Clawhammer Electric Home Brewing System 120v Review
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- Опубліковано 17 лис 2019
- Update 12/31/2020: Clawhammer released a new fitted insulation jacket that looks far superior to the wrap they were selling before, have not picked it up myself yet but here is a link if you are interested. www.clawhammersupply.com/coll...
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A review on the Clawhammer electric home brewing system. Time Stamps below! This video goes over information that anyone would need when looking into getting the Clawhammer system. This video also goes over general information for people wanting to make the switch to electric brew in a bag home brewing.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:38 Why I chose Clawhammer
2:38 Specs
3:48 Pros
11:08 Cons
20:20 Overall impressions
Email: Matthew.ushman@gmail.com
Awesome review! We're glad you like the system and appreciate your feedback.
We brew with our system A LOT (as you can tell from our videos) and agree with your assessment of the hop issue. We made the hop silo big enough for the majority of brew days but IPAs with huge hop bills definitely require more space. For heavily hopped beers we'll either 1. use a nylon bag, 2. clean out the grain basket and use it for hops as well, or 3. we'll throw in an additional hop silo (which we sell).
Also, based on your feedback and some of the comments below we're going to look into making the hose a foot longer. And we'll also look at changing the chiller adapter configuration! Good points!
Finally, as crazy it sounds, we sell the insulation kit at cost. Dead serious. The bulk of our cost is in the foil faced polyisocyanurate insulation, which is the only insulation board that won't melt due to the kettle heat, and also needs to be CNC cut... Once we wrangle it all, cut it, pack it, and ship it, it's $40+! We thought it was unfair to mark up something that might literally be required for some folks to use the system (ex. they live in a very cold climate and can't achieve a boil without it). That said, we're working on a Neoprene jacket that will come pre-cut.
Wow thanks for checking out the review! I will look forward to seeing upgrades being made to the system and will have to check them out myself.
Woah you guys do have good customer service than. Never expected too see a response from the actual company from a review. Makes me want to buy this system too. Although I would just want the brew kettle, grain basket and controller i have everything else.
I've owned mine for over a year now and have dozens of brews. Emmet, Kyle and staff are the epitome of what superior customer service is and should be. I've dealt with them several times (even a weekend issue and Emmet called) and have never been more happy.
My only con with the system is not having a lip around the kettle rather than the hooks because I brew alone and that basket can get heavy lol.
@@TroubleBrewing uhhh yeah... been watching their videos for quite some time now and have a primitive system that works flawless but I moved it out of my apartment and to my dads garage for more space. Now I am dying for something I can do at home in between brew days there. Buying this as soon I can!
I was already set on buying this (240v version) but after reading their response and being that available and dedicated to their customers-I would be sold on that alone. I can’t wait to order my system to start my home brewery build. I’m about to graduate from extract and buckets to conical unitank and kegging/keezer.
Great review just purchased this system and have adapted to my existing setup. Have supplies and getting ready for first use. Your review confirms I’m on track with understanding the system as well as provided some tips and info.
Thanks for the help! Very comprehensive. Looking forward to watching your brew day.
Good review. Loving my Clawhammer 10g system I got for Christmas. My neighbors all think I'm some sort of brewing genius when they sampled my brews. This system makes it easy.
Good comprehensive review! Looking into getting this system and you’ve been a big help!
Great video. I am looking into the same purchase and you answered tons of my questions, thanks for making it!
I have the 120v system and it great. I agree cleaning takes up most of my time on brew day. The grain basket is handy but a pain to get every little grain out of there. I end up using a garden hose in warmer months. Also heating to a boil is a struggle sometimes but doable. This system has gotten me to learn more about brewing and become better at it.
Excellent review..looking forward to further content.
Thnx for the review dude, as you say most of us are propane users and going to an electric system it does change thnx again!
This is a great comprehensive video. Obviously a legitimate purchaser of the system giving all the pros and cons of not only the system itself but of the type of system and how it compares to other systems. Awesome to see Clawhammer respond and actually address their customers thoughts, I'll have to check them out. I just got into brewing and it's crazy how many options there are. I'm the type of person who has to research and think everything out before making a decision so all the possibilities has made it tough. I decided I would go with a BIAB system and was close to getting the Anvil Foundry because it's such a reasonable price and can switch between 120V and 240V. Then I got worried about the same thing you discussed with one thing failing and having to buy a whole new system. I didn't know about these modular electric systems like Clawhammer provides so I decided on a propane setup. I pulled the trigger on the 10gal Ss tri-clamp kettle yesterday. I have a ChefAlarm that I plan to use to make it a little more like an electric system. I may even be able to make it into an electric system with an induction plate. I'm excited to build my brew system and get brewing!
