All in one brewing system pros and Cons

[Hairy]

Is that the Nano brew systems?

I have seen some good setups of those in the Cheeky Peak FB Group. 

[Pezzza]

8 minutes ago, Hairy said:

all make decent beer (except for those BIAB guys)

I think you all are BIAB Hairy with Robocop Guten Zilla KiwiFather.... ha ha... maybe BIAEB... brew in an electronic basket?

But where is @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey when you need him.... you there cobber Kelsey?  Hope u r ok not seen a post for a bit.... 

Edited August 22, 2020 by Bearded Burbler

[Pezzza]

3 minutes ago, Hairy said:

Is that the Nano brew systems?

I have seen some good setups of those in the Cheeky Peak FB Group. 

yeah mine is pretty much CPB invention Hairy - I don't do FB so cannot tell yer - but pretty much just SS vessels - SS Mesh Basket or Bag - and then yer can pump w hi temp SI hose...

Works ok... with Inky or other controller... pretty robust... was concerned about longevity of those pushpads... and being constrained by someone else's software menu... for better or for worse

[Hairy]

6 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

I think you all are BIAB Hairy with Robocop Guten Zilla KiwiFather.... ha ha... maybe BIAEB... brew in an electronic basket?

But where is @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey when you need him.... you there cobber Kelsey?  Hope u r ok not seen a post for a bit.... 

Stainless Steel basket mate. Much classier than a bag.

Kelsey is off playing golf at the moment. I think he may have even joined a Pro Tour.

[Smashed Crabs]

15 minutes ago, Hairy said:

These posts pop up fairly often and there are pros and cons for all brewing set ups.

People just need to work out what is more important to them and what works for them. I did that and made the change.

100%

[Hairy]

3 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

yeah mine is pretty much CPB invention Hairy - I don't do FB so cannot tell yer - but pretty much just SS vessels - SS Mesh Basket or Bag - and then yer can pump w hi temp SI hose...

Works ok... with Inky or other controller... pretty robust... was concerned about longevity of those pushpads... and being constrained by someone else's software menu... for better or for worse

I have the old GF which doesn’t use the app. My controller is essentially like having an Inkbird hooked up to it.

[Norris!]

1 hour ago, Hairy said:

Is that the Nano brew systems?

I have seen some good setups of those in the Cheeky Peak FB Group. 

Yeah those are the ones I was referring to, as BB noted.

They seem really robust and the expandedability is cool. It came down to that and the Guten in my book and went with the smaller footprint and what seemed easier, now with more experience they look pretty good.  I have been playing with an idea of a 3v system and doing double or triple batches but twice (so 4 or 6 total kegs in one morning) with just about an hour added by just mashing in the next batch while the other is in the boiler or whatever brewing term it is called. 

But I don't need that volume but that has been like my goal if and when I retire. Just pump out beer and play basketball and whatever else. Maybe golf like Kelsey...Think Charles Barkley on the golf course and that is me pretty much, I am getting better, I think.

[iBooz2]

@Bingilbeer, you are at where I am at with regard to AG kit.  Having made my decision based on all my research and also advise from knowledgeable blokes and gals on this forum decided on the CP gear here.   The problem is they do not have stock of most of their kits,  The web site says in stock but they are not and my information is their arrival keeps getting pushed back by months due to the current circumstances.

My reason was that these other systems are sealed and there is no way (AFAIK) to replace a burnt out heating element etc. so while this failure is under warranty probably no problem other than the weeks of down time and all the stuffing around sending it back to the manufacturer / importer and also getting if back from the manufacturer / importer and all those risks involved.  I am not too concerned about programming and button pushing and the faults that could occur in their panels / controls as I could probably fix those bits.  An ink bird on the other hand in the case of the CP kit is a cheap multi use part I can use elsewhere.

I just like to be able to fix stuff.  It may be possible to have to buy another unit every 3 years because it fails and its out of warranty.  If I am going to cough up $700 plus then I would like to be able to slip a new heating element in (or whatever) if a part fails.  That's just me.

Now I nearly went back over my tracks and placed and order for a 70 L Guten due to the long delays in supply and shipping from CP but did not.  This is because the above issue of un-serviceability still nags at me.

I have not used any of this gear so no experience and have now association with CP, just like their setup.

Good luck with your choice of kit, I am sure it will be fine and have great longevity.

Cheers - AL

Edited August 22, 2020 by iBooz2

[ozdevil]

its horses for coarses really

I think you have to take into consideration where ya brewing in order wether you buy a 1v(they are 2v) or 3v system

if your living in a small townhouse or apartment or a unit  you may not have the ability to brew  with a 3v system comfortably and your rules may state no  gas bbqs or burners

so your only option is biab  or the all in vessels that are electric..

Also beaware   with the all in one vessels  for an example the 65l brewzilla needs a 15amp  power socket to run all elements and if you want to run it on a normal socket you need to turn the biggest element off and purchase a 15amp to 10 amp extention cord..

i have both the 35l and 65l  brewzillas  and love them   and they serve my purposes

[Pezzza]

On 8/22/2020 at 9:51 PM, iBooz2 said:

you are at where I am at with regard to AG kit

Yeah mate for me a big SS bucket and a heating element... a bag or basket... a grinder... an inkbird... maybe some Si hose and a pump recirc if yer wanna...

Just is all robust... and if the inky shitttts itself yer get a new one... and if you were desperate you could just resort to the temp gauge and fkfkk about till you got the temp right...

Am just not into sealed pushpad shittt that shittts itself without reason and I would rather tell the Mash Tun Vessel my temp for my time and that would be very nice thank you...

Yeah I do have a bit more room...

So understand Brewers who wanna do RoboCop Fermzooola Greatgrainfather and GutenandBaden... plenty Brewers here on this site make great beers that way... more power to yer...

Guess some of us and great Brewers like @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey with a Bag and a Crown Urn with not too much fancy electronics make top shelf beer... so yeah... gotta work out watchawannaandwatchaneed I guess...

[Hairy]

7 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Guess some of us and great Brewers like @Otto Von Blotto Kelsey with a Bag and a Crown Urn with not too much fancy electronics make top shelf beer... 

OK, settle down. Let’s not get too carried away 

[Pezzza]

21 minutes ago, Hairy said:

OK, settle down. Let’s not get too carried away 

Ha ha truly spoken mate a few Big SS Pot Ol' 55 Amber Ales and I am waxing lyrical ha ha...

Edited August 27, 2020 by Bearded Burbler

[Pezzza]

2 hours ago, Hairy said:

OK, settle down. Let’s not get too carried away 

I guess really @Hairy and @NewBrews yer just gotta stick a bit of stewed cracked grain in a warm bucket... and then drain it... and then let it sit in a half warm place with a towel over it... till it bubbles... then stick it in an airtight container with or without a dash of sugar... and then drink it like that or put a bit of carbon dioxide in it... and yer gotta it?  This brewing AG can't be that 'ard?

[Naughty Corner Brewing]

Sounds like a recipe for VB Burbler!

TBH, the crown urn with some temp control was going to cost me between 250 and 300 new.

Yes, I probably could have got away with it, but for 50 bucks more the Brewzilla does ok.

The way it’s going I’ll probably need to upgrade to a bigger system at some point to keep the brews up to brothers in law, father in law and daughters boyfriend

I’d like to get a good size 3v system that will do double batches with big grain bills, but need to get the new place and a dedicated brew area, with room for my cheese area as well.

[Bribie G]

I've been brewing for eleven years now with a Crown Urn, full volume BIAB and have won quite a few gongs in competitions.

I recently went to a robobrew Brewzilla 3.1.1 and getting great results, but some issues.

Because I have the urn (and a spare 20L version) sparge water is not an issue. With the urn, because of the no-sparge situation, I was finding it hard to brew stronger brews such as 7% or more. There comes a point where the stronger the wort, the more gets wasted by being left in the mash, despite squeezing, and you reach a point of diminishing returns. But with the Brewzilla I can easily hit these gravities - there is more than enough space in the malt pipe to fit enough grain and do a decent sparge. My general efficiency has gone up from 74% to over 80%.

Another factor is the ease of doing step mashes, particularly the popular German Hochkurz mash (63 then 70 then 78 degree steps for example). This was a PITA with BIAB.

The downside is the cleanup. With the urn it was a case of tip the bag into the compost, wash the bag, hose out and clean the urn.

With the 'Zilla I need to clean the malt pipe, the boiler, four screens and a lot of the pipes such as sparge arm etc. then run Starsan through the system with the pump running.. can take up to an hour to get it all new looking again, dry it off and reassemble. 

I've split the difference and now use the Zilla for things like German beers but have gone back to the urn and bag for simple infusion brews such as UK pale ales where it doesn't break the bank to just chuck a bit more malt at the brew to compensate for the lower efficiency.

Remember that this isn't an all in one brewing solution, it's just an all in one wort production kit which is but one step in the grain to brain journey.

[Bingilbeer]

8 hours ago, Bribie G said:

I've been brewing for eleven years now with a Crown Urn, full volume BIAB and have won quite a few gongs in competitions.

I recently went to a robobrew Brewzilla 3.1.1 and getting great results, but some issues.

Because I have the urn (and a spare 20L version) sparge water is not an issue. With the urn, because of the no-sparge situation, I was finding it hard to brew stronger brews such as 7% or more. There comes a point where the stronger the wort, the more gets wasted by being left in the mash, despite squeezing, and you reach a point of diminishing returns. But with the Brewzilla I can easily hit these gravities - there is more than enough space in the malt pipe to fit enough grain and do a decent sparge. My general efficiency has gone up from 74% to over 80%.

Another factor is the ease of doing step mashes, particularly the popular German Hochkurz mash (63 then 70 then 78 degree steps for example). This was a PITA with BIAB.

The downside is the cleanup. With the urn it was a case of tip the bag into the compost, wash the bag, hose out and clean the urn.

With the 'Zilla I need to clean the malt pipe, the boiler, four screens and a lot of the pipes such as sparge arm etc. then run Starsan through the system with the pump running.. can take up to an hour to get it all new looking again, dry it off and reassemble. 

I've split the difference and now use the Zilla for things like German beers but have gone back to the urn and bag for simple infusion brews such as UK pale ales where it doesn't break the bank to just chuck a bit more malt at the brew to compensate for the lower efficiency.

Remember that this isn't an all in one brewing solution, it's just an all in one wort production kit which is but one step in the grain to brain journey.

Cheers Bribie, there seems to be a lot of pluses for the all in one systems and the multiple vessel system. I do like the idea of using multiple vessels and not relying on mains power or replacing elements if they burn out.

Time isn’t really an issue for me and space either, I don’t mind cleaning things as some people say I am quite anal about it but I just think there pigs and it’s not me with the issue.

thanks for the reply.

[Beerlust]

I went down to my LHBS to get my CO² tank refilled & test for the source of my leak. We found it & I replaced that section of gas line when I got home. While I was there I mentioned I had been having trouble with my automated unit stabilising the preset mash temp. I hinted about perhaps not using the unit initially to control this phase & simply following my old partial mash processes of just getting the strike temp vs grain weight deal to establish the desired temp etc. She said she does just that. Makes sure the unit is well insulated & leaves it alone.

I also mentioned part of the reason I purchased one of these automated units was so I could step mash effectively & easily if I wanted to brew a nice pilsner or lager. She stated that the modern produced grains are so well modified these days, that step mashing is almost an unneeded &/or unnecessary process. Single step infusion will deliver the same outcomes with the multitude of grains available on the market today. That was something I certainly didn't know.

She's a terrific source of accurate information, & a wealth of knowledge on a great many things to do with brewing. I always enjoy discussing aspects of brewing beer with her as I often learn something new in the process of those discussions. I'm pretty sure she's a BJCP certified judge to boot. 

Beerbelly Brewing Equipment (SA)

I receive terrific service there by both her, & her son. (I would use their names, but they deserve that privacy on an open forum)

Cheers & good brewing,

Lusty.

[Guvna]

16 minutes ago, Beerlust said:

Beerbelly Brewing Equipment (SA)

I receive terrific service there by both her, & her son. (I would use their names, but they deserve that privacy on an open forum)

Cheers & good brewing,

Lusty.

Totally agree Lusty,  thats my LHBS as well and I always get great advice there.

Guv

[Pezzza]

19 hours ago, NewBrews said:

The way it’s going I’ll probably need to upgrade to a bigger system at some point to keep the brews up to brothers in law, father in law and daughters boyfriend

Here you go NB:

 

[Pezzza]

10 hours ago, Bingilbeer said:

I do like the idea of using multiple vessels and not relying on mains power or replacing elements if they burn out.

Try Cheeky Peak Nano Brew vessels... not necessarily 230L. ; )

... I started with the smallest and got good results... 

I did start with a nylon BIAB bag and had to then make a frame to lift out the hot bag - or you can get pulleys into the roof if you have the facilities...

The SS mesh basket is more expensive - and was not available when I started - but would recommend as you can easy lift it out and is more stable than bag...

But there are many ways to the top of the mountain

Edited August 29, 2020 by Bearded Burbler

[Pezzza]

1 hour ago, Beerlust said:

the modern produced grains are so well modified these days, that step mashing is almost an unneeded &/or unnecessary process.

Mr Palmer would concur I believe... 

Great you can have good local support like that Lusty

[Hilltop hops]

1 hour ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Try Cheeky Peak Nano Brew vessels... not necessarily 230L. ; )

... I started with the smallest and got good results... 

I did start with a nylon BIAB bag and had to then make a frame to lift out the hot bag - or you can get pulleys into the roof if you have the facilities...

The SS mesh basket is more expensive - and was not available when I started - but would recommend as you can easy lift it out and is more stable than bag...

But there are many ways to the top of the mountain

So many options and all will produce great beer at a fraction of the cost of what you will pay for proper independent craft beer. I started with a keggle, biab and gas burner. Now have a Robobrew. Both produce tasty beers. I find the Robobrew easier, plug in set temp and away you go. The system above BB has looks a beauty though. 

[Beerlust]

14 minutes ago, Hilltop hops said:

So many options and all will produce great beer at a fraction of the cost of what you will pay for proper independent craft beer. I started with a keggle, biab and gas burner. Now have a Robobrew. Both produce tasty beers. I find the Robobrew easier, plug in set temp and away you go. The system above BB has looks a beauty though. 

At the end of the day whatever equipment you have & use as an AG setup, you just want it to make wort as accurately as you can to the calculator specs you are working off.

We all have a different approach toward that final goal due to our own differing circumstances.

Collectively what we are ALL able to achieve with this diverse & very individual approach, I reckon is pretty cool.

Human adaptation & ingenuity at its best.

Lusty.

[Naughty Corner Brewing]

2 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Here you go NB:

 

Mmmmmm. Shiny!

[Beerlust]

10 minutes ago, NewBrews said:

Mmmmmm. Shiny!

Against my typical nature, I bought some bling today. A couple of brass fittings ($25.00) for either side of my Blichmann chiller. My view was that the current plastic fittings don't look good & they were leaking on transfer.

I could have simply tightened the current plastic fittings a little further & likely solved the problem

Lusty.