Pilot-scale systems...

[krantul]

Putting aside the debate as to the usefulness of this kind of equipment... I have been looking at some of the small-scale brewing systems. Just wondering if anyone knows of any manufacturers besides the usual suspects, or has any experience with any of these systems:

Sabco Brew-Magic, ~14 gallons, direct fire, around $6000
MoreBeer, 10 and 20 gallon systems, direct fire, $3000 and $5000
Stainless Steel Specialists, 1/2HL and 1 HL, electric, $6000 and $15000

[krantul]

And although NABS evidently no longer sells it, this 2bbl systems looked like a good value. Anyone have a guess as to the manufacturer?

http://www.nabrewing.com/complete/0117032bblcompbrewery.shtml

[Rosie]

Krantul,

We've got a B3 (Beer, Beer and Morebeer) 2050 (20 gallon) sculpture and are pretty pleased with it. It is starting to gather a little dust now as someone once predicted here ;)

I thrashed this thing pretty hard early on and am pleased with the build quality and the beer that it produced. We went with the basic option + the step option, which I can recommend. I wasn't happy with the false bottom in the mash tun as it took forever for me to get clear runnings with it...in the end I modified it by putting in an old school copper manifold (ala a cooler type mash tun) in the mash tun and that sorted that out. The sculpture comes with a March pump for transferring sparge water, wort, etc and it has a poly head on it which I snapped off in the middle of a brew session - make sure you order a spare right away for that thing. It is extremely versatile as to the mash programs you can do. You can do step infusion by recircing wort through heat exchanger in the HLT or can even apply direct fire to MT or of course decoction.

Once I got this thing rocking I could do back to back brews (casting out about 160 litres total) in 12 hours including clean up. We still use it for some one off experimentals and sometimes building wort for yeast propagation...

All the best,

Jeff

[tundra45]

I am investigating importing Chinese made brewing systems. Right now, I have an 80-liter system that I'm evaluating and selling in Portland, OR. It has six 120-L jacketed CC fermenters, an electric fired boiler and insulated mash tun, pump, heatX, hard piping, and a chiller tank with heat exchange coil and pump.
Steve Funk

[callmetim]

You would sell alot of these to hobbyist as well as Pros.

[beerking1]

I have not heard good reports about the construction quality or duarability of Chinese brewing equipment. I understand, at the very least, that these supposed "stainless" items are very prone to rusting.

[DesertBrew]

Dont forget the Brutus Tens

http://www.alenuts.com/Alenuts/brutus.html

[Brewinfo]

I have not heard good reports about the construction quality or duarability of Chinese brewing equipment. I understand, at the very least, that these supposed "stainless" items are very prone to rusting.

I'm sure there are some bad pieces out there but I wouldn't pigeonhole the whole country that way. I know of several people who import Chinese equipment and they frequently fly to China to insure their product is being made to industry specifications. One thing is for sure, start selling bad equipment in this industry and you won't be, and shouldn't be, in business long.

[tundra45]

brewinfo is right. There is a lot of misinformation about Chinese made tanks. Unfortunately, some is probably true. I am only contracting with reputable manufacturers using quality raw materials. I will be going back to China after the Olympics to visit two new manufacturers. FYI, many US manufacturers are importing Chinese made basic SS tanks and just retrofitting themselves.

[Gregg]

I have serious misgivings about purchasing from China. Quality control can be managed, but one has little influence on the political and ethical systems one would be dealing with and tacitly supporting, let alone concerns about undermining domestic businesses.

Gregg

[sinobrew]

Gregg

Don't buy Chinese, anything, don't use computers because they are mostly build in China, don't wear any dresses because they are from China, don't drive even American cars because 30% of them are made in China.

We are American owned company and supporting people, not governments or communists and to provide service to you which you can afford, we didn't have any option only find place where we can manufacture for less.

God Bless You, Peace