50 litre electric BIAB?

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Galena
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50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by Galena » Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:59 am

I am looking (in vain) for a satisfactory way to replace my 30 litre Kalarstein Fullhorn.
I brew BIAB, I like the simplicity and the ease of cleaning, I batch sparge and can get mash efficiency around 80% on a good day if I recirculate the mash.
I do find though that with 30 litres to the brim, I can realistically only get 21 litres or so into the FV so would like a bigger system. It seems though such a system is difficult or impossible to find?
It could do with being 50 litres brew capacity, electric, false bottom, insulated for the mash with either a grain basket or bag and somewhat accurate temperature control for the mash.
Am I asking too much?

aamcle
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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by aamcle » Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:51 am

It can be done, you would need to build it, have a hoist to lift the bag and you would want a 30amp supply.

A Giant stockpot, 2 low watt density elements, a basket or something to keep the bag off the elements and pot walls and your done. I'd probably want to add a tap.

The hard part is mounting the hoist, getting a power supply and possibly extraction depending on were your going to brew.


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50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by f00b4r » Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:55 am

There are quite a few one pot systems that will do 50L+, the Braumeister, Grainfather, Brewtools and I think there are 50L versions of your machine too - the latter being sold under lots of brands with slight variations eg Brewmonk/Guten/etc.
There is quite a price variation between these systems. Also you will likely need a suitable socket installed for their power needs and use something like an engine with or pulley system for the much heavier grain basket.

Galena
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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by Galena » Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:28 am

aamcle wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:51 am
f00b4r wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:55 am
There are quite a few one pot systems that will do 50L+, the Braumeister, Grainfather, Brewtools and I think there are 50L versions of your machine too - the latter being sold under lots of brands with slight variations eg Brewmonk/Guten/etc.
There is quite a price variation between these systems. Also you will likely need a suitable socket installed for their power needs and use something like an engine with or pulley system for the much heavier grain basket.
I was trying to avoid an all in one system because a) I would probably end up using as all in one and not BIAB and b) If I BIAB I am not sure I want to pay for all the extras I would not need?
aamcle wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 9:51 am
It can be done, you would need to build it, have a hoist to lift the bag and you would want a 30amp supply.

A Giant stockpot, 2 low watt density elements, a basket or something to keep the bag off the elements and pot walls and your done. I'd probably want to add a tap.

The hard part is mounting the hoist, getting a power supply and possibly extraction depending on were your going to brew.


Atb. Aamcle
Yes I have been considering a self build, most of the 50litre all in one's are 3kw or less so a standard ring main should suffice. I would also need temperature control though and would choose to have a recirculation pump and all this is probably puitting the price up to a lot more than a half decent all in one? Extractor, I can position it so as it is not essential but it is something I am looking into and the hoist, I don't think that would be a major issue but if I position the pot at floor level I was hoping to be able to do without.

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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by aamcle » Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:07 pm

For a self build £200-300 should do it I doubt you would get close to that with a 50 litre all in one but it might depend on what you can buy secondhand.

Personally I'd look for a secondhand stock pot, buy PID/SSR/PT100 bits from evil bay and house the controls in a plastic box.

I now have a GF one of the old ones, I don't recommend them now the price is silly, but it's not much more trouble than BIAB you just clean the malt pipe rather than a bag.

Largely I think it depends on whether you enjoy building thing or not.


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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by Galena » Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:15 pm

aamcle wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:07 pm
For a self build £200-300 should do it I doubt you would get close to that with a 50 litre all in one but it might depend on what you can buy secondhand.

Personally I'd look for a secondhand stock pot, buy PID/SSR/PT100 bits from evil bay and house the controls in a plastic box.

I now have a GF one of the old ones, I don't recommend them now the price is silly, but it's not much more trouble than BIAB you just clean the malt pipe rather than a bag.

Largely I think it depends on whether you enjoy building thing or not.


