Hi BIABers,
First of all, I would like to thank you all and congratulate you for pushing the limits, experimenting and proving that it is possible to make great beers without tons of expensive tools.
I am in a "documentation process", trying to figure exactly how this new thing called brewing works, and searching for equipment, mainly a nice big pot.
1)I stumble upon this:
http://www.alpina24.ch/product_info.php ... oport.html
It's a SS "thermo" double walled insulated pot with a tap.
But contrary to your "urns", it doesn't have any electrical heating element and it is just designed to keep warm and dispense hot beverages.
Is it suitable for direct gaz heating?
Or is it a better idea to forget the "nice and shiny" thing and go with a simpler classic SS pot?
2)I like the idea of the tap, is it really useful or just another thing to keep clean and sanitized
Sorry for my english, thanks in advance for your time and advices.
Post #2 made 15 years ago
Hi binoclard and welcome to the forum.
If the pot is single walled on it's base then it could be direct fired with gas. You could also use an over the side electric immersion heater, as an alternative to direct heating.
I like the idea of double wall, but I haven't researched it to know how it works, or what you need to do to maintain temps. Is it like a vacuum flask, or is the jacket filled with steam or water to maintain temperatures?
There are 2 schools on taps, the first says that they are not needed and are just another thing to clean and sanitise. The second says they are great and everyone should have one. I'm in the first group.
Let us know which way you go. I'd like to hear how this particular pot works.
If the pot is single walled on it's base then it could be direct fired with gas. You could also use an over the side electric immersion heater, as an alternative to direct heating.
I like the idea of double wall, but I haven't researched it to know how it works, or what you need to do to maintain temps. Is it like a vacuum flask, or is the jacket filled with steam or water to maintain temperatures?
There are 2 schools on taps, the first says that they are not needed and are just another thing to clean and sanitise. The second says they are great and everyone should have one. I'm in the first group.
Let us know which way you go. I'd like to hear how this particular pot works.
"It's beer Jim, but not as we know it."
Post #3 made 15 years ago
Thanks hashie,
I'll ask the vendor about the base. It catch my eyes because of the look and the thermo thing, meaning less heat loss, etc, but if it's not suitable for gas, I'll choose a classic pot, as I want to keep it simple and don't want to mess with an external heater.
I'll make up my mind about the tap too; I think I'll be in the second group though, no offense;-)
I'll ask the vendor about the base. It catch my eyes because of the look and the thermo thing, meaning less heat loss, etc, but if it's not suitable for gas, I'll choose a classic pot, as I want to keep it simple and don't want to mess with an external heater.
I'll make up my mind about the tap too; I think I'll be in the second group though, no offense;-)
Post #4 made 15 years ago
Welcome to the forum Bino 
I knew I had seen your pot somewhere before here and finally found the thread on it. You can see it here
I would send nik a PM or post to his thread to see if he ended up buying one.
I would love to hear more about these vessels. They look very interesting.
Your English is great Bino!
PP
I knew I had seen your pot somewhere before here and finally found the thread on it. You can see it here
I would send nik a PM or post to his thread to see if he ended up buying one.
I would love to hear more about these vessels. They look very interesting.
Your English is great Bino!
PP
Last edited by PistolPatch on 21 Apr 2011, 18:04, edited 5 times in total.
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Post #5 made 15 years ago
Thanks for the link PistolPatch.
I emailed the vendor and he says it is not suitable for direct heating, but only to keep tea/coffee/soup warm…
I am definitely not "crafty" enough (or motivated… ) to drill it and convert it with a heating element.
Too bad… The price was way cheaper than other –non insulated– 70l pots with tap…
So, back to square one, in search of a cool proper vessel
I emailed the vendor and he says it is not suitable for direct heating, but only to keep tea/coffee/soup warm…
I am definitely not "crafty" enough (or motivated… ) to drill it and convert it with a heating element.
