Brewing education

LEARN TO BREW LIKE A PRO – YOUR GUIDE TO MASTERING HOME BREWING

Welcome to Blichmann Engineering’s Education hub, where we empower you to craft exceptional beer with confidence. Whether you’re a beginner exploring all-grain brewing or a seasoned brewer refining your skills, our expert tips, step-by-step guides, and equipment insights will help you get the most out of your Blichmann gear – from brewing basics to advanced techniques and proper maintenance.

How to Brew Beer: A Beginner’s Guide with Blichmann
Brewing your first batch of beer at home is exciting, and Blichmann Engineering makes it easier with precision equipment designed for beginners and pros alike. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide: Start by milling your grain to a medium crush (if milling your own grain)—too fine, and you’ll get a stuck mash; too coarse, and efficiency drops. Next, mash your grain in a BoilerMaker™ kettle or BrewEasy™ system with hot water (typically 150-155°F) for 60 minutes to convert starches to sugars. Use the BrewCommander™ controller to maintain consistent temps—key for great beer. You can either recirculate using the AutoSparge™ or, after mashing, lauter and sparge (rinse the grains) with hot water for efficiency. Boil the wort for typically 60 minutes in your BoilerMaker™, adding hops at intervals for bitterness, flavor, and aroma depending on your recipe – try the HopBlocker™ to keep debris out. Cool the wort quickly with the Therminator™ wort chiller (10 gallons in 5 minutes!) to avoid off-flavors. Transfer to a Fermenator™ G4 fermenter, pitch your yeast, and ferment at 65-70°F for ales or 50-55°F for lagers—use the cooling coil for temperature control. After 1-2 weeks, package your beer with the BeerGun® for bottles or QuickCarb™ for kegs if not using a spunding valve.  With Blichmann’s gear, you’ll craft consistent, delicious beer right from your first batch.
Mastering All-Grain Brewing with the BrewEasy™

All-grain brewing lets you control every aspect of your beer, and the Blichmann BrewEasy™ system simplifies the process without compromising quality. Available in Classic (5 ,10, and 20 gallon batch sizes) and Compact (5 gallon batch size) versions, it’s an all-in-one solution for homebrewers. Start by filling the kettle with water and heating it to your strike temp (e.g., 152°F) using the electric BoilCoil™(or Surface™ if applicable) or gas burner. Add crushed grain to the mash basket or kettle, and let the patented Kettle-RIMS™ technology recirculate wort through the grain bed—set the BrewCommander™ for automated temp holds if you have it. The no-sparge design skips traditional sparging, saving time while maintaining efficiency (around 70-80%). After mashing for 60 minutes, lift the grain basket (Classic drains by gravity; Compact uses direct deposit recirculation), then boil the wort in the same kettle, adding hops as needed. Cool with a Therminator™, transfer to a fermenter, and pitch yeast. The BrewEasy’s compact footprint and single-vessel design make cleanup a breeze—just rinse the basket and kettle with PBW and sanitize with Star San. Try a simple pale ale recipe (10 lbs pale malt, 1 oz Cascade hops at 60 min, 1 oz at 5 min) to get started. With BrewEasy™, all-grain brewing is approachable and precise every time.

Top Tips for Brewing Better Beer at Home

Want to take your homebrewing to the next level? Here are five expert tips using Blichmann gear: 1) Control Mash Temps: Use the BrewCommander™ to keep mash temps within ±0.5°F—crucial for consistent fermentable sugars (e.g., 152°F for balanced beers). 2) Manage Hops: Add the HopBlocker™ to your BoilerMaker™ kettle to filter hop debris during transfers, keeping your fermenter clean and your beer clear. 3) Chill Fast: Cool wort to pitching temp in minutes with the Therminator™ wort chiller – pair it with a RipTide™ Pump for smooth flow. 4) Pitch Right: Use a yeast starter and pitch at the right temp (e.g., 65°F for ales) into a Fermenator™ G4—its conical design makes yeast harvesting easy for your next batch. 5) Ferment Precisely: Maintain steady fermentation temps with the Fermenator’s optional cooling coil—65-70°F for ales, 50-55°F for lagers—to avoid off-flavors. Bonus tip: Always sanitize with Star San before brewing or packaging to prevent infections. Blichmann’s precision tools make these steps effortless, ensuring your beer tastes as good as the pros’ every time.

