Brewer's Edge
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MASH & BOIL
WHERE CAN I BUY THE BREWER'S EDGE® MASH & BOIL?
At better home brewing retail outlets nationwide and online. Contact your local home brewing retailer, or email info@brewersedge.com for a supplier near you.
WHERE DO I SEND A BREWER'S EDGE®
MASH & BOIL WARRANTY RETURN?
Do not return to the retailer you purchased from.
Contact Brewer's Edge at info@brewersedge.com to receive a Return Authorization Number and follow the return instructions. Many issues can be solved by a quick email to info@brewersedge.com describing the issue.
Brewer's Edge
2088 Burroughs Ave.
San Leandro, CA 94546
DO YOU HAVE A BREWER'S EDGE® MASH & BOIL INSTRUCTION MANUAL?
Email info@brewersedge.com and let us know what manual you need and we will promptly sent it.
IF I WANTED TO ADD A DIP TUBE, IS THIS POSSIBLE? IF SO, HAVE YOU TRIED IT WITH A DIP TUBE?
As you can tell, the interior of the valve is smooth and not threaded. We have not tried a dip tube, but you will find after the boil that the wort below the level of the valve is full of trub and not all that desirable (especially if you use an immersion chiller). So we have not found after use that a dip tube would be a great thing, although it might be if you are using a plate or counterflow chiller.
COULD A KETTLE SCREEN BE ATTACHED TO THE INSIDE OF THE UNIT?
No, the included valve does not have female threads
CAN YOU RUN THE CONTROLLER IN CELSIUS?
Yes, it is easy to change the programming from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Scroll down to the bottom of the product description for more on this.
CAN YOU USE THE BREW BAG IN THE MASH AND BOIL FOR FINER MILLED GRAINS?
A mesh bag inside the Mash & Boil can cause problems if it rests on the bottom for more than a few seconds. If it does this, it will block the thermostat probe and trigger an ER4 error code and shut off the unit. You will need to reset the unit by pressing the button on the very bottom to clear this, which can be awkward. So, we would not recommend this, unless the BYOB bag is used as a liner for the stainless grain basket. This is helpful when you have malt that is ground fine, to prevent malt dust from coating the bottom.
DOES THE SPARGE WATER NEED TO BE HEATING SEPARATELY (ON A SECOND BURNER AND POT)?
Yes, the sparge water is heated separately. Some people are using their old water cooler mash tuns as sparge water holding tanks, first heating their sparge water to 176° F, and then pouring into their cooler and sealing. The sparge water loses about 10° of heat during storage for couple hours, and then is used to sparge at the end of the mash.
HOW LONG IS THE POWER CORD?
5 feet.
WHAT IS THE VOLUME LEFT IN THE KETTLE BELOW THE SPIGOT?
About half a gallon.
WHAT IS THE WARRANTY?
One year from date of purchase. For warranty claims email your issue and proof of purchase to info@brewersedge.com
HOW TIGHT IS THE TEMP CONTROL; I.E. IF THE CONTROLLER IS SET AT 152, HOW MUCH OVERSHOOT/UNDERSHOOT CAN BE EXPECTED?
About 3° above or below is expected for the original Mash & Boil, 1½ ° for the Series 2
ARE THE HANDLES ON THE SIDES STRONG ENOUGH TO LIFT THE ENTIRE UNIT WITH A FULL 5-GALLONS OF WORT?
Warning! When full of 5 gallons of scalding wort, the Mash & Boil should not be lifted by its handles. Use the valve to empty before lifting to prevent injury.
I MANAGED TO LOOSE THE RUBBER COVERING FOR ONE OF THE BOLTS THAT ALLOWS THE MASH CONTAINER TO SIT ON THE BOIL KETTLE AND NOW IT DOESN'T SIT EVENLY. DO YOU KNOW IF THERE IS A WAY TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE OR SET OF THESE?
These silicone covers are food grade and rated to 240 F. although we originally designed them just to protect the boiler during shipping from the basket supports. What we do here is remove all 4 before brewing as they are not intended to be used in the mash.
HAVE YOU TRIED A NO SPARGE FULL VOLUME MASH WITH THIS YET? WOULD THE INTERNAL VOLUME ALLOW FOR THIS?
We have not tried this yet, the internal volume is 7½ gallons, so it should be easily done, particularly with smaller grain bills. You might not get as much efficiency doing it this way versus pulling the basket up and adding sparge water.
