Great video, David. I've had 9 batches so far on my launch edition B80 pro, with the strongest batch being 65 liters fermentor volume with OG of 1.112. Used 31 kilos of malt for this brew, naturally this was a reiterated mash. It's a joy to use this equipment. Produces clear wort, and with some smart setup of hoses and chiller, kettle loss can be minimized. Only lost 1.5 liters to the kettle this sunday, which was mostly gunk that I didn't want anyway (used muslin bags for the hops). Love the option of the temperature monitoring on CFC return, saves a lot of time and water to just turn that valve when the temperature is right, rather than have to wait for the entire volume to get chilled to pitch temperature. The pump is powerful enough to create lots of aeration when transferring through the counterflow chiller to the fermentation vessel.
Man, you are at the epicenter of Kveik nation and also have Brewtools right in your backyard. Did you win the lottery twice?? I can’t wait to see more in-depth brewing videos highlighting all of the features of this awesome new system.
NOTE FOR THOSE IN AU and NZ :- According to the manufacturer they hope to have Brewtools into both countries between June to August this year. It is being worked out now. :)
I have been in contact with them since you did this review. I live in Australia and NZ. They keep putting launch dates out. Now it’s August September 2019. I even asked if there was somewhere else on the globe I could buy one. They simply said it was too expensive because of freight. Very negative I thought as I have various ways of combined shipping. Not too sure how sharp this company is. Thought when you have a keen buyer that you would try and assist. Initially I asked for distribution in these two countries.
@@michaelparker4998 Sorry about the delay. We have a distributor that is currently having our products certified for your market. They have great plans for the release of our products, and if we were to start shipping one by one now, it wouldn't be a fair game for the distributor. One system would cost about 700 USD to ship directly. We work very hard to get the products to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience. We try our best.
Man!! That is am awesome looking system! Can't wait 'til I get my hands on it to do a review! Definitely high quality engineering AND manufacturing! Thanks for the primer David! Cheers! 👍🍻 P. S. Tell the shower gel to keep quiet!! Lol
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thanks David. I've gone ahead and ordered the 40L US 240v version. Happy to pay the premium for the system and its advantages to my Grainfather (especially the power element!). That said the accessories, especially being Tri-Clamps, should be able to get sourced for less I'd imagine. Not on Facebook so the user group unfortunately doesn't help much! Keep the great videos coming!
Thank you! I would love to see a brewing recipe writing guide for a Scottish Ale from you. :) That would be very much appreciated. Btw, you saved my brew day with your tips on how to blow out the hops from the Grainfather if the pump/filter is stuck during the transfer to carboy. I cleaned the spring/ball, then I had to use a bike pump the blow out the filter. It worked! Sincere thanks and appreciation.
Wow! It looks like an absolutely brilliant system! It's too big for me but if I eventually move to a bigger place I would certainly be interested in upgrading. Competition is great and hopefully this will kick Imake's backside to develop the Grainfather further. Not that it's a bad system now but there are surely things that can be improved upon, as this system shows. Also, great video as usual! I like the small thought bubbles, it's a cute touch!
Thanks for this very informative video. This system is roughly the same price as a Braumeister 20+ but looks much more modular, if I had the money I'd probably go for the Brewtools.
I also agree that it's overpriced in the current market, but let's not forget that years ago the Braumeister was the best quality as well as the most advanced system out there. There was no real competition to speak of and a lot of what you can find today is inspired by the Braumeister. I've had the opportunity to brew on a 50 liter, which was OK, but also on a 500 liter and it was excellent.
I think it's worth buying before my marriage will happen! Mr. Heath, I'd like to know if there are main differences between brewtools and brewing on a grainfather? Appart from the price, all I figured out, was that if you pay a little more for some extras, it will be much easier to clean the system? Is the Grainfather controller in any way "better"? Since I'm very interested in brewing my own beer, I'm watching many (if not all) of your videos, and I'd like to say thank you! Your calm manner to explain your videos, makes it much easier for non English natives to follow the narrative.
Ha ha good idea!The Brewzilla, Gf and Brewtools will all brew comparable beer. The differences are in controller and features. Cleaning is not hard on any of them but it is easier on the Brewtools. The GF is the slowest at heating but has a blue tooth controller mounted higher. Gf and BZ are comparable quality. Brewtools is premium. Good to hear that you find me easy to understand, I do this for this reason :)
From looking at local (Norway) prices and converting, double the price of a Grainfather will be in the ballpark for the 40L, with the 80L about 30% more. No doubt more favourable in price in the EU though. The 80L system would be tempting. Pity the control panel seems to be down near the floor, though.