Milling Grain for Your Blichmann System

Milling your fresh grain properly is the first step to a successful brew day with Blichmann equipment. The goal is a medium crush—fine enough to expose starches for mashing but coarse enough to avoid a stuck mash. Use a quality grain mill (dual-roller works best) set to about 0.035-0.045 inches—most homebrew shops can mill for you if you don’t have one. For a 5-gallon batch, mill 10-12 lbs of grain (e.g., pale malt for an IPA) and check that husks are cracked but intact for lautering. Too fine a crush clogs the Button Louver™ false bottom in a BoilerMaker™ or BrewEasy™, while too coarse lowers efficiency (aim for 70-80%). Store milled grain in an airtight container and use within a week for freshness. Load the grain into your BrewEasy™ mash basket or BoilerMaker™ kettle, then add strike water heated to 10-15°F above your target mash temp (e.g., 165°F for a 152°F mash). Stir well to avoid dough balls, and let Blichmann’s precision design take it from there—your mash is set for success!

Mashing with Blichmann Precision

Mashing converts grain starches into fermentable sugars, and Blichmann equipment makes it precise and easy. For a 5-gallon batch, heat 5-6 gallons of water in your BoilerMaker™ or BrewEasy™ to your strike temp (e.g., 165°F for a 152°F mash—use a 1.25-1.5 qt/lb water-to-grain ratio). Add your milled grain (e.g., 10 lbs pale malt), stir to break up clumps, and hold the temp for 60 minutes—ales at 150-155°F, drier beers at 148°F. The BrewEasy’s Kettle-RIMS™ recirculation keeps temps even; adjust flow with the RipTide™ Pump if paired. For ultimate control, use the BrewCommander™ to program multi-step mashes (e.g., 122°F protein rest, 152°F saccharification)—it automates ramps and holds perfectly. Check mash progress with an iodine test (no color change means conversion’s complete). After mashing, lift the BrewEasy™ grain basket or lauter in your BoilerMaker™ with the AutoSparge™ for efficiency. Troubleshooting tip: If temps drop, double-check your heat source or insulation—Blichmann’s design minimizes heat loss for consistent results every time.

Lautering and Sparging with Ease

Lautering separates fermentable sugars from grain, and sparging rinses out remaining fermentable sugars—Blichmann makes both steps a breeze. In the BrewEasy™, lautering is built-in: after mashing, lift the grain basket (Classic drains by gravity; Compact uses recirculation), letting wort flow into the lower kettle. Sparging adds hot water (170°F) to extract more sugars. Tip: If flow slows, gently stir the grain bed or check for a stuck mash —Blichmann’s false bottom design minimizes this issue. Once collected, you’re ready to boil—Blichmann’s tools ensure high efficiency (70-80%) with minimal effort.

Boiling and Hopping with Blichmann Kettles

Boiling sterilizes wort and extracts hop flavors—Blichmann’s BoilerMaker™ kettles make it precise and efficient. After lautering, bring your wort (6-7 gallons for a 5-gallon batch) to a rolling boil in your BoilerMaker™ or BrewEasy™ kettle—use the BoilCoil™ or Surface™ for electric setups or Hellfire burner for gas. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at specific times: bittering hops (e.g., 1 oz Magnum) at 60 minutes, flavor hops (e.g., 1 oz Cascade) at 15 minutes, and aroma hops (e.g., 1 oz Citra) at 5 minutes or flameout. The BoilerMaker’s 1.2 height-to-diameter ratio ensures even heating and consistent boil-off. Use the HopBlocker™ to filter hop debris during transfer, or the HopRocket™ for extra aroma punch into the fermenter. Watch for boil-overs—reduce heat briefly if foam rises—and stir occasionally. After boiling, you’ll have 5.5-6 gallons of hopped wort ready to cool. Blichmann’s kettles make this step foolproof, delivering pro-level results at home.