ARE YOU ABLE TO PICK UP AND MOVE THE BOILER VIA THE HANDLES WHEN FULL?
WARNING! We do not recommend this, as there is always the chance hot liquid will spill and scald.
I DID A WATER TEST AND FOUND THAT THE BOIL HAPPENS AROUND 200F (I'M @5300FT) - SHOULD I SET THIS AS THE TARGET BOIL TEMP AND LET IT CYCLE, OR SHOULD I SET IT AT 205F FORCING THE ELEMENT TO BE 'ON' FOR THE FULL BOIL DURATION?
You want the element always on during the boil, so we recommend setting it at 218° F. for the boil duration. Lower settings might not be high enough to avoid triggering the differential during the boil.
WHAT ARE THE INTERNAL DIMENSIONS OF THE BOILER?
11.5 inches across, 19 inches deep.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF BOIL-OFF PER HOUR?
1/2 gallon and sometimes a little more per hour.
I'M WEIGHING ALL THE POSSIBILITIES BETWEEN THIS PRODUCT AND THE GRAINFATHER. OTHER THAN THE PUMP AND CHILLER, WHICH I CAN USE FROM MY CURRENT SET UP, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE DISTILLING OPTIONS? WILL A GF DOME ATTACHMENT WORK? IS THERE A PLAN FOR ONE?
The Series 2 comes with a distilling ready lid, and an optional pure Copper Dome is available. Email info@brewersedge.com for details and a retailer near you.
AFTER THE BOIL, WHEN I AM USING AN IMMERSION CHILLER IN THE MASH & BOIL, WILL THE THERMOSTAT SHOW THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE OF THE WORT AS IT IS COOLING OR DO I NEED A THERMOMETER FOR THAT?
Not accurately, it is best to use a separate thermometer to monitor mash and cooling temperatures.
WITH THE POWER ADJUST SWITCH, DO YOU ONLY NEED TO SWITCH IT TO 1600W WHEN RAISING WATER TEMP? SO, SWITCH TO 1600W WHEN HEATING STRIKE WATER, SWITCH IT OFF WHEN MASHING @ 150, AND THEN SWITCH BACK TO 1600W WHEN RAISING TEMP TO BOIL?
The 1000 Watt switch gives you the option of leaving it at 1000W if you have a weaker circuit without enough amps (15) to power the Mash & Boil at full power. It is also more than enough power during the mash.
You could use 1600 W only for raising temperatures and boiling, while leaving it at 1000 W for mashing and you would not experience a delay in performance.
HOW TALL IS THE UNIT? SINCE THE DIGITAL UNIT IS NEAR THE BOTTOM, IT LOOKS LIKE A PERSON SHOULD PUT ON A TABLE OR STAND. IF YOU DO THIS, THEN YOUR BASKET IS UP SUPER HIGH AT SPARGE TIME. RECOMMENDED STAND HEIGHT BASED ON THIS?
The Mash & Boil is 41" tall when the Sparging Basket is resting on top. We have found that a short stand of 14" or so tall works well as a compromise on this.
IF THE MINIMUM MASH WATER IS 3 GALLONS, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR PARTIAL MASH RECIPES THAT ONLY USE 3 OR 4 LBS OF GRAINS??
For batches that use less than 8 pounds of crushed malt, we recommend purchasing the Brewer's Edge Small Batch Adapter to block the side basket perforations for a more efficent sparge.
DO YOU CARRY REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE MASH & BOIL LIKE REPLACEMENT GRAIN BASKET OR REPLACEMENT LIDS?
Email info@brewersedge.com with your part needs.
COULD YOU SIGNIFICANTLY SHAVE OFF THE TIME IT TAKES TO BOIL IF YOU DROPPED A HEATSTICK IN THE WORT?
Yes, but you would want to plug it into a different circuit since the Mash and Boil is already using close to 15 amps.
WOULD THE GRAINCOAT OR A BREWZILLA PARKA BE OF ANY BENEFIT?
The Graincoat does not fit the Mash and Boil. You may be able to make something yourself using some heatproof insulation material from a hardware store. Keep in mind, unlike the Grainfather and Brewzilla, the Mash & Boil has double wall construction for much better insulation without adding anything.
CAN YOU USE A HOP BAG WITH THIS DURING BOILING OR WILL IT CAUSE ISSUES WITH THE BURNER?