Yes, it is close to BM pricing. You really need to pop this on a table or bench. That is how it has been designed. You cannot have a touchscreen like this anywhere else for various reasons.
David Heath Homebrew I meant more of a brew day dedicated to highlighting how to navigate the moving around of liquid on the BrewTools unit. It looks complex and I’m wondering what kind of learning curve there is.
Hi David, thank you for this and the many other great videos. I think it's great how factual, informative and humorous your videos are, big thumbs up to you. I want to buy the Brewtools B80, but have read some massive reviews in German forums and wanted to ask if you have had similar problems. One of the main problems seems to be caused by poor recirculation across the mash bed. This leads to poor efficiency (50%). Remedy seems to be a 20 min pump break at mash-in temperature, as well as rice hulls. However, this does not fit all recipes.... Have you had similar experiences or have you found a suitable cure? Another problem is probably also caused by poor recirculation: Some users report a temperature gradient of up to 7°C in the malt basket. In my point of view, this is unacceptable and leads to non-reproducible results. What experiences have you had with regard to this? Thanks a lot and have a pleasant week.
Hi Peter, great to hear. Ive not had any problems personally but naturally there will be some that struggle with all products. Like with all brewing systems and methods graincrush is very important to get right and would be the culprit of the problems you mention. Temperature variation is normal, though not as much as 7C. This could be a case of using a device that is not very accurate compared to the premium probe in this system.
Thanks for the review. On another topic, do you have a video that deals with sparge water temperature? Wondering if it is necessary to heat sparge water to the mash temp or a bit cooler is OK? I get water at about 50 degrees out of the home tap. Is it just a time saving measure in terms of reaching boil temperature more quickly? Looking forward to your wisdom on this topic. Thanks
Thanks Joe. You can sparge with water that is cold. Just dont use water that is too hot. The reason people tend to heat sparge water is that it makes for a faster time to reach the boil. Hope this helps :)
Hey David. Ive been brewing for a few years and I'm looking to make the change from Malt brewing on a stove to a dedicated system. This thing looks epic and is well within my price range. I was looking at 3 Vat systems and 2 Vat systems and those range to about a little more than twice the price of these. I was wondering. Would your recommend this to me to start serious brewing indoors?
Hi :) I think as long as a person is willing to accept that this takes some set up time and has a longer learning curve than other all in one systems then yes :)
Must admit, very impressive. Was saving for a SPEIDEL Braumeister, but this has got me thinking. The reason for my choosing a SB, is that it can brew with several hop stages, of different durations and temperatures. Can the Brewtools do the same?
Nice Video like all of the videos you made . Isn´t it a problem when so much oxygen comes in the worth while it is sprinkeling? Is it possible to set the output to the same level of the worth in the basket to prevent it. Greets and a hug from distance because of C******* from Germany
Thank you, much appreciated :) In all honesty I've been splashing homebrew wort for over 30 years without any oxidation issues ever. Some of my brews have lived in for more than a few years despite this. When I brewed commercially then yes you need to be super careful. I realise that there are some that have a different perspective. I respect this but as someone who brews at home usually twice a week I really feel that I have exhausted my testing of these old theories.
Well Dave i try to keep the input of oxygen in the hot wort as low as possible - most of the systems try that as far as i know ( i dont mean the oxynation short before the yeast goes in ) the first thing that comes in mind when i saw the B40 / B80 with all the inovations and options- what a playground for the child in the brewing man. I can´t understand why they let circulate the wort like a fountain. The grainfather put in very less oxygen during the mash , when you lift the basket near the worth level with a pully while you spark too. It is hard to believe that the mashing with the B80 creates a beer without changes in taste. And you don´t splash hot worth .... or i never that you doing it :) Guess the same for botteling the less oxygen the better the beer ( sorry for my mad/bad english - less practise.... hope you got what i mean )
Well, I use the BT, GF and brewzilla systems. The beers they all make are all very comparable. I have noticed no difference in storage life at all between them. I've still got a couple of strong beers brewed a long time back with BT and they are still holding up very well in bottles with no signs of oxidation just yet. I simply have no evidence of HSA in homebrew.
It really depends on what you plan to output. If you want to go for higher volumes then you might be a able to find something between 40-50L. This will vary depending on what is available in your market and what you budget is. Personally, I prefer to split higher volumes into 2 different fermenters. This is easier and opens possibilities of splitting a batch for different effects.
Hi Andrew, ive not actually timed it and naturally it depends on many factors. You do have 3.2kw worth of heating though, so it is very fast compared to most other all in one systems.