Great review, love that you brought up IPA brewing with the hop basket since I'm a big IPA brewer. I'll probably just order two then. Great tips on the female to female hose adapter for the chiller, and hose lengths. I'm fortunate to have enough extra laying around I'll be able to cut my own lengths and incorporate my Blichman thrumometer. Thanks for the tips on the reflectix wrap too, I have a leftover roll laying around for that too so I'll be able to modify my own.
Well done video. I am also looking into getting into electric brewing..I have looked at Clawhammer and Brewha. Appreciate the in-depth review of this, hopefully will help me make the best decision for my home brewing. I look forward to watching future videos. Good luck with your channel.
great vid.... looking forward to more
Great review, this really helped me a lot. Thanks!
Thanks. I was on the fence and now I’m convinced especially with the CH comments.
Great review.... that female adapter got me as well, AND I had a similar accident with my wort. All in all my brew day was a fail, BUT I have another all grain kit on the way and will give it another try. I look forward to your brew day video.
Fantastic review video, and I would 100% agree with all these points. I love my system and its modularity is probably the best part. Cheers!
Edit: You are criminally undersubbed - you have great content!
Yea this system has been treating me well, plan on using this for a long time. Also im a big fan of your content! Thanks for watching!
Great video! Thank you.
Just order a clawhammer system. Thanks for the review
I really enjoy it!
I'm thinking of getting this system. I like that I'll be able to toss my HLT and Mash tuns, and my kettles of different sizes, and my outdoor burner. It will give me more room for more fermenters and kegs
Matthew, thanks for this review! I wanted to downsize from a single tier, 3 15g kettles all grain (propane). Brewing 10g at a time is cumbersome; the equipment takes up too much space in the garage and cleaning all the equipment was a major chore. I started looking at the Brewer's Edge Mash & Boil, Robobrew, Grainfather, but your review convinced me that a modular system would be better for me long term (something I hadn't considered). I took a long look at the Clawhammer system you have, but decided to go with the UniBrau v3 system from BrauSupply. When it arrives, I hope to do a video review as well. All in all though, your review of the Clawhammer was very well done and covered a lot of great content. I appreciate the information as it led me to make a decision I think I'll really enjoy.
Thanks for the comment, ill have to make sure to look into the UniBrau as im not too familiar.
This system seems perfect for me! I don't like hoppy beers, and I have more than enough 2" kaowool I keep on hand that insulation is not an issue. Nice heads up for the hose fitting. Thanks for the good review.
Awesome! Also dont get me wrong, this can handle hoppy beers. You might just need to watch the hop basket is all.
Grab a HotRod Heat stick from Brewhardware to supplement your heat. Cut my heat times in half. Very happy with my Clawhammer Brew System. Great review.
Exactly what I did as well. Works great
The system is the best thing since the ball. I have the 240 volt system.
I use garden hose quick disconnects for the chiller and they work great. They come in sets so you have all the fittings you will need if you buy two sets.
I was actually thinking about picking those up for mine as well, thanks for the suggestion.
Nice review. I purchased the 120v Clawhammer control / heating element and added to my existing brew kettle. I am very happy with with it. I normally do 3.5 gallon brews, so my heating time is better than yours (basic physics...). 240v would be nice, but I don't have any outlets in the right spot, so 120 was the way to go. I would also recommend Clawhammer.
Happy you liked it! Thanks!
Wish I had watched before ordering, haha. I also just threw the insulation in assuming it would all be cut to fit the system. I knew I could get the raw materials cheaper but was willing to pay for the convenience of not having to cut it myself. Oh well.
Great review as this was the system I was looking at not sure if i wanted 120 or 240. clawhammer seems to have improved on other units.
This is my pick for mid priced systems! Cheers!
Matt... one aspect to save time on heating is if you have a hot water on demand system (which many newer apartment buildings and homes have), simply use that. My hot water is tankless and comes out around 130 deg F. It's about 10-15 mins to get to 155 deg F.
As far as the insulation, I'd rather buy from a small business than HD or Lowe's. CHS is fair on pricing imo and if charged a few bucks more, I'd rather do that than support a billionaire.
