Brewster Beacon or Brew Monk All in One Brewing System?

[melhaer]

Hey guys,

I am new, I just bottled yesterday my first extract kit and another one is fermenting, but I would like to move to all grain.

I am from Bulgaria and here there are options for two all grain systems: Brewster Beacon and Brew Monk.

The Beacon is like 20 euros more expensive, so the price is not determining.

Both systems look very similar and I am sure the temp controller is the same. The Beacon looks a bit better as it has an external visual measurement...On the other side, the Monk has 3 years of warranty...

If anyone has some thoughts I will appreciate it!

 

[foxy]

Hey guys,

I am new, I just bottled yesterday my first extract kit and another one is fermenting, but I would like to move to all grain.

I am from Bulgaria and here there are options for two all grain systems: Brewster Beacon and Brew Monk.

The Beacon is like 20 euros more expensive, so the price is not determining.

Both systems look very similar and I am sure the temp controller is the same. The Beacon looks a bit better as it has an external visual measurement...On the other side, the Monk has 3 years of warranty...

If anyone has some thoughts I will appreciate it!

Both are from the same stable, the sight glass on the side could be fitted to the Brew Monk as an extra. The only reason for the Brew Monk to have a longer warranty would be because the distributor who is selling it has more confidence in the product he is selling. Both have the same elements, circuit board and control panel.

 

[GerritT]

And here's a third one, the new edition comes with graduated sight glass (august '19), with €80 pre-order cashback and 3 year warranty.
But if warranty is one of the criteria, consider a local vendor. Repair under warranty is a pain in the **** when you're on the other side of the continent.

 

[melhaer]

Thanks guys! All answers are really useful. And one more question, in the Brewster description there is something saying:

Bottom filter reduces sludge by up to 50%.
The pump sucks directly from the bottom through the bottom filter, which minimizes the loss of beer

I am not sure if I translated it correctly, but it is not included in the Mon's description. Is is something that is worthed? The Monk also is sold by a company that is presented where I live - Sofia, while the Brewster is another city and in case of warranty I would prefer the Monk, except that Bottom filler is not really that great, but if the glass side is an extra to the Monk, I suppose the bottom filler also could be included...

@GerriT - that is really the reason to limit my searches only to these two options, because in case of warranty I would not like to ship there and back all over Europe.

And the descriptions both says: capacity: 30 litre (total volume = 40 litre) - is it really correct, because if you like to pick the systems in the BrewFather app, it is marked as (total volume: 29, capacity: 23)?

 

[foxy]

The way to look at it is firstly is it really necessary to have a sight glass, no, a piece of dowel with graduations will work just the same, keep things simple and know your system. The bottom filter, which I am presuming is the filter going over the pump inlet, you don't need, the pump will filter out any grains and husks and whatever other **** is outside of the malt pipe and dump it all on the top of the grain bed inside the malt pipe.

 

[melhaer]

Thanks these are exactly things that I wanted to clear before buying!

 

[The Baron]

Foxy is right no filter on the pump is required don't forget your grain is crushed so no over large pieces big enough to clog the pump and you can put a sieve under the outlet or if you are really worried put a piece of nylon stocking over the outlet to catch any grain but if not it will just go back into the grain bed. If by any chance your pump does get clogged just turn off and put a hosepipe on the top where the outlet pipe attaches and flush through thats how I clean it after the brew anyway

 

[melhaer]

So in my case it seems Brew Monk would be more convenient because of the extended warranty and because the shop is like 5km from home:)

 

[GerritT]

So in my case it seems Brew Monk would be more convenient because of the extended warranty and because the shop is like 5km from home:)

5 km? Worth it!