Brew kettle alternatives

[W0nderW0man]

Has anyone tried some "other" brew kettles than Braumeister and Grainfather and how have you found them?

Just stumbled across something interesting: Bielmeier BHG 410 Mash and Brew Kettle, 1800W.

it looks like it might be good starter kettle especially if you get an insert so the mash doesn't burn but how important is it for the mash to be constantly stirred? I do it all on the hob at the moment so I stir it gently all the time (hard work that!).

I don't know if more expensive kettles have a stirrer or something?

Also when I told my mum about brewing she said: "Oh, so you'd need something like our preserving kettle!" - Would they work? They're around 70 quid and hold a lot more than my current stock pot and you can set the temperature and time on it.

 

[Dutto]

Just checked out the Bielmeier BHG 410 Mash and Brew Kettle and at ���£346.95 thought "Oh, how I wish!"

My boiler is a ���£10 - 25litre FV from Wilko ...

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/wilko-fermenting-bin-and-lid-25lt/invt/0022555

... fitted with a ���£3.50 tap ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/wine-fermenter-lever-tap-and-back-nut

... and a 2.2kw element from a ���£5 Tesco Basics Kettle.

http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-b...-white/466-6575.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=466-6575

I use this to heat up the strike-water, sparge-water and mash-out water and then use it for boiling the wort.

At �£18.50 v. �£346.95 it's a no-brainer for me; but oh how I wish! :thumb: :thumb:

 

[W0nderW0man]

haha to be honest, I don't see what the 300 quid thing does better than a preserving cooker, other than the digital temperatures.

 

[W0nderW0man]

Just checked out the Bielmeier BHG 410 Mash and Brew Kettle and at �����£346.95 thought "Oh, how I wish!"

My boiler is a �����£10 - 25litre FV from Wilko ...

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/wilko-fermenting-bin-and-lid-25lt/invt/0022555

... fitted with a �����£3.50 tap ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/wine-fermenter-lever-tap-and-back-nut

... and a 2.2kw element from a �����£5 Tesco Basics Kettle.

http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-b...-white/466-6575.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=466-6575

I use this to heat up the strike-water, sparge-water and mash-out water and then use it for boiling the wort.

At ���£18.50 v. ���£346.95 it's a no-brainer for me; but oh how I wish! :thumb: :thumb:

how easy would it be to attach a stc or something to the heater and have it controlled that way? I don't mind doing it on the hob but it would be a lot easier with one of those boilers. But... I don't assume you can use them to boil with them being plastic.

And do you find that the heater element gets clogged up and covered by the grains?

 

[Simonh82]

When you say you are stiring it constantly, do you mean you are stiring the mash constantly or are you talking about stiring the boil?

I'm pretty new to this but my understanding is that you don't need to stir the mash that frequently. Maybe 2 or 3 times over the course of an hour.

It is best to make sure it is well insulated and leave it alone for it to do its thing.

I don't think Grainfathers or similar have stiring arms but they do recirculated the wort through the grain to increase efficiency.

 

[W0nderW0man]

When you say you are stiring it constantly, do you mean you are stiring the mash constantly or are you talking about stiring the boil?

I'm pretty new to this but my understanding is that you don't need to stir the mash that frequently. Maybe 2 or 3 times over the course of an hour.

It is best to make sure it is well insulated and leave it alone for it to do its thing.

I don't think Grainfathers or similar have stiring arms but they do recirculated the wort through the grain to increase efficiency.

I'm doing step infusion mashes so I wanted the temperature to be even (not hot at the bottom with the grains resting on it and then burning). I am new to this, too, so am happy to learn new things - I don't know how much you should stir but I imagine in a big commercial plant they would constantly have it stirred by an automatic paddle as to prevent the grains from burning.

 

[Simonh82]

Duplicate entry deleted.

 

[Dutto]

To cover the points raised ,,,

1. I have a temperature controller on order for the boiler. It is rated at 10Amps and should therefore be able to control the heating element at 2.2Kw which pulls no more than 9.6 Amps. (i.e. 2,200Watts divided by 230Volts = 9.6Amps.)

2. I hope that the temperature controller will be able to:

o Control the strike-water at 75 degrees.

o Increase the temperature up to near boiling for the mash-out water.

o With the introduction of cold water, control the sparge-water at 80 degrees during the sparge.

3. My Mash Tun is brand new and unused; and there is absolutely no stirring involved. With 10/12 litres of strike-water at 73-75 degrees in the Mash Tun the introduction of +/-3kg of grain drops the temperature to +/-65 degrees. At this point the lid will be slapped on, I will wrap it in an old sheepskin coat to increase the insulation and leave it untouched for an hour. (With a stainless steel 15 litre pot wrapped in the sheepskin coat and a sweater I only lost three degrees in an hour.)

 

[brumbrew]

See my recent post about AG on the cheap.

Use what you can find or scrounge :-) at the promise of some cold home made beer ;-)

 

[Simonh82]

I'm not trying step mashes yet so can't comment on that. I guess it would require more stiring.