David, I am on the verge of buying a new 5 gallon batch system. Two additional questions based on your use of both units: 1.) are you comfortable with the overall grain holding, mashing process in the BrewTools unit versus the Grainfather, 2.) would you be comfortable with buying what appears to be the version 1 of the BrewTools versus version 3 of the Grainfather? Thanks in advance for your experience.
Hi Kurt, both the GF and the Brewtools work nicely but are at different parts of the market. Brewtools being high end is very premium and you would never know it is a first release as it seems they have thought of everything, more than the GF. The GF system itself is the same as ever but there are upgraded parts like the controller, side pipe valve and the filter. There are more mods needed also to make it better in general. I think both of them are reasonable value. They both mash well enough for their price points and I can easily get higher than average efficiency from both of them. Cheaper still is the latest Robobrew Brewzilla. Not as fancy controller wise but it will still brew comparable wort. I see the market now lead by all 3 of these as budget, medium and premium.
Hi, I linked the official website in the video description, there you will find accessories. Check out Facebook groups for the system for more details at this point. I will be making further videos later though :)
Hi Michael, I think what it comes down to really is what features are you looking for and what are you looking to pay. I am work on a buyers guide video that shines a big light on all this. It is a pretty large topic. In the meanwhile, if you tell me what you are looking for then I should be able to make suggestions for you. Which country do you live in?
I always believe in buying the best technology best quality with great design and ease of use. I appreciate these traits in a well designed product. As a consequence get great pleasure using them. Even this level of quality will soon become outdated unless the manufacturer continues to Re re invest in R & D. The supposed add on capability of this product and wifi capability should enable the owner to keep he’s purchase up with the latest trends. I will also allow resellers to up sell and grow with their customers I have found the business model very successful in my 34 years if manufacturing in New Zealand I am not price sensitive in this respect. The writing in this text box is so small I am having trouble proof reading so e & oe accepted
I found it in the specs... USA 240V: 3200W combined power on one power input: NEMA 6-20 power plug USA 115V (soon): 3200W combined power from two power inputs: NEMA 5-15 power plug (2 cables)
Thanks mate :) Actually all it needs is PBW and heating to clean it. The only scrubbing I've done is the internal walls where hops make an impression. This is not much needed though as the built in CIP handles things very well.
Better overall then the Brewtools but it is of course much more expensive. It really is not a fair comparison. It is like comparing an expensive car to an average car. The thing to do here (in my opinion at least) is to weigh up what is important to you from the pros and cons of both systems.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I've noticed the sparge part is much better engineered here at BREWTOOLS than at Grainfather, where's the flow too concentrated on one spot, while this Norwegian brewing system jets much more dispersedly.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew any idea how accurate the brew tools tempetures are compared to the grainfather 30liter on the controllers as far as using a separate calibrated thermometer is
The Brewtools certainly has a better quality in all areas, including its thermometer. Though they are both accurate enough for the purpose. Unlike some budget systems.
The question will be - this - or a 500l system.. muhahaha. Thanks david. Love it! If my GF ever dies or if I upgrade (which I think I will, 1 keg/brewday just doesn't cut it anymore already) I think this will be my go to
It's a nice introduction video, but kind of light. Most of the images are coming from the official website. I was hopping to have more details on its usage. How long it take to boil, how well work each element, how do you sparge, how do you work with all those valves, how easy it is to clean, are the extra money from a brewzilla worth it, recipes mode, how easy it is to clean, what are the cons?...
Haha. People moan when I make 20 minute reviews. So I took this on board and focused on what was vital. Most of the images are actually my own but some were from the website. I had a guide to the things you mention but not the recipe mode because this is not available yet. The cons are tricky because really there is nothing that doesnt work well. Cons will depend on what you want from it and are prepared to pay. Personally I brew a lot of 10L test batches. I dont want to brew a minimum of 20L. You really need to decide what you want based on the information.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I would love a 2h review video since there is no other review video in the world 😜. On my end doing 10L brew is too much cleaning and tidying work
Haha, fair enough. I can see that perspective. I am unsure for how much longer I will have this test unit and if I can buy one and remain married! If I can I will make more follow up videos. I already have planned a quick start guide.
There are two major problems for me with this system. The maximum grain weight is too small for both brew length sizes and the heating elements are too highly powered and so would require rewiring work to UK houses before the units could be used.
Power wise it is totally configurable, like I mentioned in the video. Grain bill wise there will always be limitation but the min batch sizes are reasonable here to balance that.