Too bad… The price was way cheaper than other –non insulated– 70l pots with tap…
So, back to square one, in search of a cool proper vessel
Post #6 made 15 years ago
Not to worry Bino,
Back to square one is great. Now we can focus on your needs rather than designing them around a single bit of equipment.
I think the first things we need to know are...
a) Are you brewing outside?
b) How much beer do you want to brew and how often?
c) What sort of temperatures will you be brewing in? (If outside, will you be mashing in freezing conditions.)
In the meantime, have a read of this thread.
Cheers,
PP
Back to square one is great. Now we can focus on your needs rather than designing them around a single bit of equipment.
I think the first things we need to know are...
a) Are you brewing outside?
b) How much beer do you want to brew and how often?
c) What sort of temperatures will you be brewing in? (If outside, will you be mashing in freezing conditions.)
In the meantime, have a read of this thread.
Cheers,
PP
Last edited by PistolPatch on 21 Apr 2011, 19:14, edited 5 times in total.
If you have found the above or anything else of value on BIABrewer.info, consider supporting us by getting some BIPs!
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Post #7 made 15 years ago
That pot is commonly used as a Mashtun here in Ireland and also the guys in UK use them, they use something else for HLT, but they definitely make a lovely MT.
http://beernvictuals.blogspot.com/ My blog, If you like what you read post a comment on the blog comments section thanks, BIAB post coming soon.
Post #8 made 15 years ago
Mmmmh… good questions.
a) yep, outside, I guess. I am tempted by perhaps trying a small batch on a stove pot first, but the goal is –for the moment…– to go with a gas burner and a big pot. I have a roofed terrasse, with hooks for hammocks to lift the bag.
b) I really don't plan a huge production, I am more interested in the creative cooking process and trying recipes. Standard batches (20-30L?) every other month? So a 50L pot would be my pick? I suppose the safe bet would be to buy one from a brew-stuff vendor, but a nice 50L SS pot with lid and tap is around chf 400/500.– (~500 $) here… (You see why I found this one sooo attractive)
c) Winter in Switzerland can be really cold and snowy
EoinMag: I am definitely not "brew-cultured" enough to understand all the subtilities of the hobby. I vaguely grasp the concept of HLT, but certainly not the practical side… How do they do? They keep adding hot water to the non-heated mash tun to obtain/keep the right temperature?
a) yep, outside, I guess. I am tempted by perhaps trying a small batch on a stove pot first, but the goal is –for the moment…– to go with a gas burner and a big pot. I have a roofed terrasse, with hooks for hammocks to lift the bag.
b) I really don't plan a huge production, I am more interested in the creative cooking process and trying recipes. Standard batches (20-30L?) every other month? So a 50L pot would be my pick? I suppose the safe bet would be to buy one from a brew-stuff vendor, but a nice 50L SS pot with lid and tap is around chf 400/500.– (~500 $) here… (You see why I found this one sooo attractive)
c) Winter in Switzerland can be really cold and snowy
EoinMag: I am definitely not "brew-cultured" enough to understand all the subtilities of the hobby. I vaguely grasp the concept of HLT, but certainly not the practical side… How do they do? They keep adding hot water to the non-heated mash tun to obtain/keep the right temperature?
Post #9 made 15 years ago
Correct Binoclard, the Hot liquor tank is known as the HLT for short apologies. In a traditional three vessel system it would be vessel #1 where the water is heated and kept for mashing in and sparging, which is the rinsing of the grains.
Hot liquor tank--->Mash tun--->Boiler
With Biab we do it all in one. So while that thing would be good for mashing I'd not necessarily use it for boiling if you want to retain the insulation.
Hot liquor tank--->Mash tun--->Boiler
With Biab we do it all in one. So while that thing would be good for mashing I'd not necessarily use it for boiling if you want to retain the insulation.
http://beernvictuals.blogspot.com/ My blog, If you like what you read post a comment on the blog comments section thanks, BIAB post coming soon.
