Shopping for AIO electric brew system

Systems, Gear, & DIY
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I’m starting to shop around for a new system and finally ditch the propane system that I’ve been using for the past 16 years. There so much variety out there now with price points to match anyone’s budget which is great as opposed to 10 years ago when there wasn’t much demand for these. Looking to only do 5 gal batches but want the ability to add as much grain as needed to get to a higher OG as needed. I could go either way with a 110 or 220v system (would have to get electrician to run new 220 circuit) so if there is big benefit in saving time on brew day with a 220v, then I would definitely put that into consideration. Something simple without a ton of extra parts or setup/breakdown/cleaning. I am looking at the Brewzilla 4.0 as it seems like this is getting pretty good reviews for the price point, but willing to go up in price if there are added benefits to a different system like an Anvil or SS system. I don’t brew as much as I did prior to 2020, and do only about 3-5 batches per year.

If you have an electric system and want to rant or rave about what you like/don’t like about it or any other recommendations, please let me know as I am all-ears at this point in time. Will likely make the big purchase by summer time or when I feel comfortable about the research I’ve done. Thanks all!

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I don’t have an All in One but I do brew with 220v. You might see if there’s room near your dryer. I got a 220v switch to use the dryer or the brewery. It was north of $100 but it saved the electrician running a 220 circuit. Just food for thought.

3

A 220V system will save you some time, but if it is a big expense and you only brew 3-5 times a year you should think hard about whether it is worth it. The biggest saving in time is heating water to strike temperature, and if you have a system that allows you to program that ahead of time then the time saving disappears. I fill my kettle the night before brew day and wake up to water at strike temperature at 6:30 AM so it doesn’t matter how long it took to get there. If you do step mashes you will save some time when raising the temperature - maybe 10 minutes or so, depending on the size of the step. Then, after the grains are removed and you need to heat to boiling temperature a 220 V system will save you 20 minutes or so over a 110V system. Once you are boiling you will want to cut your power way back so the voltage doesn’t matter. I brew in the kitchen with a 110V system and although it would be nice to save a bit of time, the cost to have a 220V circuit pulled is just too much to be worth it for me.

I think that electric systems, whether 110V or 220V, are definitely the way to go. You don’t have to worry about running out of fuel, you can control the power and mash temperature better, they are quieter and you can use them inside. You still need enough ventilation to handle the steam from the boil, but that is not as much as is needed for safe use of a propane burner inside.

4

Thanks for the insight. I’m not sure what it will cost to have a 220v circuit pulled, but seems like it wouldn’t be worth it for me to save 30-40 minutes in a brew day.

What type of electric system do you have and does it have all the features you want and use on brew day? Anything you wish for it to have?

5

I really liked the Anvil setup, but I have not looked at many of the others.  One day I will move to that, but for now, I use a propane burner and a 10 gallon pot.  It is simple and rudimentary, but fun.

6

I have a homebuilt system. I bought a 10 gallon kettle on sale for $49 and added a Blichmann BoilCoil to it. I built my own controller. It has all the features I want and if it didn’t I could add them myself.

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7

I use an Anvil Foundry for 5 gallon batches and an 18 Gallon Stout tank (its an all in one, but I use a separate 20 gallon InfuSSion Mash Tun to mash  for larger batches - 10 gallons, usually) powered through a Wort Hog EBC-130 controller (220 volt power). I use a BIAB bag with the Anvil Foundry and usually preset the heating element for an overnight turn on to wake to strike temperature water.  I even use the Anvil Foundry for heating the strike water for the larger batches, occasionally (then use the larger element on the boil kettle to heat the sparge water).  I have a propane unit to fall back on, but it only gets used once or twice a year when I do a group brew off site.

I think just about any of the All in Ones are pretty reliable, but I am waiting for the day when my Anvil Foundry element or controller craps out.  I have replaced one element on the bigger system, which was just a stand-alone tri-clamp arrangement, so it was easy peasy…replacement components could be a factor for you, though the few times you plan to brew should put you in pretty good position to rely on the system you choose for several years.

One further consideration - The Grainfather G-40 (or S-40) permits both a 5 gallon and up to 10 gallon batch.  I think the G series with the larger heating element capacity would be my choice over the S series, if forced to choose a replacement for either or both of my current setups.  Again, I don’t think you can go wrong on most of these new setups.

If you want more automation in your brewing, then consider the programmable models.  I prefer to be hands on, so I do everything manually in my brew day, including changing power output at the boil to match the system I am using that particular day.  Even so, with the newer models, you can still opt for manual control of each step in the brewday.

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8

I have owned or tried a number of AIO systems. The Grainfather G40 is head and shoulders above anything I’ve tried. Build quality, ease of use, reliability, support and most importantly…fun! The system is so reliable and easy to use that brew days are more fun than ever.

