| Author |
Message |
    
Richard Nye
Senior Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 1208
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 09:48 pm: | 
|
Just got my Brew Magic and thought you'd like to see some detailed pictures of it. I haven't brewed on it yet, but it's constructed very well and the design seems outstanding.
 |
Pascal Desbiens
New Member
Username: Aumaitrebrasseur
Post Number: 11
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 12:38 am: |
|
Wow!
What a beast! It looks veeeeeeeerrrrrrry nice! Richard, just don't forget to post some comments here when you'll try this beautiful little toy!
Cool... |
Why1504
Intermediate Member
Username: Why1504
Post Number: 337
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 - 02:10 am: |
|
Richard,
Great choice. I am envious. |
Beee-yah
New Member
Username: Beeeyah
Post Number: 6
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 06:02 am: |
|
Looks neat. Won't the wort in the sight tube of the BK not boil?
Could you describe how the outlet of the BK is connected to the valve? Couldn't tell from the sabco sight. Looks to be clover, but the ball valve is fpt...
What are you going to make first? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 4437
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 04:03 pm: |
|
Beee-yah, the wort in the sight glass remains below boiling temperature. |
Beee-yah
New Member
Username: Beeeyah
Post Number: 10
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 04:16 am: |
|
And then that wort doesn't get sanitized....? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 4445
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 12:20 pm: |
|
It doesn't need to be boiling to be sanitized. The wort in the sight glass reaches 170-180 F, and during a typical boil the time period and temperature are more than sufficient for sanitation.
(Message edited by BillPierce on January 18, 2006) |
Richard Nye
Senior Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 1225
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 02:59 pm: |
|
Beee-yah...there is a tri-clover fitting between the BK and the valve. I'll agree with Bill that tri-clover fittings are a bit of an overkill for homebrew rigs, but they are easy to disassemble.
My first batch will be a mild. I've never made one and I need something I can drink quick (out of beer). I'll follow that up with my favorite APA recipe. |
KeepBrewing
Member
Username: Kb7
Post Number: 141
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 01:59 am: |
|
GGGGreat set up. |
Argie
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 05:41 pm: |
|
what a great toy, I am from Argentina and I ve never seen nothing like that, please could tou send a map of it to try to get some similars materials or so to hand make it.
My english is not so good, sorry, I hope you understand what I am trying to say |
ELK
Senior Member
Username: Elkski
Post Number: 1380
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 03:59 pm: |
|
Bill P., Maybe you could take a BM down to Argentina and start a brew pub..I can see it now Bill the "Don" of of some small town. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 4558
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 04:26 pm: |
|
The smallest commercial system I'd consider would use 55 gal. stainless drums. You could brew 1 bbl. (31 US gal. or 117 liters) batches and keg them in two Sanke kegs. The system would look something like an upsized version of Why1504's. A good-sized restaurant exhaust hood would allow it to be used indoors.
Such a thing would only make sense for a "hobby" connected with a bar or restaurant in a place where there aren't too many licensing restrictions. You certainly couldn't make a living at it. |
Richard Nye
Senior Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 1242
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 01:57 pm: |
|
Argie, I don't have a "map" or drawing of it. The best I can do is send you pictures. If you want some detailed pictures of anything I'll take them and email them to you. |
Ned Buntline
Junior Member
Username: Ned_buntline
Post Number: 61
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 07:10 pm: |
|
Bill Pierce wrote:
"The smallest commercial system I'd consider would use 55 gal. stainless drums."
I was looking over the book that the owner of Dogfish Head Brewery wrote the other day. It seems they started their first establishment with a Brew Magic system. There's a picture of it in the middle of the book. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 4576
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 09:21 pm: |
|
As nice as the BrewMagic system is, it just seems too small to be usable for a production brewery. In a total of about 10 hours (brewing and racking time) you produce only two corny kegs of beer. That's about one hour of labor per gallon. I'm not an efficiency fanatic, especially about craft brewing, but that just seems absurd to me.
Most brewpubs and microbreweries are so undercaptialized that they have to substitute muscle for technology, but there is a point where you hamstring yourself into paralysis. Time is worth something. Either the proprietor works him/herself to death or pays minimum wage and produces a minimum quality product. |
Sean Richens
Intermediate Member
Username: Sean
Post Number: 278
Registered: 04-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 07, 2006 - 02:27 am: |
|
Hola, Argie.
Probes esto: http://www.brewrats.org/hwb/hwb.html
y esto: http://hbd.org/cdp/
No puedes encontrar "cerveceros1060" que son un club a BA que he conoci hay unos anos. Tal vez el: http://come.to/birraclub los conoce.
Can anyone suggest another nexus of brew systems pages? I met Argentinians who reverse engineered ball-lock keg fittings (in stainless!), made their own crystal malts, so I have no doubt Argie just needs to meet the right people and get a few ideas. |
Richard Nye
Senior Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 1304
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 03:25 pm: |
|
OK, I've brewed 3 11 gal batches so far. A mild, an APA, and a pilsner.
Efficiencies were (measured in the fermenter):
Mild (O.G. 1.040) 93%
APA (O.G. 1.053) 82%
Pils (O.G. 1.048) 80%
The pils had rests at 122F, 140F and 158F. Temperature rise was about 2F/min. The BM held the mash temperatures consistent within 1F, and when I took measurments (with my very accurate Fluke digital thermometer) throughout the mash they were all within 1F of each other. The mash temperature is controlled very, very well.
I had some problem on the first 2 batches during the sparge with the pump loosing prime, but it looks like I've got that worked out. I am going to replace the supplied hose during the sparge with a home-made sprinkler to more gently and evenly sprinkle the water over the grainbed.
The whole brew day is taking me about 6 or 7 hours from start through complete clean up. I've been following Sabco's recommendation of flooding the grain with cold water, letting it sit for 20 minutes, then ramping up to mash temperatures. Next time I'm going to mash into hot liquor to save time.
It's very easy to clean, no problems there. I've been circulating PBW through the pipes, pump and RIMS heater.
After the 3rd brew I took the heating element out and it was pretty crusty. I tried PBW, wire brush and neither worked. Had to soak it in CLR to get in softened up and clean. It took a while to get it out (had to remove 10 screws) then let it soak.
Overall, I'm very happy with the construction quality, ease of operation, and consistency of mash temperatures. It ain't cheap, but it is a pleasure to brew on. |
Homebrewery Photo Gallery