Any Good Reports about Pub Brewing System

[swami]

Just interested in the topic. Is there any one out there currently working with a Pub Brewing system? Do you have good things about them? What are the specific bad issues when working with their systems? Aside from fabricating gaskets etc are there any other design flaw etc? Lets hear from someone currently working on one. Im intetrested because they seem to be showing up around different online market places. And i may be in need for a second system.

[jrdamas]

No.

I have never heard of any good reports from Pub Brewing. Stay far away from their equipment! Although I have no first hand experience with the company I have heard 8-10 terrible stories all involving Pub. I am sure others will tell you the same.

[Sir Brewsalot]

Here's one upside: They're pretty inexpensive on the used market! But you probably knew that.

Actually, I've got 2 7bbl pub fermenters and have no complaints about them - appart from the replacement gasket sourcing issue, but it looks like I may have that licked.

I also have a pub brewing HLT (former kettle) - but a HLT is a HLT, right?

Good luck!
Scott

[Manchu48B]

I use a Pub System

I am aware of the nightmares people have heard about the Pub Systems and I have my share of the stories as well. To be honest I am not a fan of the men and women that work for them. They are quick to sell you a system and slow to return your calls. Forget about getting replacement parts. As for the system itself...it has never let me down. Since the parts are some what standard, and not to mention one of our staff member's father owns a steel fabrication company, I simply do not give pub anymore money. My opinion of the people that made the system is quite opposite of the system itself.

[Shoes]

I Second That

We had a difficult time getting gaskets. It seemed like they were quick to take our cash and slow to return our calls. I brew on a used Pub 15 BBL system that has been used and abuse. The rivets around the kettle and combi tun are coming loose and the copper is hard to shine but we're making good beer.

Shoes

[Manchu48B]

Use a dilute acid in a spray bottle. Apply and quickly wash off with warm water, then towel dry that is a poor man's polish for the copper. I do that 4x a year and in the Summer/Christmas I take the time to polish it like I would a car. To do the Kettle and Mash Tun takes about 3 hours. When it is all said and done they look great but it is short lived.

[hmois]

Pub Systems

Hey,just look back in this forum the talk about Pub is ongoing-ongoing bad .i bought a used one -no help from them since 7 months , i got my brewery running with speareparts from other brewers i knew here in texas.i am still short one gasket so i change from amty fermenter to aging tank und mashtun and the other way around ,when everybody says pubsystem makes good beer -i had good beer -made on dairyequipment- its not the equipment what makes good beer its our love to beer and our ingridience . My solution to the Problem is :If we stop buying Pub, soon we would be able to concentrate more on our beers because pub would be gone from the market and we would spend no time with being mad at them. If anybody has some gaskets for sell please contact me . harrybavary@hotmail.com www.edelweissbrewery.com Harry Mois -Prost Guys

[FrankM]

Hey,just look back in this forum the talk about Pub is ongoing-ongoing bad .i bought a used one -no help from them since 7 months , i got my brewery running with speareparts from other brewers i knew here in texas.i am still short one gasket so i change from amty fermenter to aging tank und mashtun and the other way around ,when everybody says pubsystem makes good beer -i had good beer -made on dairyequipment- its not the equipment what makes good beer its our love to beer and our ingridience . My solution to the Problem is :If we stop buying Pub, soon we would be able to concentrate more on our beers because pub would be gone from the market and we would spend no time with being mad at them. If anybody has some gaskets for sell please contact me . harrybavary@hotmail.com www.edelweissbrewery.com Harry Mois -Prost Guys

We are not related to Pub.

Send me some pictures or measurements of those needed gaskets or parts, may be I can find the source to custom make them cheap.

Frank
fma88@yahoo.com

[FrankM]

Hey,just look back in this forum the talk about Pub is ongoing-ongoing bad .i bought a used one -no help from them since 7 months , i got my brewery running with speareparts from other brewers i knew here in texas.i am still short one gasket so i change from amty fermenter to aging tank und mashtun and the other way around ,when everybody says pubsystem makes good beer -i had good beer -made on dairyequipment- its not the equipment what makes good beer its our love to beer and our ingridience . My solution to the Problem is :If we stop buying Pub, soon we would be able to concentrate more on our beers because pub would be gone from the market and we would spend no time with being mad at them. If anybody has some gaskets for sell please contact me . harrybavary@hotmail.com www.edelweissbrewery.com Harry Mois -Prost Guys

We are not related to Pub.

Send me some pictures or measurements of those needed gaskets or parts, may be I can find the source to custom make them cheap.

[bcunningham]

I too am interested in used Pub systems. It seems everyone talkes about how bad the people at Pub are, and not so much about the equipment itself. Aside from the parts problem, the equipment looks very well built. I think both swami and I are trying to get an opinion on the equipment quality. In particular, are the Pub systems "user friendly" to brew on? I like the idea of a skid-mounted system. Are there any reasons not to go with a skid-mounted system?

Bruce

[swami]

yup

Well, despite the freaky outta business company with shitty track record I recently bought a 7bbl pub system. Im quit satisfied so far with its build etc... i like the manifold, however mash tun is really small (system was really designed for 1.05 beers tops so big beers will have to be creatively mashed/brewed. Other than that its in great shape and was great for the money. I am looking for the install manual though... Anyone out there got one hit me up thanks..
cheers
swami

[Manchu48B]

I too am interested in used Pub systems. It seems everyone talkes about how bad the people at Pub are, and not so much about the equipment itself. Aside from the parts problem, the equipment looks very well built. I think both swami and I are trying to get an opinion on the equipment quality. In particular, are the Pub systems "user friendly" to brew on?

I believe the "Pub bashing" has been established and over done. To answer your question about how the system works, I have never had a problem. It has proven itself time and time again to be very user friendly once you get used to it. I use a 15 bbl. system and I have discovered some design flaws, however they can be overcome. For instance my combi system gravity feeds the run off. For it to work properly one must use much more water than needed to bring the batch to volume, which dilutes the wort. I have found that if one uses the exact amount of water needed the last runnings do not want to flow into the kettle. Therefore I have to use the pump and play with the valves on the manifold to get the last bit of wort. Another problem I have found, as mentioned before, brewing big beers can be difficult but not insurmountable. Just brew double batches or add candi sugar to the boil and you will be fine. Finally, multistep infusions are difficult to write the least. I simply do not do them. No matter what system you work with there are going to be limitations so you just have to be creative and make the system work for you and not you working against it. I hope this answers some of your questions. Feel free to contact me if need more info.

[Caustic_Bob]

I've done over a dozen start ups on Pub Systems. The quality can vary from very nice to junk. Most of the fabrication bugs will come to light in the first five years. Undersized mash tuns were very common on early 90's systems.

[jrdamas]

lets see if we can get this thread over 600 views. 585...and counting.

[RobZamites]

800+ views!

I'm impressed. Well, my GM/Partner and I are taking the plunge and getting...yes, a used 7 bbl Pub system. As Manchu48B stated so eloquently:

No matter what system you work with there are going to be limitations so you just have to be creative and make the system work for you and not you working against it.

After starting my pro brewing career on a modified 5 bbl Grundy two vessel system, then to a 3 vessel steam fired 20 bbl Century system, now on a 15 bbl JVNW dream, the Pub system will be better in some respects, worse in others, but I'll make damned fine beer with it, come hell or high water!

anyone find a manual yet?

Rob