Bruheat boilers 19yrs on

[barnsleyandy]

Hello all , about 19 years ago I started my home brewing ( all grain) but stopped after 3/4 years , most of the equipment went into the loft until I got rid of it a few years later. big regret. !

I used to use a plastic 5 gallon bucket with a kettle element and a tempreture regulator (not thermostat) on the side.Im pretty sure it was called a bruheat boiler or something similar.

I would now like to have another go and wondered what has changed in the last 15 years or so and are the boilers still available, and has anything susperceeded them. ?

andy

 

[doyley]

My Bruheat boiler gave me more than 25 years service but eventually the plastic became brittle. Most HB shops sell some sort of boiler. I replaced mine with Hope and Grapes own make and I am pleased with it.

Here is a link:

http://www.hopandgrape.com/public/catal ... BEE2115559

 

[keith1664]

"has anything susperceeded them. ?"

Yes, stainless steel cooking pots. If you don't start out with them you'll soon find yourself lusting after them, you can easily do a 10 gallon brew in them as well!

You'll find a good few threads on the subject in "HERMS, RIMS and big shiny things"

 

[Vossy1]

Hi Andy,

I would now like to have another go and wondered what has changed in the last 15 years or so and are the boilers still available, and has anything susperceeded them. ?

Yes and no really, boiler is a boiler and that's that :grin:
Additional options can now be fitted/retrofitted such as sight tubes/thermometers, and strainer designs abound. If you're prepared to make your own there are a few threads about this is how I did mine

 

[pjbiker]

I bought an 'electrim' 5 gallon boiler/mash tun when I started out 3 years ago and was utterly disappointed with the price and it's performance (flimsy construction, rubbish and not needed thermostat, element that cut out during boil).

If you want to start out cheap and plastic, and I mean making a boiler for less than half what you'd pay for the pre-made one. Follow the excellent 'how to' from BigYin on using a cheapo kettle element and attach it to a 5 gallon fermenter or whatever else you can find and fit a tap and hop strainer to it.

using tesco elements

Make your own mash tun as well from a modified coolbox (there are also 'how to's' in the how to section) for probably around what you'd spend on a 'bruheat/electrim' boiler.

MD's cheap plastic all grain brewery

Edit, just looked at hopandgrapes kit. OK but still way cheaper to make your own. I'd still ditch the thermostatic controller and just use a £5 tesco element with the auto-cut out disabled. Their immersion chiller is probably the only thing thats not cheaper to make yourself as the price of copper has rocketed.

 

maybe worth having a look at the below thread

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=15758

there are still in some lidi shops that have them in stock, maybe worth poping in & having a word with the manager, he maybe able to ring around & find another shop which still as one for sale or even get it send to the shop?