Cooling Wort with the Therminator™

Cooling your wort quickly after boiling is critical to lock in flavors and prevent contamination—Blichmann’s Therminator™ wort chiller excels here. For a 5-gallon batch, connect the Therminator™ to your kettle (use the RipTide™ Pump for smooth flow) and run cold water (ideally 50-60°F) through the chiller’s water ports—garden hose fittings work great. Pump hot wort (200°F) through the Therminator™ at about 1-2 GPM; it’ll drop to pitching temp (65-70°F for ales) in just 5 minutes for 10 gallons, so your 5-gallon batch is even faster! Monitor temps with a ThruMometer™ inline for precision. Tip: Chill water with ice in a bucket if your tap water’s warm, and sanitize all connections with Star San first. After cooling, transfer directly to your Fermenator™ G4 fermenter. Clean the Therminator™ post-use by flushing with hot PBW, then Star San—its stainless steel plates make it a breeze. With the Therminator™, you’ll cool like a pro, protecting your beer’s quality every time.

Fermenting with the Fermenator™ G4

Fermentation turns wort into beer, and the Blichmann Fermenator™ G4 makes it precise and sanitary. For a 5-gallon batch, transfer cooled wort (65-70°F) into your Fermenator™ (7-gallon size works great). Pitch yeast—1 packet of dry ale yeast (e.g., Safale US-05) or a liquid starter—then seal the lid with its 15 PSI pressure-capable design. Ferment ales at 65-70°F or lagers at 50-55°F—use the optional trombone-style cooling coil with a glycol chiller or ice bath for precise control. Check progress with the aseptic racking valve: sanitize it, pull a sample, and test gravity (aim for 1.010-1.015 final gravity for most ales). For lagers, try pressure fermentation at 10 PSI to reduce esters. After 1-2 weeks (longer for lagers), dump trub via the bottom valve and harvest yeast with the Yeast Harvester accessory for your next brew. Transfer finished beer to a keg or bottles with minimal oxygen exposure—Blichmann’s conical design ensures clean, pro-quality fermentation every time.

How to Clean Your Blichmann Equipment Properly

Keeping your Blichmann equipment clean is essential for great beer and long-lasting gear. Start by disassembling your setup—remove tri-clamp fittings from the Fermenator™, snap-in dip tubes from the BoilerMaker™, and the head from the RipTide™ Pump (all tool-free). Rinse off loose debris with warm water immediately after use to prevent buildup. Soak all parts in PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash)—1 oz per gallon of hot water—for 20-30 minutes to break down grain residue, hop oils, and yeast. Use a soft sponge for stubborn spots (e.g., kettle bottoms), but avoid abrasives on polished stainless surfaces. For the Therminator™, flush and back flush with hot PBW, then rinse thoroughly. After cleaning, sanitize everything with Star San (1 oz per 5 gallons of water)—soak fittings, hoses, and valves for 1-2 minutes, and let air dry (no rinsing needed). Store disassembled parts in a dry place to avoid moisture traps. Tip: Clean the BrewCommander™ screen with a damp cloth only—no soaking! With this routine, your Blichmann gear stays sanitary and ready for your next brew day.

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Which Controller is Right for You?

Both controllers are engineered with Blichmann’s commitment to quality and innovation, ensuring you’ll get consistent results no matter which one fits your brewing style. Still unsure? Contact our team—we’re here to help you find the perfect match for your brew day!

Choose the Power Controller

if you’re a beginner or prefer a no-frills approach, focusing solely on power management for boiling or heating tasks. It’s a cost-effective option for simpler setups like BIAB or boil kettles, offering reliable performance without the need for advanced features.

Choose the BrewCommander™

if you’re an intermediate to advanced brewer who wants full control over temperature, automation for step mashing, and integration with complex systems like HERMS or RIMS. It’s perfect for those who value precision and are willing to invest in a high-tech, scalable solution.
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