It's a great system! I researched many BIAB and found the CHS crew not only use their products extensively, but are also very honest.
Thanks for the comment, and yea using hot water would reduce the time by quite a bit for sure! Though Im on a well personally so I prefer to buy my water from a store so that is unfortunately not an option. But if you do brew from the tap, for sure!
Great review well done... Couple of questions...
The thermometer option that they offer for the chiller... your thoughts?
Using the kettle for other duties (heating element removed)...can it be used with induction heating? Thanks!
Regarding the thermometer, its entirely up to you. I didnt think I needed it since there is already a temperature probe in the tank that should be in the system the entire brew day. It would probably be more accurate and up to date though.
Regarding the induction heating, I only use the heating element and I dont have the tools for induction heating so I cant say for certain that it can be used this way. (though I dont see why it wouldn't work). I would have to refer you to talk to Clawhammer support for this question.
Good job. Thanks for doing this review. While i didn't buy the Clawhammer system i essentially made a clone myself by piecing together most of the same components since I already had purchased a nice 12g kettle. However, instead of a basket I use a BIAB bag from The Brew Bag. A couple additional suggestions for those thinking of buying this system.... 1. you can supplement the heating power by using an induction plate (if the kettle is induction ready) on a second 15 amp circuit and 2. if you opt to buy the insulation yourself (and yes, you should) you can double it up for additional insulation. A couple suggestions for your future vids (and this is by no means a troll), you probably don't need to start every point by saying "my next point is..." or "the next con I want to talk about is..." Just a friendly suggestion to make your content a bit easier to watch. Keep working at it and keep the vids coming.
Thanks for the suggestion. Also yea I noticed I said that alot too, I recorded each point in separate sections and pasted them all together and didn't notice that until it was already uploaded :)
Did you happen to put together a budget. This far I’m at around $600 including a plastic opaque fermenter. I think the nice thing here is the stainless cages for the grain and hops. But I think I might be able to piecemeal it for less than Clawhammer’s price. What are your thoughts? Also think a heat stick might boil much faster than the element used here.
James Smith I’m sure you will be paying a premium with the claw hammer system since it’s a turn key system. If your goal is Biab you can build a system for very cheep. But moving to electric with a digital controller will be where the money goes. Ultimately it’s up to you, I just wanted a system where I didn’t need to put much thought into, but if you would like to build one out to save 200-300$ then go for it. One thing to note: claw hammer does run sales almost every holiday (8% off the system) which may close they gap even more.
Great review, definitely looking to get this system ( on my Christmas list 😀). Quick question, can you use the kettle on a propane burner for those situations where you either don’t have electricity available or simply want to heat water faster? Would the flame ruin any parts?
Sorry it took so long for me to notice this... It would not damage the kettle since its just stainless steel, im not sure on the element. It is use to heating up the water so I would assume it could take the heat. If you are looking at saving time on brew day you could just use a cheep kettle to warm up the water and dump it in, or if you are using tap water just heat up the water that way. I use just gallon jugs so I dont have that option. I just typically get out there like 2 hours before I plan on starting and its not that big of an inconvenience.
Great review! I’ve definitely settled on Clawhammer. With several brew days under your belt have you wished you’d gone 240 or still happy with 120?
Hey Marc! Im happy with my 120, just takes some prep before brew day. But id take that over having the inconvenience of being tied to one place I can brew.
Hey Matt great vid - just thinking, and I’m not sure what Clawhammer would think, but any thoughts on using your propane setup in tandem to help shorten heating times? Then rely on the Controller/element for keeping things stable?
Thanks! I know you can use propane on the kettle, but im not sure about with the element at the same time. In my case I brew inside and I dont love the idea of propane running downstairs. It may be possible, but not sure. I would prefer a pre-heat feature in the controller, I think that would work the best.
Thank you for your review! It looks like you have wrapped something around your kettle? Is it insulation? Thanks
I commented before I finished the video and got to around 18:50 where you answer the question.
For hop heavy addition beers, could you just use the grain basket? (I know, two times the cleaning of the basket)
I have not done this, though I have looked into this before. My understanding is that it does not filter the hops as well as a hop basket does which can create more of a mess/pump issues. Though if anyone did try it id like to hear what they had seen personally.