I picked up a 30L Burco boiler for £75 and I'm using the BIAB method. I don't think the boiler you mentioned earlier does a lot more than a burco, only giving you the option of setting a particular temperature rather than monitoring the temperature yourself and shutting of the heat when you reach the required temperature. I couldn't tell if it was also insulated which would be nice.

 

[W0nderW0man]

I'm not trying step mashes yet so can't comment on that. I guess it would require more stiring.

I picked up a 30L Burco boiler for ��£75 and I'm using the BIAB method. I don't think the boiler you mentioned earlier does a lot more than a burco, only giving you the option of setting a particular temperature rather than monitoring the temperature yourself and shutting of the heat when you reach the required temperature. I couldn't tell if it was also insulated which would be nice.

I've just ordered a boiler but it is a different model than this one. It is digital, so hopefully easier to set exact temperatures (will have to see how true they are), it's got a timer which you can also set to unlimited, and it shows the current temp also, which I like. I will still BIAB also as I think it's easier than other sparging methods and requires fewer pots.

 

[W0nderW0man]

So last weekend I used my jam boiler for the first time. I decided to go for the Proficook Einkochautomat, you can get it on amazon but it was cheaper to buy it from Germany and also I some some amazon vouchers left to use

I used the griddle insert and the BIAB method. I stirred it regularly but not ALL the time (was bottling at the same time and tidying the kitchen). I checked the temperature with a glass thermometer at the same time, just to be sure how it performs and it was only out by 1° - the thing I liked about this machine was that it also shows the current temp, not just the target temp. This degree difference could also be down to me measuring a tad higher where the grains were sitting, whereas I think the machine measures it in the bottom. I kept the lid on during the mash occasionally, especially during the 67° rest and it barely turned the heater on - you could insulate it with a yoga mat to help that if you want.

All in all, I'm chuffed to bits with this, mashing was SO easy and during the boil I didn't have to keep regulating the boil to prevent a boil over. I only boiled about 16l of wort but it should boil even when full - if not just fashion a lid with the whole in the middle or maybe cut one into the lid it comes with.

 

[Cqr]

Any chance of a link for your jam boiler, or a photo please

 

[Simonh82]

Yes, I'd be really interested to see what you ended up getting. It sounds great.

 

[cheapbrew]

goggling Proficook Einkochautomat brings up this

http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00NUISOAC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[jackthehat]

The control part looks very much like the Lidl jam boiler, with a stainless steel tank rather than enamel.

 

[W0nderW0man]

goggling Proficook Einkochautomat brings up this

http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00NUISOAC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

That's the one!

 

[W0nderW0man]

The control part looks very much like the Lidl jam boiler, with a stainless steel tank rather than enamel.

Apparently they are very similar but with the Lidl one '(not being on offer at the moment lol) being enamel and also the Lidl one can't be set to heat "further than 100°" if that makes sense? With this one, you can set it to just heat as much as it can. I only brewed about 16l in there so I set it to 100°C for the boil and that was perfect. I have no idea if the "indefinite" setting would do more than that, but as some people said they couldn't get it to a rolling boil, I wanted to have that extra option. Although, a solution for this is to fashion a tapered lid with a hole in the middle, or I think people have also just cut a hole into the lid it comes with. Also I think those people struggling to get a rolling boil were brewing outdoors - I brew in the kitchen, where it's warm

You can also insulate it with a yoga mat to keep the temperature better.

It worked a treat for me and I am glad I got it. I might consider brewing bigger batches now, but then I will have more mash and that's quite heavy and I am not sure my sieve is up for the job (or my muscles )

 

[Dutto]

how easy would it be to attach a stc or something to the heater and have it controlled that way? I don't mind doing it on the hob but it would be a lot easier with one of those boilers. But... I don't assume you can use them to boil with them being plastic.

And do you find that the heater element gets clogged up and covered by the grains?

I use the STC1000 to bring the temperature up to the 75 degrees I need to start the mash ...

... then wind it up to 85 degrees for the sparge.

Note: The element is 2.2kw and pulls less than 10Amps (2,200 Wattes divided by 230 Volt = 9.57Amps) and the ITC1000 is rated for loads up to 10 Amps.

After using the boiler to heat up the mash and sparge water, I disconnect the STC because I want it to boil. At this stage I take it outside, pour in the wort and hit the button. I cover it with an old sheepskin jacket (I'm ashamed to say that my chest/waist is apparently the same size as the FV!) and it takes less than 40 minutes to come up to the boil.

When it's boiling I remove the sheepskin jacket and keep it topped-up to the 23 litres mark as and when required. The single (and therefore off-set) element makes for a great rolling boil and as the vessel is made from HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) it is good for continuous boiling.

As per Wikipedia, HDPE "can withstand somewhat higher temperatures
(120 °C/ 248 °F for short periods,
110 °C /230 °F continuously)"​

After using it for four x one hour boils, it is still in prime condition.

I use a "Baby's Bottle Brush" to clean the element after use. Proper lautering of the mash ensures that the wort is "whole grain free" so cleaning with the brush is easy, takes less than five minutes and keeps the element pristine.

It has to be the cheapest system apart from stealing one! :whistle: :whistle: