Blichmann BrewEasy setup

Talk me off the ledge here...

Haven't gotten my brewstand together, havent even bought much for it..

The 10 gallon, or larger BrewEasy set up has me interested. Small footprint, which is a plus for storing it in my garage. My brewstand would take up quite a bit of space at 60 inches long and 20 or so wide, with all 3 pots and whatnot on it.

This would have two pots.. which aint a 3 pot system, but I like the idea of it not being super tall, so stacking is fine. Has the tower of power I can get with it, that will recirculate my mash, hold my temps and allow me to do more step mashes, or even some decoction mashing in a way. I like the idea of having a RIMS system.

The pots would obviously be good quality, sight glasses, and valves.. False bottoms.. I have a HopRocket I could attach to the system easily.. another pump even.. Can take samples during, and after the mash/boil from the sample port easily.. Could mount my water filter, and a plate chiller to the stand as well..

Pretty much all included.. Price isn't awesome, around 2300-2400, but I could rid myself of a bunch of stuff, and have a nicer set up, turn key, and plenty of capacity for my needs.

I've been trying to look around, and other comparable set ups.. cost more or close to the same.. But then at the same time... It's essentially a controller with pots and a burner.. for 2K... Not what I'd call a value purchase.

Also thinking.. worse case.. if I bought the system.. and ever wanted a 3 pot single tier.. I'd be one pot and a welded stand away from having all kinds of options should I change direction. Couple hundred in wasted SS pot stands and burner, but the tower controller would still work well as a RIMS system

 

Current set up is two coolers and a ss pot with valve and corner pick up. I have a wood table I put it on. Propane burner and a pump and hopback set up. It works fine but I absolutely hate dragging it all out and to the back yard. I do have a huge house but it's large enough that it's a pain in my ass to move from the garage to the back yard to brew. I would brew twice as much if I would wheel something out the garage to the edge and pull my hose around and fire up.

That and I want to be able to direct fire my mash and start step mashing easier.

2000 bucks isn't cheap by any means, but I have the funds and the desire but obviously have some hesitation about it. I like the small foot print though, but question what I might gain or lose over my system now.

I batch sparge now. Best water, mash in cooler. Hest sparge, move to hlt cooler. Drain mash and sparge to volume. Boil, whirlpool, hopback, chill and pitch.

Then clean and clean and 30 min worth of transporting and piling in the corner of garage.

 

That was all I saw as a down fall.. Sweet set up though as far as being able to brew and ferment completely closed up and controlled. Impressive for sure. Price wise.. probably up with Blichmann in terms of value. hah

 

Negatives.. is price. It's just flat out expensive. Shiney, and pretty, but expensive, and when I break it down.. it's just two pot, albeit, tricked out with all the bells and whistles, but two pots and a burner. The real value is the LTE tower of power.

I'm wondering if I would be better just buying the tower of power, and add it into a single tier stand. But then, I find that space would be a PITA in storing it in my garage.

Someone commented on buying a shed for the backyard. Would be an idea, I've got the room, but no real place to put it. Can't be viewed from the street, per my HOA, unless i build something to match my home, and I live on the golf course, and would rather not obstruct the views and asthetics of my yard. I need the room to store stuff, so the garage is about all I've got.

Single tier stand will take a fair bit of room, so leery about it.

Negatives for the brew easy, are double brew days.. Can't be heating water and mashing in, while another beer is boiling in the kettle.. So if you double brew on same day, will take more time with the brew easy.

Not sure what direction to take. I just know I'm not satisfied with my set up now, want it to be slightly more user friendly, more automated, easier to assemble and start brewing, and a smaller footprint. Shiney is always a plus.

 

I am so, so close to pulling the trigger on this today..

I just keep feeling like I could outfit my kettles perfectly, and have a local guy weld my stand for next to nothing to allow me more choices..

Anyone got a bead on some electrical RIMS or HERMS set ups? I want to step mash, and decoction mash so bad, with easier results. I've got water, pH, and all that down enough.. I need to broaden my horizon with adjusting my mash temps and step mashing to get the most of my grain...

Got one of the best mills availble, and super fresh grain at my fingers.. need to make the most of it.

I think I can build a single tier, compact enough for my needs for less.. and be able to have more abilities from it for under 3000.....

 

I haven't yet.. because it would be close to $3000 out the door and delivered for all the stuff I'd need and I'm not sold on the recirculating mash allowing me to do step mashing.

Are there any leads on some good HERMS or RIM systems?

Ignorant question.. but I have looked at stout kettles.. I can get a kettle, mash tun and HLT.. with ALL the bells and whistles, with tri clamp stuff, all SS.. sight glasses, inlets and outlets, gauges, and even a HERMs coil in the HLT for what I'm assuming is the ability to heat the water in the HTL to my needed temp, and pump the mash from the bottom drain( awesome by the way ) and step mash it that way I'm assuming.. might need to get a controller of some fashion..


However, I can get said kettles for 1600 bucks. The stand won't cost me much.. metal.. paying for welding and fab with 2 kegs of a blonde or something, so pretty cheap for welding and whatnot. Trying to get a drawing together of what I want.

Burners, another pump, and whatnot.. I figure 300-400 max for the raw material costs.

So I'm still cheaper than a Breweasy with nicer kettles and set up than the blichmann.. No controller, but hell, I could probably get a Tower of Power or find some electronics to help in dialing in a step mash or decoction or something, right?

Piece meal setting it up would be cheaper, and easier to slide by the wife I think too..