Great merit video ad usual. From what I see they aren't mad priced. 1750€ for 80l? U won't get 20l bm for that... And bm doesn't even stand to this yoke.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew You have had no issue putting prices for every other review, and saying the price will not be the same in the future is the same as any item ever sold.......
Experience has told me that this is not a good idea, hence the change for the reasons I gave in the video. Hope you understand. I have not given prices much before in the past either to be honest.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I was it explaining why I stopped watching as soon as you said that..... And I have watch at least the last year's worth of your UA-cam vids :)
Yes, fair enough Jason but I think not watching a video for this reason is unusual. I have hardly ever mentioned price before in a review. People watch from different places and at different times. Prices change. I did not skip price to annoy anyone, it is practical.
Wow! That device really looks spectacular. It does just about EVERYTHING. Solves soo many nagging issues at every brew day. Great walkthrough too.
Many thanks Larry :) Yes this is very special and now available in the US! :)
Great video, David. I've had 9 batches so far on my launch edition B80 pro, with the strongest batch being 65 liters fermentor volume with OG of 1.112. Used 31 kilos of malt for this brew, naturally this was a reiterated mash. It's a joy to use this equipment. Produces clear wort, and with some smart setup of hoses and chiller, kettle loss can be minimized. Only lost 1.5 liters to the kettle this sunday, which was mostly gunk that I didn't want anyway (used muslin bags for the hops). Love the option of the temperature monitoring on CFC return, saves a lot of time and water to just turn that valve when the temperature is right, rather than have to wait for the entire volume to get chilled to pitch temperature. The pump is powerful enough to create lots of aeration when transferring through the counterflow chiller to the fermentation vessel.
Thank you Steinar and great to hear about your good experiences also. Yes I think this is clearly the premium system market leader by a long ling way.
Man, you are at the epicenter of Kveik nation and also have Brewtools right in your backyard. Did you win the lottery twice?? I can’t wait to see more in-depth brewing videos highlighting all of the features of this awesome new system.
Haha, thanks Kevin :)
NOTE FOR THOSE IN AU and NZ :- According to the manufacturer they hope to have Brewtools into both countries between June to August this year. It is being worked out now. :)
and NZ?
I just found out that NZ is the same. I have updated the pin on this :)
I have been in contact with them since you did this review. I live in Australia and NZ. They keep putting launch dates out. Now it’s August September 2019. I even asked if there was somewhere else on the globe I could buy one. They simply said it was too expensive because of freight. Very negative I thought as I have various ways of combined shipping. Not too sure how sharp this company is. Thought when you have a keen buyer that you would try and assist. Initially I asked for distribution in these two countries.
@@michaelparker4998 Sorry about the delay. We have a distributor that is currently having our products certified for your market. They have great plans for the release of our products, and if we were to start shipping one by one now, it wouldn't be a fair game for the distributor. One system would cost about 700 USD to ship directly. We work very hard to get the products to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience. We try our best.
Man!! That is am awesome looking system! Can't wait 'til I get my hands on it to do a review! Definitely high quality engineering AND manufacturing! Thanks for the primer David! Cheers! 👍🍻 P. S. Tell the shower gel to keep quiet!! Lol
Haha you are going to love this Brian! Interesting that you sided with the hair product against the shower gel. I decided to keep out of it :p
@@DavidHeathHomebrew LOL I have very little hair!! Now I question my choice of allies!! 😄😄😄
Best brew porn we have ever had in the home market. Deserving of Short Circuited production levels. :P HAHAHA
@@beeroquoisnation haha!!
Haha, sounds the best strategy to me then :p
Another great video full of infomation and funny to boot
Many thanks Scott :)
I really like my 80L system, its not difficult to understand how this system works. Thanks for the review.
Great to hear Jonas, I really need to try the 80L myself!
Are you finding it easy to source 34mm Tri-Clamps/accessories other than on their website website?
Ive seen alternatives mentioned on the Brewtools user group (Facebook) .
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thanks David. I've gone ahead and ordered the 40L US 240v version. Happy to pay the premium for the system and its advantages to my Grainfather (especially the power element!). That said the accessories, especially being Tri-Clamps, should be able to get sourced for less I'd imagine. Not on Facebook so the user group unfortunately doesn't help much! Keep the great videos coming!
Thank you! I would love to see a brewing recipe writing guide for a Scottish Ale from you. :) That would be very much appreciated. Btw, you saved my brew day with your tips on how to blow out the hops from the Grainfather if the pump/filter is stuck during the transfer to carboy. I cleaned the spring/ball, then I had to use a bike pump the blow out the filter. It worked! Sincere thanks and appreciation.
