Klarstein Maischfest Mash Kettle?

[KiaOraBrew]

Does anyone have one of these? Thoughts so far? They're on sale for £240 currently. Very very tempted..

What aside from no recirc pump, what are the negatives?

https://www.klarstein.co.uk/Home-ap...1500-3000W-25l-LCD-Touch-Stainless-Steel.html

 

[Horners]

240 seems high price - think i got mine for 190. There have been a few threads on this but broad consensus seems to be its a good piece of entry levek kit. I'M a few extract boils and about 7 AGs into mine now and have method dialled in. Holds steady mash temperature, boils violently, cleans easily.

 

[Dull Boy]

I have the Klarstein Beerfest which is the earlier basic model, cannot fault it, done 8 full BIAB AG brews, great piece of entry level kit. I bought direct from manufacturer as its free postage & same price as Amazon & Ebay. Think I paid £150.

 

[KiaOraBrew]

240 seems high price - think i got mine for 190. There have been a few threads on this but broad consensus seems to be its a good piece of entry levek kit. I'M a few extract boils and about 7 AGs into mine now and have method dialled in. Holds steady mash temperature, boils violently, cleans easily.

Are. You sure it was this model? Where did you get it for that price??

 

[LeeH]

I’d wait and save another 100 for the robobrew @349 or equivalent.

 

[KiaOraBrew]

Seems like it's a good £50 cheaper if you order it from the German Klarstein site? My only big issue right now is no pump for recirc.

Thats a good point about the Robobrew but again that's double the price of this one

 

[LeeH]

Buy once, cry once.

 

[PeterB]

Hi,

I have ordered a Maischfest and am trying to work out how I would sparge most efficiently, before it arrives - preparation is key!

I presume you put in the required liquid for the grain, as I normally would with my 3xtub system, and then dough in, stir and wait with it set to e.g. 66deg. You then raise the grain using the internal container and it rests on the top of the unit, draining wort. Now ready to sparge.

I have seen people then pour additional water onto the top of the grain bed (although where does the water come from? An HLT?). In some Youtube videos I have seen people use the pump to fly sparge at a higher temperature, but where does the additional water come from - how does it get into the Maischfest kettle? Am I missing something?

I intend on adding one of my own pumps to recirculate, sparge (possibly) and pump to the fermenter - which might change the answer.

Any clues, ideas or opinions?

Regards

Peter

 

[kelper]

The only disadvantage I see is that you have to lift the grain basket right out and then slip in a ring to hold it up. This makes it very tall if you want to sparge. The programmer only does one step but this is a minor quibble since you have to be there anyway.

 

[Barry AGB]

I recently bought a Maischeft for £178 with a 24 hr discount code on the Klarstein UK website. Very happy with it. Hooked up a pump for recirc. I have an 8 litre Urn wih temp control which I use to sparge using a 2 litre jug, poured slowly over the grains. Works for me as I tend to brew 15 - 20 litre batches.

 

[PeterB]

I recently bought a Maischeft for £178 with a 24 hr discount code on the Klarstein UK website. Very happy with it. Hooked up a pump for recirc. I have an 8 litre Urn wih temp control which I use to sparge using a 2 litre jug, poured slowly over the grains. Works for me as I tend to brew 15 - 20 litre batches.

I think I will do similar - I may use a sparging arm and a pump rather than a jug. Not sure yet.

Thanks

Pete

 

[Brewed_Force]

I have seen people then pour additional water onto the top of the grain bed (although where does the water come from? An HLT?). In some Youtube videos I have seen people use the pump to fly sparge at a higher temperature, but where does the additional water come from - how does it get into the Maischfest kettle? Am I missing something?

You could sparge with cold water.

 

[Horners]

I think I will do similar - I may use a sparging arm and a pump rather than a jug. Not sure yet.

Thanks

Pete

For folk that hook up a pump, if you set up a pump to recirculate presumably this has an adverse affect on temperature retention in the mash?

 

[PeterB]

For folk that hook up a pump, if you set up a pump to recirculate presumably this has an adverse affect on temperature retention in the mash?

I am hoping the heater will keep the water at a reasonably constant temperature whilst recirculating.

 

[Horners]

I am hoping the heater will keep the water at a reasonably constant temperature whilst recirculating.

Ah - I always turn heater off and insulate as never convinced it holds temp very accurately. I guess though if recirculating it would mean a more even distribution?

 

[Barry AGB]

I keep the heater running during recirculation...and take plenty of temperature readings as the Klarstein temperature readout is not particularly accurate.

 

[PeterB]

I added a pump to recirculate but the temperature controller on the mash tun allows a huge 3 deg centigrade drift lower than the desired temperature, which means my mash temperature also varied by that much.

This is also a problem when boiling as I needed to set the desired temperature to 103 degrees to prevent it from drifting below boiling point. If you set it to 100, then it will drift to 97 and stop boiling. Setting it to 103 meant the boil worked (i.e. it boiled nicely), but because it never actually reached 103 degrees the timer didn't work (the timer only works when you are at the desired temperature) so I timed it manually.

 

[PeterB]

I have returned to a 3 pot brew - HLT with PID (wall mounted Inkbird IPB16), cooler box mash tun and the Maischfest as a boiler.

The Maischfest varied too much in temperature - the controller (not a PID) varied down to 3 deg C below the temperature you set it to and my 25L version had too greater temperature variation from top to bottom as it is tall and thin.

It is a great boiler, provided it is set to 103 deg C and you time it yourself, because you can use the 3kw element to get to a boil and the 1.5kw to keep it boiling and because it is tall and thin it reduces evaporation.

My brew day is so relaxed - it works nicely together, can be left on its own to sparge, boil, mash, etc. Pipework prevents spillage and drips. It is sort of meditation that makes beer.