New Braumeister Owner Questions

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Mattpc
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New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Mattpc » Thu Nov 03, 2016 12:03 am

Just started brewing with my Braumeister this week. Got a couple of newbie questions if anyone could please help?

I read that the efficiency of my mash is likely to be low so I sparged using a kettle at 70c as Norm suggests in other posts. Both brews, I've ended up with way to much volume post boil. Can anyone suggest how I might use the markers on the Braumeister to keep tabs on how much liquid I've got in there? I have the BAC brewing springer filter which I suppose may mess up markings. Not sure I'm going to keep using the BAC brewing springer filter however..... I've been starting with 25L for the mash then adding 6 litres of sparge water. This proved way too much so I tried 3 this time but still ended up with about 22l for a brew that was supposed to be a 19l batch!

2nd question. How is the BAC brewing springer filter supposed to work. The videos I found were in Italian and didn't seem very helpful. I found the filter ok with pellets but useless with whole hops.. I don't have any other kind of filter system.

Thanks!!!

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IPA
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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by IPA » Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:45 am

Assuming that you have the 20 litre model these are the figures for a 25 litre brew length. 25 litres of liquor in the BM to mash. 6 litres of sparge liquor at 78 degrees. To sparge lift the grain tube onto the stirrup and LEAVING BOTH TOP FILTERS IN PLACE. very slowly using a jug pour the sparge liquor evenly over the filters. If necessary liquor back to 27 litres.

With regard to the Springer it works very well with leaf hops providing you attach a tube at least 75 cm long to the tap. With a slight tilt towards the end you will have less than two litres left behind and the clearest wort that you have ever seen in your FV.
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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Mattpc » Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:14 am

Thanks for the reply. I have a 20l model. I'm trying to brew a 19l batch. I'm doing as you say regarding leaving the filters on for sparge.

From what you say, are you suggesting that for a 19l batch I should initially fill with 19l water?

Or go with the method in the link ... http://www.speidelbraumeister.com/faq

22L, 3L of sparge, which should then send you in to the boil with about 25l, perhaps you will lose 3.5l during a 60 minute boil, leaving you with 21.5l. Lose 2 litres to the Braumeister bottom and you come out with 19.5l

?

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Normski » Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:10 pm

Hi Matt

When I first started using a BM20 I couldn’t find details anywhere that gave me min and max brew lengths and how much grain to use.
So I tried to work it out for myself.
The key is that the heating element MUST be covered at all times. So the grain and water must be enough to fill the malt pipe and allow for over flow, and still keep the element covered.
1st thing, The markings on the center pole are accurate. 12L, 15L, 20L, 25L
I have found that the minimum I have been able to brew is 17l in the Fv.
Max is 34L.
I love to sparge as much as possible, to achieve this I mash with the minimum water as possible, allowing me to use more water to sparge.
I regularly brew 4.5Kg grain and 21.5L any less and the element may become uncovered which is BAD.
As you have already found with the amount of grain and mash water, plus sparge water you have 6 or 3L more then you would like. Without knowing how much grain you used I couldn’t say exactly how much to use. But 25L is probably more than necessary unless you have a very small grain bill.

Sorry cant help with the bac filter. I use pellets and a spider. But pellets and no filter would be fine.
Norm
The Doghouse Brewery (UK)

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Mattpc » Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:22 pm

Thanks, I used 3.4KG of grain.

When you use 21.5L, do you use 6l of sparge water?

I'm thinking maybe I'll follow your lead next time. I just want enough wort in my fermenter to fill a 19l corny keg. More volume is not desirable because I have to find somewhere to put it. However, I only want to use 3.5kg of grain or so to make beers around 4-4.5% normally. Perhaps 22L would be safer with that grain and I should sparge with less water?

I've ordered a Mangrove Jack Hop Spider as I want to use leaf rather than pellets I think. Apart from anything else, I've got 20 packets of leaf hops in my fridge!