Great to hear that :) I will see what I can do there for you :)
Wow! It looks like an absolutely brilliant system! It's too big for me but if I eventually move to a bigger place I would certainly be interested in upgrading.
Competition is great and hopefully this will kick Imake's backside to develop the Grainfather further. Not that it's a bad system now but there are surely things that can be improved upon, as this system shows.
Also, great video as usual! I like the small thought bubbles, it's a cute touch!
Sure is! It will not suit everyone of course but it is the top of the market. The GF is a middle price point. You get what you pay for really.
Falling in love with this system already, wow!
Haha, yes I can relate to that :)
Great review! Got the b80pro myself and I love it! 😍
Great, thank you. I would love to try the 80!
Thank you David for that review! I think it's one of the best systems out there. Now need to save some coins for it... 😉
I think it is the best but naturally it is a premium product.
Mallorca Culinary Tours Yeah, some gold coins! ;)
Thanks for the great review. I looking forward to upgrading to the BrewTools b80pro! Thanks
Great, glad you found it useful Felix :)
Thanks for this very informative video. This system is roughly the same price as a Braumeister 20+ but looks much more modular, if I had the money I'd probably go for the Brewtools.
Great, yes sounds about right. For sure the best system available but at a price :)
The Braumeister is way overpriced in my opinion. I'm sure it's a good system as such but it's way too expensive compared to the competition.
Agreed. Very out of date now also.
I also agree that it's overpriced in the current market, but let's not forget that years ago the Braumeister was the best quality as well as the most advanced system out there. There was no real competition to speak of and a lot of what you can find today is inspired by the Braumeister. I've had the opportunity to brew on a 50 liter, which was OK, but also on a 500 liter and it was excellent.
Very true.
It would be great if you could do in depth brewing guide on the system. I would be eager to see the whole process start to finish on.
I will be going one better than that :) I will produce a quick start guide with tips for each part of the process in order :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Nice I'm looking to get one ASAP
Very impressive system. Did you see my Brew systems guide videos I put out recently?
Very reasonable shipping from Norway as well! I can't wait to see a guide video on this unit!
Thanks Derek. Quick start guide will be coming :)
The ultimate brewing dream for me. Time to buy a lottery ticket :)
Haha yup :)
I think it's worth buying before my marriage will happen!
Mr. Heath, I'd like to know if there are main differences between brewtools and brewing on a grainfather? Appart from the price, all I figured out, was that if you pay a little more for some extras, it will be much easier to clean the system? Is the Grainfather controller in any way "better"? Since I'm very interested in brewing my own beer, I'm watching many (if not all) of your videos, and I'd like to say thank you! Your calm manner to explain your videos, makes it much easier for non English natives to follow the narrative.
Ha ha good idea!The Brewzilla, Gf and Brewtools will all brew comparable beer. The differences are in controller and features. Cleaning is not hard on any of them but it is easier on the Brewtools. The GF is the slowest at heating but has a blue tooth controller mounted higher. Gf and BZ are comparable quality. Brewtools is premium.
Good to hear that you find me easy to understand, I do this for this reason :)
From looking at local (Norway) prices and converting, double the price of a Grainfather will be in the ballpark for the 40L, with the 80L about 30% more. No doubt more favourable in price in the EU though. The 80L system would be tempting. Pity the control panel seems to be down near the floor, though.
Yes, it is close to BM pricing. You really need to pop this on a table or bench. That is how it has been designed. You cannot have a touchscreen like this anywhere else for various reasons.
Amazing stuff!
Sure is! :)
Hi David do You think that its possible to put hop missle somewhere?
Thank You
There is always a way
Hey Dave, when are we going to see a brew day on the Brewtools unit??
I have put out videos already that show Brewtools being used to brew with :)
David Heath Homebrew I meant more of a brew day dedicated to highlighting how to navigate the moving around of liquid on the BrewTools unit. It looks complex and I’m wondering what kind of learning curve there is.
Thanks David very good video ☺ I look forward to see you brew a Belgian trippel on this 👍👍👍
Great to hear that you enjoyed it :) Hopefully I can keep hold of it a while longer for more brews.
Hi David, thank you for this and the many other great videos. I think it's great how factual, informative and humorous your videos are, big thumbs up to you. I want to buy the Brewtools B80, but have read some massive reviews in German forums and wanted to ask if you have had similar problems. One of the main problems seems to be caused by poor recirculation across the mash bed. This leads to poor efficiency (50%). Remedy seems to be a 20 min pump break at mash-in temperature, as well as rice hulls. However, this does not fit all recipes.... Have you had similar experiences or have you found a suitable cure? Another problem is probably also caused by poor recirculation: Some users report a temperature gradient of up to 7°C in the malt basket. In my point of view, this is unacceptable and leads to non-reproducible results. What experiences have you had with regard to this? Thanks a lot and have a pleasant week.
