Hi all,
I'm about to take the plunge into BIAB brewing. I've made 4 kits so far and although acceptable, I want more (flavour that is, not beer, hang on maybe both).
I am a lazy brewer and much prefer drinking the finished product to spending all day brewing and would like to keep the necessary first step of the actual brewing process to a minimum.
I will be brewing in the kitchen and plan on using an electric boiler.
I expect that the majority of my brews will be British ales around 4 to 5%.
I'm thinking of the 75 or 98 litre stainless steel boiler from the Hop and Grape http://www.hopandgrape.com/public/detai ... TA20252653.
Would this be ok to make a few 5 gallon brews while I get used to the process and possibly make the odd 5 gallon mistake before going on to make 10 gallon batches?
I will be rigging up a pulley system for the grain bag.
The other and much cheaper option is to forget the 10 gallon brews and buy a Buffalo 40 litre electric urn but would this be suitable for the beers I will be mostly making without having to top up?
Finally if I do go for the Buffalo, is it easy to clean around the element and is the tap easy to clean and are there better taps that will fit this?
Sorry for so many questions on my first proper post but am anxious to get under way asap.
Post #2 made 14 years ago
Maybe I'm just greedy but I wanted to upgrade to 10 gallon batches as soon as the budget allowed. If saving time (I didn't say being lazy, but I am too, so yea) is your goal, maybe get equipment that will do 5 to 10 gallon batches from the start. My reasoning is: it takes almost the same amount of time to make 10 gallons than it does to do 5. Since all grain brewing is cheaper it won't hurt that bad. Then you just squeezed two brew days into one. The odds of having a batch that you don't like is VERY LOW. Besides, you can always save the extra cases/kegs for when the in-laws come mooching beer.
I'm speaking from experience from three-vessel brewing. I have yet to get my first BIAB under way, so maybe the experienced BIAB guys may have a different take on this thinking.
But I'll warn you. In the winter when the house is closed up you will turn your kitchen into a rain forest if you plan to stay indoors. Then again, that's how Jim Koch (Founder of Sam Adams) got his start. He steamed all of the wall paper off the kitchen walls, his wife kicked him out to the garage and the rest is history. I share a similar story
"It's good to get kicked out of the kitchen"
I'm speaking from experience from three-vessel brewing. I have yet to get my first BIAB under way, so maybe the experienced BIAB guys may have a different take on this thinking.
But I'll warn you. In the winter when the house is closed up you will turn your kitchen into a rain forest if you plan to stay indoors. Then again, that's how Jim Koch (Founder of Sam Adams) got his start. He steamed all of the wall paper off the kitchen walls, his wife kicked him out to the garage and the rest is history. I share a similar story
"It's good to get kicked out of the kitchen"
Post #3 made 14 years ago
Hi Ziggybrew,
That's my thoughts exactly, combine 2 brewdays into one. My plan is to somehow make a sturdy wooden storage trolley, possibly combined with an insulated fermenting chamber underneath and have a hinged worktop. The idea would be to wheel this into the kitchen on brewdays, open out the hinged worktop so that one half rests on the cooker hob right under the extractor hood and this is where I would do my boil. I might need to put the boiler on a wheeled platform within runners and an endstop for safety in order to pull out from under the cooker hood and onto the other half of the worktop which is now supported by the storage trolley itself. This would now be directly under a wooden beam which would easily support a pulley and heavy wet grain bag. The extractor hood should take care of the rain forest.
This sounds like I'm an accomplished joiner or diyer - I'm not! But in the interests of good beer I'll learn.
That's my thoughts exactly, combine 2 brewdays into one. My plan is to somehow make a sturdy wooden storage trolley, possibly combined with an insulated fermenting chamber underneath and have a hinged worktop. The idea would be to wheel this into the kitchen on brewdays, open out the hinged worktop so that one half rests on the cooker hob right under the extractor hood and this is where I would do my boil. I might need to put the boiler on a wheeled platform within runners and an endstop for safety in order to pull out from under the cooker hood and onto the other half of the worktop which is now supported by the storage trolley itself. This would now be directly under a wooden beam which would easily support a pulley and heavy wet grain bag. The extractor hood should take care of the rain forest.
This sounds like I'm an accomplished joiner or diyer - I'm not! But in the interests of good beer I'll learn.
Post #4 made 14 years ago
I've just upgraded from a 50L to 98L pot. Mainly because it was too much of PITA to do doubles in the 50
I still intend to use the 50 for singles. But the 98 is such a nice pot
I'd I had got a 70 in the first place I'd probably be able to do doubles (people do) and would have has to spend anywhere near as much
Are you planning on running an outdoors gas burner inside?
I still intend to use the 50 for singles. But the 98 is such a nice pot
I'd I had got a 70 in the first place I'd probably be able to do doubles (people do) and would have has to spend anywhere near as much
Are you planning on running an outdoors gas burner inside?
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #5 made 14 years ago
No, both the 98 litre pot and the Buffalo are electric. The 98 litre comes with the option of either 1 or 2 elements.
Post #6 made 14 years ago
You would need a lot of watts
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #7 made 14 years ago
Yes I just need to check on the wattage, it doesn't say on the shop's website. I'll check with them when they reopen in the new year.
Post #8 made 14 years ago
Good thing is in the UK (I think you're in the UK you have quite strong mains circuits, 15A at 240V?
you have quite strong mains circuits, 15A at 240V?Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #9 made 14 years ago
Just looked at their website again and an element and lead shown separately on the site is 2.4kw. It says that this is used on all their boilers. Would one of these be enough or should I go for two?
Post #10 made 14 years ago
No I'm in Portugal, I think it's 230V. I already struggle with much more than a kettle and a toaster on at the same time so I think I'll need an upgrade anyway.
Post #11 made 14 years ago
I'm fairly certain you'll need two.
2.4KW is good for a 40L boiler. Barely enough for a 50L and would not be enough for a larger boiler.
You would probably need at least 3600, but 4800W (ie 2x2400) should be good. And once at boil, you might be able to turn off one of the elements? or at least dial it back (with the right device)
2.4KW is good for a 40L boiler. Barely enough for a 50L and would not be enough for a larger boiler.
You would probably need at least 3600, but 4800W (ie 2x2400) should be good. And once at boil, you might be able to turn off one of the elements? or at least dial it back (with the right device)
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #12 made 14 years ago
Good Day Rooster. 2x2400watt elements at 230V only need 10amps each, so it should not be a problem to go 4800 watts.
Stux is correct, you could wire a switch to each element to control them.
Stux is correct, you could wire a switch to each element to control them.
Honest Officer, I swear to Drunk, I am Not God.
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Post #13 made 14 years ago
Hi there Rooster,
The evaporation will be quite high from the 98 litre pot on a single batch. This is n't a major problem, just something to bear in mind.
I have two 70 litre kettles which do double batches (38 L of beer) of standard gravity brews with 90 minute boils with a little bit of topping up after mash out. I'm happy with that size.
Another alternative (expensive though) could be to get two of the 50 litre urns and do two simultaneous bit different brews each brew day.
PP
The evaporation will be quite high from the 98 litre pot on a single batch. This is n't a major problem, just something to bear in mind.
I have two 70 litre kettles which do double batches (38 L of beer) of standard gravity brews with 90 minute boils with a little bit of topping up after mash out. I'm happy with that size.
Another alternative (expensive though) could be to get two of the 50 litre urns and do two simultaneous bit different brews each brew day.
PP
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