Atb. Aamcle
The nearest I got to what I want with an all in one was a 50litre Brewdevil for a little over £400 if you don't want the extras. I may still be tempted by one of these if and when they come back in stock. I will check out the parts you suggest and see what I come up with, I could do with finding somebody's record of their build to decide how to go about it though.

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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by aamcle » Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:30 pm

Unfortunately I didn't record mine, there should be a thread on Jim's if not I know AHB (Aussie home brewer) has some.


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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by MashBag » Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:20 pm

Galena wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:59 am
I am looking (in vain) for a satisfactory way to replace my 30 litre Kalarstein Fullhorn.
I brew BIAB, I like the simplicity and the ease of cleaning, I batch sparge and can get mash efficiency around 80% on a good day if I recirculate the mash.
I do find though that with 30 litres to the brim, I can realistically only get 21 litres or so into the FV so would like a bigger system. It seems though such a system is difficult or impossible to find?
It could do with being 50 litres brew capacity, electric, false bottom, insulated for the mash with either a grain basket or bag and somewhat accurate temperature control for the mash.
Am I asking too much?
Can I ask why? The the klarstein broken or is this just a volume issue?

Galena
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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by Galena » Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:43 pm

MashBag wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:20 pm
Galena wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:59 am
I am looking (in vain) for a satisfactory way to replace my 30 litre Kalarstein Fullhorn.
I brew BIAB, I like the simplicity and the ease of cleaning, I batch sparge and can get mash efficiency around 80% on a good day if I recirculate the mash.
I do find though that with 30 litres to the brim, I can realistically only get 21 litres or so into the FV so would like a bigger system. It seems though such a system is difficult or impossible to find?
It could do with being 50 litres brew capacity, electric, false bottom, insulated for the mash with either a grain basket or bag and somewhat accurate temperature control for the mash.
Am I asking too much?
Can I ask why? The the klarstein broken or is this just a volume issue?
Just volume, nothing wrong with the Klarstein, the max I can normally get in the FV is 21 litres, sometime a little more but my FV's will take up to 28 litres and it would be nice to fill them a little more. With a 50 or more I could potentially fill 2 FV's in one brew.

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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by MashBag » Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:46 pm

2 fermenters in one brew I get.

But for a single brew have you considered topping up the fv?

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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by Galena » Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:52 pm

MashBag wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:46 pm
2 fermenters in one brew I get.

But for a single brew have you considered topping up the fv?
It has crossed my mind yes, but not looked into it seriously yet, like how I would deal with water treatment for the top up water etc.I batch sparge so perhaps I could just increase the level of sparge water to the required amount.

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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by MashBag » Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:19 pm

Absolutely. Treat enough water, but you drain some off.

Seems to shame spend not an insignificant amount of money, when you could just adapt your process

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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by MashBag » Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:21 pm

If you can drink your water, it does not have to be boiled.

Galena
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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by Galena » Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:20 pm

MashBag wrote:
Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:19 pm
Absolutely. Treat enough water, but you drain some off.

Seems to shame spend not an insignificant amount of money, when you could just adapt your process
Well I have just ordered a load of kegging equipment so the bigger system will have to be put on hold for a good while yet, so adapt I shall :)

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Re: 50 litre electric BIAB?

Post by Cobnut » Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:34 am

I use a Grainfather which is usually good for 23L batches with ease - less if you want to brew a really strong ale! - but I have also made 30L batches by creating a stronger than normal wort and liquoring back post boil. I heat my sparge water in a separate "tea boiler" (which used to be used for BIAB before I "upgraded" to the GF), so I simply heat up a larger volume of sparge water and once the boil is complete, add the extra to the GF and cool/transfer as normal, but I get a 30L batch.

Simples!

The calculation is quite straighforward too, although I use Brewfather which works it all out for you.
Fermenting: Sunshine Marmalade
Conditioning: Festbier, Helles Bock
Drinking: Smoky, lager beer, Irish Export Stout, Hazelweiss 2023:2, Cascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
Planning: Kozel dark (ish), Simmonds Bitter, and more!

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