All-in-one all-grain system recommendations

Hi Guys - I've decided to take the plunge and move from extract to all-grain after being shown a grain father in local homebrewshop. But to be honest I like a project (to keep me in the garage :)), so been toying with the idea of getting the equipment together myself - after much reading i do still like the idea of BIAB all-in-one brewing rather than 3 vessel. The more reading i do the more thoughts and questions i end up having.

I was hoping for some recommendations, My brews will only ever go into 19L or 23L corney kegs. I've read recommendations to go bigger for double size brews (which i liked) but then also comments about weight considerations, boil heat up time of larger brews etc (i will be using Electric).

Equipment I've been considering.

buffalo GL349 40l urn, change the tap, install false bottom etc. Start with standard nylon BIAB then try and install insulation, Stainless MALT pipe/grain container, circulation pump and heat controllers etc over time. Based on internal dimensions of buffalo (i've read on here) it seems i could fit a 21l 30cmx30cm (w x h) stock pot for a grain holder. This seems feasible in my "head".

Another but more expensive option i've been considering is 50L thermos pot with 33L stock pot insert with perforated bottom for grain container (dimensions seem to work). I'd need to install heating element, drain tap (and pump/controllers over time). Things "i think" are pro's on this idea, wort shouldn't catch on heating element, tap could be bottom drain, exterior pot already insulated. Con will be more expensive.

Although 50L would give me ability to do larger brews if i ever wanted to, but would it be detrimental if the pot was only half full (23L standard brew) on something like MASH consistency, will the volume of water have enough depth for the MASH, will the MASH be thick enough for a 23l brew in 35cm diameter grain holder. Obviously there'll also be a proportion of wort below the heating element and not on the grains? Is a double brew realistically feasible, in terms of heat up 2.4-3kW element (standard 230V 13A), or will i just end up doing two brews?

Is it worth spending the extra and going down 50L route or just stick cheaper option of buffalo? Would the 50L option work with 23l all-in-one brews?

Soz lots of questions and no real clue :grin: - Thanks in advance

Adi

or more alternatives;

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=69095

Just get the Ace mate and focus on the beer not the DIY.:thumb:

grmski said:

Just get the Ace mate and focus on the beer not the DIY.:thumb:

Click to expand...

Agreed. My last brew day was bliss as I seemed to nail every step. I unfortunately didn't buy the ACE from the usual ebay seller but an online retailer so it didn't have the false bottom or grain bag so I had to buy the grain bag and work out a system instead of the false bottom as some of the alternatives I used for a few brews didn't work. I finally used my spare grain bag I use to use for stove toppers and used that last time around, seemed to do the trick very well.... I only hope the finish beer is as good as the brew day.

diy builds can be fun projects but often little hiccups result in expensive solutions, However you can also end up with a perfect for your needs solution.

Check out the aussie forums for some great diy 1 pot builds from the ingenious brewmeister reverse direction recirculation clones to the simpler top down recirculation return systems like the grainfather and ace etc..

off the shelf solutions will however let you get a beer on the day of delivery.

grmski said:

Just get the Ace mate and focus on the beer not the DIY.:thumb:

Click to expand...

get a ace mate go for it a lot much easier than diy
which lead to more time making beer

A question on the Ace boilers....
What is the safe/actual capacity for the boil? I'm looking at getting a boiler to do biab based on the Greg Hughes book for starters...the boil amounts on all is 27 litres.

Cheers

Clint

Burco Sygnet?

Clint said:

A question on the Ace boilers....
What is the safe/actual capacity for the boil? I'm looking at getting a boiler to do biab based on the Greg Hughes book for starters...the boil amounts on all is 27 litres.

Cheers

Clint

Click to expand...

Hey Clint, just measured mine and the diameter is 36cm and the height is 43cm which I think makes a volume of 43.7 litres from the internal base to the top of the rim.

Hmm the one I was looking at on eBay. ..with proper tap, bazooka,false bottom and grain bag, is 30 litre... £149

Cheers

Clint

The machine has volume indented into the side and the final one is 30 litres but the full volume when measured is greater. If you can pick one up for 150 that sounds a bargain.

Just a sec is that simply a boiler though? I mean it doesn't include the recirculation, grain basket and controller.

Is there a dead space under the tap? This is just as I described not the micro brewery (gf style) they do...

Cheers

Clint

Ahh I'm describing the all in one system sorry for the confusion. Fwiw the deadspace below the tap is 2.1 litres.

Do you have the all in one system?

Yes that's right, had it for about 6 weeks and made 3 brews in it. Used to do biab in a big old hdpe barrel I wouldn't change back it's the best investment I've made in my brewing equipment.

Cost around £320..? Did you get a wort chiller with it or get your own?

Cheers

Clint

No mine the klarstein branded version which was advertised with a chiller but I didn't get it and got a partial refund instead. I use a no chill cube anyway so had never intended to use the chiller and was going to sell it.

Ah righto..do you rate the system? What's the cube?

Cheers

Clint

Yes it's excellent the pump seems good, the element has plenty of power and for me it seems well made. One criticism is that the programmable controller doesn't store the settings so you have to enter them each time.