frustrated with MoreBeer. Normally they are very responsive but they have gone dark on me.

Been emailing back and forth with their sales guy for a while about the Max 2 (I ordered at the beginning of March). Just asking some questions and stuff. Then reached out to him regarding the Cannular and Cannular Pro (a few guys from my club and I are going in on a can seamer) and he hasn't responded since the beginning of May (3 weeks since he lasted responded).

Found that shocking because like I said, they are usually very responsive with stuff. Anyone had any issues with them responding lately?

For west coast They ship & operate out of 2 Bay Area towns (pittsburg & concord respecticely). Both in Contra Costa county. They have taken the shut down serioualy over there still. I assume they have max limits on employees working, etc
Just my speculation here.

 

[CodeSection]

Saw that. Been a little frustrated with MoreBeer. Normally they are very responsive but they have gone dark on me.

Been emailing back and forth with their sales guy for a while about the Max 2 (I ordered at the beginning of March). Just asking some questions and stuff. Then reached out to him regarding the Cannular and Cannular Pro (a few guys from my club and I are going in on a can seamer) and he hasn't responded since the beginning of May (3 weeks since he lasted responded).

Found that shocking because like I said, they are usually very responsive with stuff. Anyone had any issues with them responding lately?

Three weeks seems like a long time. Unfortunately, there is no telling why he may not have responded. It could be that he is sick; simply lost your email somehow; or he is too busy filling orders and they need his help.

If a business is running behind on filling orders, responding to multiple emails from the same person or even a lot of customers takes so much time away from the actual filling of the orders. Sorta of a Catch 22....they probably could spend a good amount of time in the day responding to emails. I would rather they spend their limited time filling orders. From the sound of your post, you have been emailing him multiple times about the same subject. Maybe he feels he answered your question(s) or maybe he does not have an updated answer......

Email takes so long to write as the writer not only will be addressing the question(s), many times they will give more information that they know will be a followup question. If time is a premium, why write email that may take 15-30 minutes to write when the question can be answered on the phone verbally within a minute or two.

So, you have shown great patience, why not call MB?

 

[hopjunkie26]

Three weeks seems like a long time. Unfortunately, there is no telling why he may not have responded. It could be that he is sick; simply lost your email somehow; or he is too busy filling orders and they need his help.

If a business is running behind on filling orders, responding to multiple emails from the same person or even a lot of customers takes so much time away from the actual filling of the orders. Sorta of a Catch 22....they probably could spend a good amount of time in the day responding to emails. I would rather they spend their limited time filling orders. From the sound of your post, you have been emailing him multiple times about the same subject. Maybe he feels he answered your question(s) or maybe he does not have an updated answer......

Email takes so long to write as the writer not only will be addressing the question(s), many times they will give more information that they know will be a followup question. If time is a premium, why write email that may take 15-30 minutes to write when the question can be answered on the phone verbally within a minute or two.

So, you have shown great patience, why not call MB?

The emails have been spaced out, and asking different clarifying questions, over a couple of months. Maybe a handful of emails back and forth over those couple of months so it's not like I am emailing multiple times a week. He was very responsive when talking about the Max 2 and I never had any issues. It was when I asked an additional question about the Cannular systems that he seemed to go dark.

Because I thought the same thing, could be sick or wasn't at work for whatever reason, I initiated a new email to see if there was someone else I could or should be talking with and that went unanswered for over a week as well.

I did message them on Facebook over the weekend and a different member of their team responded to me yesterday. I generally do not call with questions like I have because they aren't questions that need to be answered immediately. I waited a week before following up each time which I believe to be sufficient enough time to respond especially when they say they respond to all customer inquiries within 24 hours (which is exactly what I have experienced in the past).

Bottom line, MoreBeer has responded and I am working with them on an order and all is well. Regardless of my frustration with the situation, my opinion of them has not changed. Mistakes happen, we move on.

 

[hopjunkie26]

Did anyone that ordered the Max 2 get notification that theirs shipped?

 

[wepeeler]

I have 2 SS Brewtech conicals with FTS2 hearing/cooling systems. I used to put water and frozen water bottles in a cooler next to the fermenters to keep them at my desired temperature. That meant keeping about a dozen frozen water bottles in my freezer and having to swap them out 2-3 times a day during initial fermentation (before work, after returning from work and before going to bed). It worked, but it had its limits. About the coldest I could get was 50 degrees and that took more frozen water bottles at a time and swapping out more frequently. I was lucky enough to be able to buy a used SS Brewtech glycol chiller at a good price and love it. No more frozen water bottles, not more swapping out bottles 3 times a day. Just set and forget. In addition, I can chill the fermenters down into the high 30's. I also noticed that I can get the fermenters down to pitching temperature much quicker that with frozen water bottles (which usually involves lowering the temperature by 10-20 degrees after using my immersion chiller). Would I have spent $1,000 + for this luxury? No. But for $500-$600, it is fantastic.

Exactly what I came in here to post. Also, my basement can get pretty warm during the Summer, so the set it and forget it of the glycol chiller sold me on it. Also, lagers....