Hi Peter, great to hear. Ive not had any problems personally but naturally there will be some that struggle with all products. Like with all brewing systems and methods graincrush is very important to get right and would be the culprit of the problems you mention. Temperature variation is normal, though not as much as 7C. This could be a case of using a device that is not very accurate compared to the premium probe in this system.
Thanks for the review. On another topic, do you have a video that deals with sparge water temperature? Wondering if it is necessary to heat sparge water to the mash temp or a bit cooler is OK? I get water at about 50 degrees out of the home tap. Is it just a time saving measure in terms of reaching boil temperature more quickly? Looking forward to your wisdom on this topic. Thanks
Thanks Joe. You can sparge with water that is cold. Just dont use water that is too hot. The reason people tend to heat sparge water is that it makes for a faster time to reach the boil. Hope this helps :)
So the 80 liter system would be horrible for 5 gallon batches ?
Minimum batch size is 30L, so 7.4 US liquid gallons :)
Great video! Thanks
Thank you Yannis :)
Hey David. Ive been brewing for a few years and I'm looking to make the change from Malt brewing on a stove to a dedicated system. This thing looks epic and is well within my price range. I was looking at 3 Vat systems and 2 Vat systems and those range to about a little more than twice the price of these. I was wondering. Would your recommend this to me to start serious brewing indoors?
Hi :) I think as long as a person is willing to accept that this takes some set up time and has a longer learning curve than other all in one systems then yes :)
Must admit, very impressive. Was saving for a SPEIDEL Braumeister, but this has got me thinking. The reason for my choosing a SB, is that it can brew with several hop stages, of different durations and temperatures. Can the Brewtools do the same?
When recipe mode comes then a large amount will be possible, including all this.
Yes, and the setting up of recipes is much more straightforward as well.
Yes :)
Nice Video like all of the videos you made . Isn´t it a problem when so much oxygen comes in the worth while it is sprinkeling? Is it possible to set the output to the same level of the worth in the basket to prevent it. Greets and a hug from distance because of C******* from Germany
Thank you, much appreciated :) In all honesty I've been splashing homebrew wort for over 30 years without any oxidation issues ever. Some of my brews have lived in for more than a few years despite this. When I brewed commercially then yes you need to be super careful. I realise that there are some that have a different perspective. I respect this but as someone who brews at home usually twice a week I really feel that I have exhausted my testing of these old theories.
Well Dave i try to keep the input of oxygen in the hot wort as low as possible - most of the systems try that as far as i know ( i dont mean the oxynation short before the yeast goes in ) the first thing that comes in mind when i saw the B40 / B80 with all the inovations and options- what a playground for the child in the brewing man. I can´t understand why they let circulate the wort like a fountain. The grainfather put in very less oxygen during the mash , when you lift the basket near the worth level with a pully while you spark too.
It is hard to believe that the mashing with the B80 creates a beer without
changes in taste. And you don´t splash hot worth .... or i never that you doing it :)
Guess the same for botteling the less oxygen the better the beer ( sorry for my mad/bad english - less practise.... hope you got what i mean )
Well, I use the BT, GF and brewzilla systems. The beers they all make are all very comparable. I have noticed no difference in storage life at all between them. I've still got a couple of strong beers brewed a long time back with BT and they are still holding up very well in bottles with no signs of oxidation just yet. I simply have no evidence of HSA in homebrew.
What are your thoughts on the brewha system? Looks like you can get the same setup from home use to really big ...
Looks ok from photos, though I've not tried one so it is hard to comment further :)
Top review ... subscribed and liked...
Many thanks Michael, great to hear :) Lots more videos on the channel and 1 new video being added every week :)
Hello, what size fermenter do you recommend for a B40 pro?
It really depends on what you plan to output. If you want to go for higher volumes then you might be a able to find something between 40-50L. This will vary depending on what is available in your market and what you budget is. Personally, I prefer to split higher volumes into 2 different fermenters. This is easier and opens possibilities of splitting a batch for different effects.
how long does it take to go from mash temp to boiling on the 40L system?
Hi Andrew, ive not actually timed it and naturally it depends on many factors. You do have 3.2kw worth of heating though, so it is very fast compared to most other all in one systems.
