Mash and Boil

I have been brewing for 8 years. Like most I started out in the kitchen using kits. I progressed to all grain using the Beer in the Bag method. With BITB I would have to brew in the garage using propane burners. The set up and take down just to brew out there was a lot of work. I keep all my brewing equipment in my basement so carrying everything up to the garage to brew is a small hassle. I have 8, 15 and 25 gallon kettles and have brewed many different sized batches over the years.Recently I purchased the Mash and Boil. After my first three brews in it I have to say my life got a whole lot easier at brew time. First of all I don't have to lug everything out of my basement and out to the garage and then bring it all back into the basement for cleaning and storing. I simply plug in my Mash and Boil, set the timer the night before and have the water at strike temperature when I get up on brew day. I don't need to spend a bunch of time setting up the propane burners, kettles etc. I built a little stand for the M&B so all I need to do is set it on the stand, add the required amount of water and that's it. Everything I use to brew a batch of beer is in my basement with me. (I do need to bring hoses in to cool the wort). It's also a lot warmer in my basement, especially on those cold winter days I would normally be in my unheated garage.The directions for use are very easy to follow. The "basket" for the grains is solid but limited to only a 5 gallon brew. The kettle itself will hold 7 gallons of liquid but the directions give a formula as to how much water you need with the pounds of grains you'll use. I find it very easy to calculate this and also the amount I'll need at the end of the mash.This kettle holds a boil very nicely. It will fluctuate during the mash so I keep my eyes on it and check it often to make sure it is within a few degree range of the temperature I need for the mash.I have both a plate chiller and the coiled copper wort chiller and have used the copper for all my M&B batches so far. The "spigot" works nicely.Cleaning is somewhat different because of the electronics that are built into the kettle. I take more care as to not get these wet, therefore it is a little more tedious to clean.Overall I am very satisfied with the Mash and Boil. It is perfect for making 5 gallon batches. If I decide to make a bigger batch I will be back out in my garage with my larger kettles, the bag and my propane burners. However for the money I would highly recommend the Mash and Boil.

I have brewed about 10 beers with this system and you can't beat the value. Keeps temperatures well. When mashing-Cover with lid and possible wrap with insulation to ensure lower heat loss. This will make it stay within your mash temp easier.I would recommend you fill the kettle with strike & sparge water and set the temperature the night before. Give it a 2-3 hour head start to get water up to temperature before you plan on starting your brew. I have an Igloo I use to store hot sparge water so I just set the temperature hot enough to account for heat loss during the mash. This way I only have to heat one vessel. I use cool water to adjust the remaining hot water in the kettle down to my strike temp and then I'm ready to mash in.It can handle 15-16 lbs of grain barely but if you want to do a really big beer I would recommend a batch less than 5 gallons or use extract in the boil to bump up your OG. Also would recommend using rice hulls or similar to prevent a stuck mash. Average efficiency has been about 70%. The website recommends a short stand (14" roughly) of sorts to put the brewer on so when you sparge the top of the mash basket isn't too high to see into. Easy to clean the inside of the kettle and mash basket with Barkeeper's Friend. To ensure I didn't miss any hard to clean spots, after the 8th brew I soaked the inside of the kettle and mash basket with PBW overnight and it cleaned up any remaining organic material, then I washed with hot water to get the PBW out.The boil is not a strong rolling boil. It is a soft boil, but it is one I would feel comfortable stepping away from for a few minutes and not be scared of it boiling over. Do so at your own risk, however. Loses about a 1/2 gallon of water per hour from boiling. Recommend keeping lid on to get up to temperature faster but obviously take the lid off when it's getting close to boiling temperature to prevent a boil over. Usually takes 45-60 minutes to bring to a boil. An insulated jacket would help prevent heat loss.It's a sturdy piece of equipment and I clean mine well after every brew so the stainless steel inside stays as clean and shiny as the day I bought it. Haven't had any scorching issues that have come through in the beer. There has been some caramelization directly over the burner but nothing noticeable. Usually don't have any issues. I've loved using this system, it keeps temperatures relatively well and I don't have to constantly adjust burners and worry about scorching. It has lasted at least 10 brews and performs as well now as it did the first time I used it. Would highly recommend it.