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Normski
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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Normski » Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:46 pm

Hi Matt

As you are trying to make quite a small batch and with minimum grain, you have to be careful.
With only 3.4 kg of grain, I would suggest using around 23L to mash. and have a jug of water handy.
If you watch the water level around the out side of the malt pipe as you start. You will see the level reduce as it starts too pump up through the grain.
Look down between the malt pipe and the pot. if it gets lower than the tap, its getting a bit close to the element. Pour some from the jug in.
Its not as hairy as it sounds, just have a 1L jug of water handy an you'll be fine. Make a note of how much you used.
You can then sparge with as much as you feel will bring your wort level to your brew length.
Remember you can use the marking on the center pole to see how much wort you have in the boiler.
You'll soon know your brew liquor requirements for exactly 19L.
Norm
The Doghouse Brewery (UK)

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Normski » Fri Nov 04, 2016 12:04 am

Hi Matt

For a 19L brew with 3.4K of grain and 23l mash liquor, You wont be able to sparge very much. Probably no sparge at all. But when you remove the malt pipe with the grain, you will then be able to see how much wort you have. Assuming you are then boiling for 60 mins, you will probably boil off 1-2 L. If you are also are leaving some at the bottom of the boiler. Maybe 1-2L
So 23L – appox 1L to th grain. – 1.5L to the boil. -1.5l bottom of the pot.
That should be about 19L in the Fv.
Norm
The Doghouse Brewery (UK)

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Mattpc » Fri Nov 04, 2016 12:06 am

Thanks Norm that's just the sort of advise I was hoping for. I'm an experienced extract brewer but totally new to all grain and braumeister.

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Mashman » Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:09 am

There is much discussion on whether to sparge or not to sparge over on the Braumeister forum. With the BM it is not sparging in the traditional sense, more just rinsing the grains. I rarely bother. I raise the malt tube, leave it suspended for a few minutes while bringing the wort to the boil. I do press down on the top filter plate which squeezes out a fair bit of wort.
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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by IPA » Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:10 am

Mattpc wrote:Thanks for the reply. I have a 20l model. I'm trying to brew a 19l batch. I'm doing as you say regarding leaving the filters on for sparge.

From what you say, are you suggesting that for a 19l batch I should initially fill with 19l water?

Or go with the method in the link ... http://www.speidelbraumeister.com/faq

22L, 3L of sparge, which should then send you in to the boil with about 25l, perhaps you will lose 3.5l during a 60 minute boil, leaving you with 21.5l. Lose 2 litres to the Braumeister bottom and you come out with 19.5l

?
22 litres + 3 litres will leave you short of 25 litres going into the boil due to the amount of liquor retained in the grain. This amount will vary according to the grain bill. You will also lose up to 6 litres in a 90 minute boil. When I had the 20 litre model there were only three marks on the spindle 15. 20 and 25 litres and all that time ago the fine filters were cloth. :lol: Also take into account not only will you lose a bit due to the Springer but the leaf hops will also retain some liquor. You will have to experiment a bit with the volumes until you you arrive at what suits your brew length. I always try to get as much beer as possible as long as it fits my intended OG. Using the method and sparge volumes I have indicated I get between 85-88 percent efficiency. In my 50 litre BM I brew 57 litres with an ABV of 5.2 for my normal everyday bitter.
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip

It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)

Alone we travel faster
Together we travel further
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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by f00b4r » Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:27 am

If you are worried about throwing good beer away after filling your corny you could look at this: Ghetto keg overflow storage

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Mattpc » Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:56 am

I'm only doing 60 minute boils. I'm not convinced so far that I have been losing as much as four litres when boiling. I boil outdoors with the heat jacket and domed stainless steel lid on but I don't think the boil is as vigorous as my old gas burner and stockpot set up which I used to lose 5 litres to.

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Mattpc » Fri Nov 04, 2016 9:56 am

(I know you said 6 litres but my boil time is shorter)

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New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by f00b4r » Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:39 am

I lose around 2.5L an hour on my 20L BM (SS hood/jacket/) in the garage with front and back open and a good boil.
Last edited by f00b4r on Sat Nov 05, 2016 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: New Braumeister Owner Questions

Post by Doingatun » Sat Nov 05, 2016 10:06 am

Sparge...Usually brew 23L, 4% abv, using just under 4kg grain. I fill to 26L, mash, then raise the malt pipe with a ceiling hoist leaving filter plate in place, select 60 minute boil, rinse grains with 5L of preheated, treated water at 78c, leaving malt pipe to drain until just before boil starts, slide malt pipe across and lower into a bowl, gently press the filter plate to get the last of the wort out, pour into the boiling wort, ending up with about 24L in the FV, efficiency 82%.

No sparge...31L in BM, mash, raise the malt pipe, leaving filter plate in place, select 60 minute boil, leaving malt pipe to drain until just before boil starts, slide malt pipe across and lower into a bowl, gently press the filter plate to get the last of the wort out, pour into the boiling wort, ending up with about 24L in the FV, efficiency 76%.

My efficiency is consistent, 6% increase sparging, I would prefer not to sparge but feel I have to :roll:
2016 10 Brews 422 Pints
2015 11 Brews 464 Pints
Total Brews 2006-to-date 149 = 6293 Pints

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