Update 12/31/2020: Clawhammer released a new fitted insulation jacket that looks far superior to the wrap they were selling before, have not picked it up myself yet but here is a link if you are interested. www.clawhammersupply.com/collections/all-products/products/10-5-gallon-brewing-insulation-kit
Great review. What kind of brewhouse efficiency are you getting with the system?
Hey Mark, honestly I dont track this to a percentage. Though in general I hit my targets. I do this by taking a pre-boil gravity reading and depending on where im at, I may boil for an additional 30 minutes before my first addition.
At 3:02min you showed hops basket. Is the large one part of the system and can it be used to remove grain from the pot. Thanks for posting
Yes, its part of the system. Also it is used to remove grain from the pot.
Is it at all possible to use a burner along with the 140v system?? So use the flame to assist the original heat-up then use the heating element?
I believe you can on a low heat, though I would think an induction plate would be better if you can find one large enough. I have not tried that though, but I have seen other people use a burner with this. You have to just be careful with electronics and the open flame.
Great video Matt. I learned a lot. It sounds like you're really happy with the setup, but it sounded to me that for $900 your brew day is not any SHORTER with this over regular all grain as you are slower to get to certain temps and there is more cumbersome cleaning. The pros are you can brew without weather being an issue and in more locations as it's much less gear. My question is this...has your beer quality improved since you made the switch. It would be interesting to do a side by side taste test with the same beer recipe made on two different systems.
Would be interesting to do a side by side comparisons. To answer your question, im not sure. I can say what has improved was my enjoyment with brewing as I like to brew on this equipment vs messing around with old coolers as they were quite cumbersome. I can also say my consistency is more accurate per beersmith calculators as I have a recirculating mash with a temperature controller to hold temp my over. In addition there is some "Quality of life" improvements such as a plate chiller and also having a metal basket is much easier to handle for sparing. Also some of the things you mentioned in your comment such as not having to deal with open flames (brew inside, but you need ventilation). In theory my efficiency should be higher because of the hardware and the things it enables me to do. Does my beer taste $900 better? probably not. I would argue that if money is the main concern, than doing biab in a kettle or even just extract beers can make some really kick ass beers. If you are interested there are videos that actually compare very fancy Blichmann setups vs old fashion water coolers and with blind taste tests : ua-cam.com/video/6Ktl84kjAOk/v-deo.html
Ever use your system with propane as well to help speed boil times?
I have not, I probably should have during my winter brews.
when you say you don't have to sparge with this system how do you get all of the sugars out of the grains I'm new to all of this and am trying to figure everything out
Yea BIAB traditionally you do not need to sparge, but you can always sparge if you feel like your efficacy is lacking though the system does not include a simple way to do this. You can also mill much finer as well with BIAB which will help that. The pump will help keep the sugars moving and you can also squeeze the grain basket to help remove as much liquid from the grains as possible.
how do you deal with the hot break with the clawhammer system? thanks
With the 120v system I really dont hit hot break since the heat up time is so slow. With the 240v im sure it would heat up fast enough for it though. I dont really notice an impact to by beers, been using this for a few years and the beers have been turning out great.
So this system is goof for all grain, OR extract kits? Good, detailed video by the way. I love my propane and that heats much faster than electric, but this looks pretty neat as my brewing grows.
you could do extract with it, you would just not bother with the grain basket until you are ready to start BIAB. The system was built with all grain in mind, but im sure it would be fine. ONLY thing you need to watch is not letting the DME/LME scorch on the element. So definitely turn off the element if you are going to do those additions.
@@TroubleBrewing Thanks. It is not much different than the steel stock pot I use now. I don't scorch there and use a mesh basket with net bag for the grains already. I mean really, the only diff between the two is grinding the grains yourself, after that it's all pretty much standard
do you use their provided equipment profiles for beersmith?
I do yes!
Matthew Ushman were they pretty spot on? Have you changed anything?
Also, what %s of power do you use during the mash and at the boil?
@@JordanLoco Yea I find that the equipment profile is fine.
@@JordanLoco For my system, I use 100% on the boil and for mashing you can use anywhere between 50-100%
I used mine for the first time it wasn’t too bad but then the beer i made spilled everywhere do to my cats messing with the lever on my fermenter
Enjoyed the Video... looking to possibly get involved in this and subscribed to your Channel! Thank You!
Thanks, “um”
It is very expensive for what it offers. There are much cheaper alternatives ...