David, I am on the verge of buying a new 5 gallon batch system. Two additional questions based on your use of both units: 1.) are you comfortable with the overall grain holding, mashing process in the BrewTools unit versus the Grainfather, 2.) would you be comfortable with buying what appears to be the version 1 of the BrewTools versus version 3 of the Grainfather? Thanks in advance for your experience.
Hi Kurt, both the GF and the Brewtools work nicely but are at different parts of the market. Brewtools being high end is very premium and you would never know it is a first release as it seems they have thought of everything, more than the GF. The GF system itself is the same as ever but there are upgraded parts like the controller, side pipe valve and the filter. There are more mods needed also to make it better in general. I think both of them are reasonable value. They both mash well enough for their price points and I can easily get higher than average efficiency from both of them. Cheaper still is the latest Robobrew Brewzilla. Not as fancy controller wise but it will still brew comparable wort. I see the market now lead by all 3 of these as budget, medium and premium.
do you have any links to alternate setups for this system and the accessories that could allow further customization?
Hi, I linked the official website in the video description, there you will find accessories. Check out Facebook groups for the system for more details at this point. I will be making further videos later though :)
Hi David you obviously rate this system highly. I am having trouble obtaining one. What would your second choice be. Disregarding price.
Hi Michael, I think what it comes down to really is what features are you looking for and what are you looking to pay. I am work on a buyers guide video that shines a big light on all this. It is a pretty large topic. In the meanwhile, if you tell me what you are looking for then I should be able to make suggestions for you. Which country do you live in?
I always believe in buying the best technology best quality with great design and ease of use. I appreciate these traits in a well designed product. As a consequence get great pleasure using them. Even this
level of quality will soon become outdated unless the manufacturer continues to Re re invest in R & D. The supposed add on capability of this product and wifi capability should enable the owner to keep he’s purchase up with the latest trends. I will also allow resellers to up sell and grow with their customers I have found the business model very successful in my 34 years if manufacturing in New Zealand I am not price sensitive in this respect. The writing in this text box is so small I am having trouble proof reading so e & oe accepted
Great review, compare to other systems it’s very flexible and most important you can replace broken parts.
Yes, exactly:) Thanks Frank.
What an amazing system!
Great info David, many thanks for the video.
Daft question but I suppose it’s a lot more expensive than my Grainfather?
Thanks. Yes it is! Here is a link to the website for pricing:- www.brewtools.com
You will need to convert to your currency.
David, Nice review of the Brew Tools system. Do I understand correctly that for sparging you would need an additional source of hot water (HLT)?
Hi Kurt, you can do and then you can sparge using the recirculation system, which works well. You do not have to though, I have sparged manually also.
David do you have the link to the Facebook page you mentioned with other people’s setups?
No computer with me today but if you type “Brewtools” in facebook group search then you will see it. Full title is “vi som brygger med brewtools”
For the US is this a 120v or 220v system. Thanks!
I found it in the specs...
USA 240V: 3200W combined power on one power input: NEMA 6-20 power plug
USA 115V (soon): 3200W combined power from two power inputs: NEMA 5-15 power plug (2 cables)
Thats it :)
B150pro Brewing vs Braumeister 50L ?
Dra Gon I did think about making a video on this topic. Problem is Brewtools beats BM in every way.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew how many liters of pure beer will be on versions 80,150?
awesome video thanks David, if only they posted them to Australia , would sell thousands i think
According to the manufacturer they hope to have Brewtools down under between June to August this year. It is being worked out now.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew thanks for that bit of info, can in hold out till then though!
Best thing is to reach out to them directly by email. You can use this:- post@brewtools.no
@@DavidHeathHomebrew thanks so much David
Doubt they will sell thousands in Australia but you can be sure it will cost thousands literally.
Do they do a trade-in for a used GF ? :-)
Haha, let me know if you ask and get an answer :p
Nice video again David. That element looks like a bugger to clean though. How did it go for you? 🍻
Thanks mate :) Actually all it needs is PBW and heating to clean it. The only scrubbing I've done is the internal walls where hops make an impression. This is not much needed though as the built in CIP handles things very well.
Cheers mate. It does look the nuts.
:)
Which one is better? Grainfather or Brewtools?
Better overall then the Brewtools but it is of course much more expensive. It really is not a fair comparison. It is like comparing an expensive car to an average car. The thing to do here (in my opinion at least) is to weigh up what is important to you from the pros and cons of both systems.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I've noticed the sparge part is much better engineered here at BREWTOOLS than at Grainfather, where's the flow too concentrated on one spot, while this Norwegian brewing system jets much more dispersedly.