A hop spider is probably a better long term choice. You can use a hop bag, although if it sits on the bottom it may be scorched by the burner. Also, if it sits on top of the thermostat probe (near the valve inlet) it may trigger an ER4 code (blocked thermostat or run dry condition) in which case you will have to reset the unit by pressing the reset button on the bottom center
WILL IT OPERATE ON A 15 AMP CIRCUIT?
Yes, since the Mash and Boil uses 14.5 amps on 110 volts. You would not want anything else connected to that circuit though.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO FLY SPARGE WITH THIS UNIT OR IS IT SET UP AS A BATCH SPARGE ONLY? ALSO IS IT POSSIBLE TO VORLOF TO CLEAR UP THE WORT BEFORE SPARGING INTO KETTLE?
The Mash & Boil with its elevated grain basket is like a hybrid between fly sparging and batch sparging. You can use a simple Vorlauf process by elevating the grain basket after mashing, and use the valve to pour off a half gallon or so which you then deposit on top of the grain bed in the elevated basket.
CAN THE MASH & BOIL BE PROGRAMMED TO ADVANCE THROUGH A MULTI-STEP MASH WITH 2 OR MORE TEMPERATURES?
It cannot be programmed to change temperatures at set times. To change the temperature, you have to use the thermostat controls for each temperature change.
WHAT IS THE DISTANCE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE KETTLE TO THE 4 GALLON MARK?
It is 9" from the bottom of the kettle to the 4 gallon mark.
CAN YOU ADJUST THE BOIL TEMP? AS I AM AT A HIGH ELEVATION (5675FT), MY WATER BOILS AT 202 DEGREES. I DON'T NEED THE EXTRA 10 DEGREES. ALSO, DOES THE THE MASH & BOIL REDUCE THE TEMP AUTOMATICALLY ONCE IT'S ACHIEVED A BOIL?
You can set the boil temperature anywhere you like. We would recommend setting it to 210° F. for your location, if you set it at 202° the built in differential will cool to 195° or so between cycles. It does not reduce the temperature once it reaches a boil, but you can adjust the boil temperature at any time.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PREFORM A KETTLE SOURING USING THE TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW DAYS.
Yes, you can set the Mash & Boil to maintain any temperature you prefer and it will hold it for days.
I WAS WONDERING WHY THERE MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 3GALLONS OF MASH WATER. I WOULD THINK YOU COULD GET MORE EFFICIENCY BY MASHING WITH A NORMAL AMOUNT OF WATER AND SPARGING WITH MORE (LIKE 3 GAL MASH WATER AND 4 GALLON SPARGE WATER FOR 8 LBS OF GRAIN).
Yes you can do this, and it will be a bit more efficient. If you mix your mash with say 3 gallons of mash water for 8 pounds of grain, it will be a bit dry at the start, but just open the valve and pour a half gallon from the bottom on top of the mash and stir before starting the mash. We have found it also helps after a half hour to again pour a half gallon or so from the bottom, and then pour it in the top and stir.
I KEEP GETTING AN "ER4" WHEN I TRY TO START THE HEATING PROCESS. THIS HAPPENED AT THE END OF MY FIRST BREW WITH THIS, AND IS HAPPENING FROM THE START AS I TRY IT AGAIN TODAY. IS THERE A WAY TO CLEAR THIS ERROR?
ER4 is the thermostat telling you the unit is dry which turns off the element to prevent element damage. This ER4 can also be triggered by stirring in malt extract to the unit, and having the syrup cover the thermostat which will trigger the error. Also, if organic matter or a grain bag is resting on the thermostat, this error might occur. To clear the error and get back to brewing, eliminate the dry condition or remove the obstruction from above the thermostat and press the reset button on the bottom of the unit.
DO YOU HAVE A RELATIVE MASH EFFICIENCY WITH THE NORMAL PRACTICE AS DESCRIBED (WITH SPARGING) AND A RELATIVE MASH EFFICIENCY WITHOUT SPARGING (USING AS A BIAB).
No we do not, we are working on various studies, such how the thickness of the mash affects efficiency. What we have found to date is that very thick mashes seem to be efficient that more liquid ones. For example, we have mashed 16 pounds of malt two ways. The first time, we used 6 gallons of strike water and 2 gallons of sparge water and ended up with a 5 gallon batch with a starting gravity of 1.072. The next time, we brewed the same batch, only using 5 gallons of strike water but 3 gallons of sparge water. We ended up with a starting gravity of 1.084. We are continuing research on this!
