Does anyone brew with the Brewers Edge Mash and Boil?

[delcosansgluten]

Does the GF wort cause any problems with the recirculation pump?

 

[Coastalbrew]

I have a mash and boil without the pump and do manual recirculation. I've not done a gf brew yet, but am planning to do some later this year. I'm curious about the nature of your question. How is the gf wort different from regular wort, and why would it potentially be a problem for the pump?

 

[TahoePowderHound]

I believe this is a similar set up to the grainfather. @skleice might have some input on necessary modifications for GF. I think one of the most common is to add a finer mesh screen as millet is so much finer than barley, a lot of the grain can still pass through and clog things up. I recirculate my cooler mash tun with a chugged pump and I had to add a frying splatter screen to it to prevent the same issues.

 

[skleice]

Yeah, the wort is no different, but the small grains are the issue. Some people cut a splatter screen to fit on the bottom. I just use a biab bag around the grain pipe and it works great. I end up catching a softball sized lump of grain in there when all is said and done.

 

[delcosansgluten]

I have a mash and boil without the pump and do manual recirculation. I've not done a gf brew yet, but am planning to do some later this year. I'm curious about the nature of your question. How is the gf wort different from regular wort, and why would it potentially be a problem for the pump?

I have noticed that my GF wort is much thicker at the bottom of the kettle and carboy than when I used to brew regular grains. As others have posted, my concern is the ground up millet being a problem.

 

[delcosansgluten]

Yeah, the wort is no different, but the small grains are the issue. Some people cut a splatter screen to fit on the bottom. I just use a biab bag around the grain pipe and it works great. I end up catching a softball sized lump of grain in there when all is said and done.

Thanks! What material do folks use for a splatter screen? Also, what is the grain pipe? I currently brew 1 gallon batches on my stove and my most recent brew has inspired me to step up and the BEMB seems like a good move for me.

 

[Coastalbrew]

@cryptohomebrew I really like my mash and boil. It is so much better than my old stove top system. The grain pipe is a stainless steel tube with a flat strainer like bottom. You put the grain in the pipe during the mash. When the mash is over, lift the pipe and grains out, rest it on top of the unit and sparge. I would suggest lining the grain pipe with a biab bag to make the sparge easier and reduce the amount of trub in the kettle. I went for simplicity and got my system without the pump. Can't say I wish I had it.

Cheers!

 

[delcosansgluten]

After reading this thread I felt confident enough to go ahead and buy a mash and boil (with pump). Has anyone ever had a clog with this unit? I imagine if it gets clogged, I would just shut the pump off and manually sparge? Per these instructions they make it look like the user has to dump the wort out to do this. Doesnt seem practical during a mash/boil.

https://www.williamsbrewing.com/pdfs/B95a.pdf

 

[delcosansgluten]

I ran my unit through a system check yesterday. Did an entire run using only water to observe how the unit works. Really excited to give this a go. 12/26 I am going to brew this. https://www.glutenfreehomebrewing.com/recipes/showrecipe.php?recipeid=208 (Will create a thread for it)

 

[Coastalbrew]

@cryptohomebrew , you should join the mash and boil Facebook group, if you haven't already. There is tons of great info on there too. My system doesn't have the pump and I do manual recirculation, so I can't give you any feedback there, but there are always people talking about how to resolve pump clogs on the FB group.

Enjoy your first brew.

Cheers!

 

[delcosansgluten]

@cryptohomebrew , you should join the mash and boil Facebook group, if you haven't already. There is tons of great info on there too. My system doesn't have the pump and I do manual recirculation, so I can't give you any feedback there, but there are always people talking about how to resolve pump clogs on the FB group.

Enjoy your first brew.

Cheers!

Thanks Costalbrew! I have heard many good things about the facebook group but I cannot stand the ethics of facebook so I choose not to use their service. I'll learn what I can from other sources. Do you brew GF beers?!

 

[Coastalbrew]

I totally understand your feelings about fb. I dislike it quite a bit myself.

I have not done any gf beers yet, but my wife and brother in law are both gf, so I'd like to try some gf brews in the future. I'm still researching and looking for some kits to get me started. I don't have a mill of my own, so buying bulk grains is not an option.

 

[skleice]

Thanks Costalbrew! I have heard many good things about the facebook group but I cannot stand the ethics of facebook so I choose not to use their service. I'll learn what I can from other sources. Do you brew GF beers?!

I hear you on the FB thing. I created an account under a fake name and it's sole purpose is to read and participate in the Zero Tolerance page. I have no 'friends' or info on the account. Unfortunately, that is where the most updated and relevant discussion is taking place.