Very true. The Brewtools improves on everything but of course at a cost.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew any idea how accurate the brew tools tempetures are compared to the grainfather 30liter on the controllers as far as using a separate calibrated thermometer is
The Brewtools certainly has a better quality in all areas, including its thermometer. Though they are both accurate enough for the purpose. Unlike some budget systems.
Where can you buy this in Canada
It is not for sale in Canada at this point. It needs a CSA certificate apparently.
The question will be - this - or a 500l system.. muhahaha. Thanks david. Love it! If my GF ever dies or if I upgrade (which I think I will, 1 keg/brewday just doesn't cut it anymore already) I think this will be my go to
Took me 30 seconds to realise that you meant grainfather and not your girlfriend. I agree either way :)
🍻😎😎
😂😂😂
I support this video. :)
🍻🍻😎 Much appreciated 🍻🍻😎
They spelled "Continuously" wrong (alarm setting)
I have passed this on. I have made other suggestions also. Thanks for pointing this out :)
Just change to the norwegian language. No errors at all 😉
i contacted the manufacturer and they told me the unit cant be operated in automatic or in recepie mode.
.
It's a nice introduction video, but kind of light. Most of the images are coming from the official website. I was hopping to have more details on its usage.
How long it take to boil, how well work each element, how do you sparge, how do you work with all those valves, how easy it is to clean, are the extra money from a brewzilla worth it, recipes mode, how easy it is to clean, what are the cons?...
Haha. People moan when I make 20 minute reviews. So I took this on board and focused on what was vital. Most of the images are actually my own but some were from the website. I had a guide to the things you mention but not the recipe mode because this is not available yet. The cons are tricky because really there is nothing that doesnt work well. Cons will depend on what you want from it and are prepared to pay. Personally I brew a lot of 10L test batches. I dont want to brew a minimum of 20L. You really need to decide what you want based on the information.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I would love a 2h review video since there is no other review video in the world 😜. On my end doing 10L brew is too much cleaning and tidying work
Haha, fair enough. I can see that perspective. I am unsure for how much longer I will have this test unit and if I can buy one and remain married! If I can I will make more follow up videos. I already have planned a quick start guide.
There are other reviews but they are in Norwegian and are not as detailed as this review even :o
There are two major problems for me with this system. The maximum grain weight is too small for both brew length sizes and the heating elements are too highly powered and so would require rewiring work to UK houses before the units could be used.
That is why there is a setting in the menu to choose your power between 10, 13, 15 and 16 amps.... You can select 10A, and it will only draw 2,2kW
Power wise it is totally configurable, like I mentioned in the video. Grain bill wise there will always be limitation but the min batch sizes are reasonable here to balance that.
I would like to see how well it boils at the lower power settings before purchasing.
I am sure that can be arranged :)
Great merit video ad usual. From what I see they aren't mad priced. 1750€ for 80l? U won't get 20l bm for that... And bm doesn't even stand to this yoke.
🍻🍻🍻Much appreciated 🍻🍻🍻
Fiskeboller!
I love them! :)
That is not cheap in sweden.
Something like this is not going to be cheap anywhere :)
You have really good vids. You are not taking any sides. Keep up you good work of making brewing vids
Many thanks Markus, I am glad this is clear :)
Cool wifi namn: fiskebollar😃
Haha, I love them :)
Fiskeboller hahahahaha. Cheers fella
🍻🍻😎 Much appreciated 🍻🍻😎
OMG I WANT THIS!!
Attention !! lightly use Grainfather for sale.... ;)
Haha, we all want this :)
That sight glass though...😍💦
Yup :)
I've just ordered my first robobrew to enter this world .. and already I want to cheat.
alas my funds only stretch so far :)
Great. Same for us all John:) The important thing is brewing, which ever way you choose :)
Someone I know is being ever more unfaithful to his GF ! 🤦♂️
Haha. It is a brewing system not a wife! I still continue to use my GF, it is still close to my heart :)
Lost me when you wouldn't say the price (I know the price).
Sorry but I cannot give the price for every country and the price will vary over time. So it really is best that people check for themselves.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew You have had no issue putting prices for every other review, and saying the price will not be the same in the future is the same as any item ever sold.......
Experience has told me that this is not a good idea, hence the change for the reasons I gave in the video. Hope you understand. I have not given prices much before in the past either to be honest.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I was it explaining why I stopped watching as soon as you said that..... And I have watch at least the last year's worth of your UA-cam vids :)
Yes, fair enough Jason but I think not watching a video for this reason is unusual. I have hardly ever mentioned price before in a review. People watch from different places and at different times. Prices change. I did not skip price to annoy anyone, it is practical.