DOES THE KETTLE HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY SO THAT THE FULL VOLUME OF WATER CAN BE USED DURING THE MASH, AND USE THE GRAIN BASKET IN PLACE OF A BAG TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO BIAB? THIS WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED TO HEAT SPARGE WATER SEPARATELY.
This can be done, although efficiency might suffer compared with adding sparge water to a raised basket during sparging.
CAN A BAG STILL BE USED TO CONTAIN ALL THE GRAIN?
You could use a bag inside the sparging basket if you like, and this can be helpful if your malt is ground too fine and has lots of dust.
IS THERE INSULATION BETWEEN THE WALLS OF THE VESSEL?
There is no insulation other than air between the double walls.
IS THE HEATING ELEMENT REPLACEABLE?
The heating element is not replaceable.
CAN THE OUTSIDE OF THE KETTLE GET WET?
The outside of the Mash & and Boil should be protected from getting wet. It has waterproofed switches but is not intended to get wet or be immersed.
HOW LONG IS THE HEATING ELEMENT EXPECTED TO LAST?
We have had a test unit for 5 years and it has not failed. The unit has a dry cut off sensor, which shut the unit off immediately if it detects there is no water in the boiler.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO CONVERT THIS TO A 220V ELEMENT? OR IS IT ALL ENCLOSED?
No, it is not possible to convert this to 220 volts, as the element is welded into the base of the unit.
CAN YOU USE THIS FOR 2.5GAL BATCHES?
The gallon markers start at 4, so you will have to measure volumes. There is no reason why the Mash & Boil cannot be used for 2½ gallon batches.
I HAVE DONE A BUNCH OF EXTRACT KITS AND WANT GET INTO MASHING, WHAT OTHER ITEMS WILL I NEED WITH THE BREWERS EDGE TO ACHIEVE A FULL WORT.
We recommend a Wort Chiller, our E81 Immersion Chiller is perfect. You will also need a pot to heat 3 or 4 gallons of sparge water in up to 168° F., your existing extract brew kettle should be able to do this. A large stirring spoon such as our E46 is needed, and a long probe thermometer like our T65 Brewer's Edge Dial Thermometer is a big help. Other than that, use the fermenters and other equipment you currently use for extract brewing.
ARE YOU ABLE TO GIVE AN APPROXIMATE VOLUME OF THE SPRAYING BASKET? OR DIMENSIONS IF NOT?
The Sparging Basket is 17" tall, and 9½" wide (interior dimensions).
I DO A LOT OF EXTRACT BREWS AS WELL AS ALL GRAIN. ABOUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET ROOM TEMP WATER TO A FULL BOIL ON 5.5 GALLONS?
About 45 to 55 minutes depending on ambient temperature. Keep in mind if you pour extract syrup into the unit while it is heating, it will shut off, as the syrup extract will trigger the unit to think it is dry and shut off. To avoid this, the extract needs to be stirred in while the unit is not heating (heat before you add the extract, turn it off when stirring in the extract), and then turn it back on when the syrup is dissolved.
ANY PLANS ON MAKING A BIGGER VERSION? I'D LOVE TO DO FULL VOLUME BIAB IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
A bigger version would require 220 volts, so we are not planning this.
IS THE CONTROL PANEL A PID? OR JUST A SIMPLE TEMP CONTROLLER? I'M CURIOUS IF IT WOULD OVERSHOOT TEMPS IF RECIRCULATING AND TRYING TO HIT/KEEP TEMP.
It is a simple thermostat controller, adjust for temperature, and has a programmable timer so you can program the unit to turn on with a delay of 1 to 24 hours.
SINCE THERE IS NO DIP TUBE AND THERE IS 1 1/2" DEAD SPACE, HOW MUCH LIQUID IS LEFT AT THE BOTTOM?
Approximately 3/4 of a gallon is left when the liquid level is below the valve. Tilt the unit slightly when emptying to get all the wort out.
HOW MUCH DEAD SPACE IS THERE BETWEEN THE DIP TUBE AND BOTTOM OF THE BOIL KETTLE (NOT MASH BASKET)?
It is 1½" from the bottom to the center of the valve. There is not a dip tube, just a valve inlet on the inside which is not threaded.