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9

I upgraded to an Anvil less than three months ago and really enjoy it. It’s a big upgrade from my previous kettle-on-stove setup, but a lot more basic than the G40 which wasn’t in my budget. If you are looking at a G40 level unit, you might consider the SS Brewtech SVBS. One thing I dislike about the Anvil is the wort chiller…it’s terrible. Not sure why they include it. I used it once and that was it. Luckily, I have a Jaded. It fits a little tight, but still works so much faster. I believe Jaded makes one specifically for AIOs if I’m not mistaken.

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10

Ask around to see if any of your friends know of an electrician who does side jobs.  I’ve never worked with 240, so I didn’t feel comfortable doing it, myself.  Shortly after I paid a lot for a contractor, a couple friends of mine were discussing having an outlet installed for an electric car, and they “knew a guy.”  They’re paying a lot less than I did.  :frowning:

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I was recently in the market for a small batch system and really hoped I’d find a Grainfather to fit the bill but it seems the only AiO best suited for 2.5 gallon batches is the Foundry 6.5. Why do you think more companies haven’t entered that arena?

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Because the demand isn’t there.  Ost homebrewers would rather do larger batches than smaller ones.

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13

Glad this post started!  I’m currently using 3 vessel gravity fed propane system with a 15 gallon Spike brew kettle.  Makes good to outstanding beer.

I’m also interested in switching to AIO Electric.  I brew 15-22x per year, so do want something excellent and reliable.  Mostly do 5 gallon batches, but would like the flexibility of 10 gallons and able to do BIG ABV 5 gallon batches.  I know a guy who has a Spike 20 gallon AIO, but I know that is expensive.

Looking for advice for systems as well as benefits of 220V.  I’m not an electrician so that would factor in my cost.

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14

After seeing a bunch of all-in-ones at Homebrew Con Providence in 2019, I bought an Anvil Foundry (10g) as a trial to see how it would work moving from a traditional three-vessel propane-fired gravity-and-pump system that I had to use outdoors.

I wasn’t brewing as often as I wanted to, largely because my system and process were cumbersome, and we get four seasons here in NJ, one of which I hate (summer, ours are hot and VERY humid), and one of which is not suitable for brewing outdoors (winter).

I couldn’t have been happier with the Foundry. I made ZERO sacrifices in terms of beer quality (if anything, my beers got better because I was brewing a lot more often), every difference in my brewday was a positive one… and my total time went from 7+ hours to around 4.5 all-in.

As part of this switchover, I went to a no-sparge method and couldn’t be happier there as well. I’m still getting ~70% efficiency on most recipes, which I am perfectly fine with. (I’ve never been one to chase efficiency points, there are far more important things for me to focus on!)

Obviously I had to recalculate my recipes for the new system, but Beer Tools Pro / Brewfather made easy work of that.

I now use a Blichmann BrewEasy Compact (an AIO system that doesn’t seem to get anywhere near the attention I’d think it would, given the manufacturer), running at 120V.

My boils are gentle, but more than enough to get the job done, the system is rock-solid (I will admit it is a little bit laborious to clean, with all the things sticking off the sides, but bear in mind I do not have a slop sink, I’m using my kitchen sink for cleaning), the controller is great, the Riptide is easily the best pump I’ve ever owned (I now have four: the Riptide, the little one that came with the Anvil, a Chugger, and my old March 809).

The system is an absolute champ, and I highly recommend it.

And I am a HUGE advocate of all-in-ones in general; they remove or reduce pretty much all of the “barriers to entry” for all-grain brewing, even for new homebrewers. And switching from propane to electric was one of the most significant things I’ve ever done, and I’m never looking back. Being able to fill the kettle and set the timer the night before is a HUGE time-saver on brewday, and being able to brew indoors through all weather conditions cannot be praised and recommended highly enough.

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15

I just scored a Gen 4 Brewzilla 220V, 17.1G for $599! Got an email at 11:30am showing the 110V 9.5G AND the 220V 17.1 both at $599. Clicked on the Shop link, and the big boy was listed at $799. So I called customer service and they said it was an error, but they would honor the price over the phone! The updated email came out shortly after  ;D

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Quite a deal, but can it brew standard strength 5 gallon batches (minimum grain bills for the size of the malt pipe?) If so, then you have the best of both worlds.

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They claim you can. I believe I saw there was an upgrade on the Gen 4 to help with this. We shall see!

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If you are like the others here who have moved onto electric brewing, you will really enjoy the new equipment.  Cheers!

19

Brew Your Own magazine had a review of AIO systems.

20

I have a Brew Monk (cheap and made in China, lots of similar brands exits I.e. HopCat). It relighted my brewing after 30+ years in propane it is a huge time saver. In the Netherlands we only have 220V. You do need to take the time to learn how the system performs. I problem I had was my beers were turning out to dry. I probably mashed to at to low a temperature. The Brew Monk had the temperature probe on the bottom, near the heating element. I’m back to step mashing and that helped. Watch a lot of YouTube videos, helps a lot too. But it did rekindle my enthusiasm for brewing! Spend what you can and need.

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