Ask The Brewmasters

  • 1.  Reliable Pump Manufacturer?

    Posted 03-28-2019 12:36
    Good afternoon.

    We are looking to start replacing some of our brewery centrifugal pumps which came with our brewing system.  They tend to leak and the seals do to not last very long.  The motors are also low efficiency.  
    I know there are lots of good brands on the market, alfa laval, fristam, top line, ampco etc.  Just wondering if anyone has had good experience, (long service life, low maintenance)  with any specific brand and would recommend them?

    Any information would be greatly appreciated.

    Cheers,

    Dan

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    Daniel MacKinnon
    Co-Owner
    MacKinnon Brothers Brewing
    Bath ON
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  • 2.  RE: Reliable Pump Manufacturer?

    Posted 03-29-2019 12:41
    The "C" series pumps are pretty interchangeable - we have a few Ampco, Cherry-Burrell that all seem to be the same.  I like the Ampco AC pumps, easy to change the seals.

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    Linus Hall
    Owner
    Yazoo Brewing
    Nashville TN
    (615) 981-4649
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Reliable Pump Manufacturer?

    Posted 03-29-2019 16:03
    We have almost all Fristam pumps here. No complaints here. We've found them to be exceptionally reliable. We even have one that was made in 1983! Good maintenance is, of course, a big bonus, but I know our maintenance guys have said that they're easy to work on and the parts are still readily available, even for the old pumps (not sure how the canadian distribution is but we generally get stuff from them overnight when needed).

    I highly recommend the Fristam FZX model in particular, it's a liquid ring pump that can pull liquids with entrained gases. Very useful for CIP return, pumping foamy products, etc. We frequently use it for unloading drums, totes, and barrels, even if the pump pulls a little air pocket, it'll still pull through it.

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    Craig Collins
    Cidermaker
    Downeast Cider
    Boston MA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Reliable Pump Manufacturer?

    Posted 03-29-2019 16:03
    We recently purchased a few centrifugal pumps from CPE Systems. They are well built and work well and were priced very affordably.

    I know some of the other suppliers make some very high quality specialty pumps, but for the needs and budget of a 15 bbl brewery these work great.

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    Chris Davison - District Midwest Vice President
    Head Brewer
    Wolf's Ridge Brewing

    chris@wolfsridgebrewing.com
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Reliable Pump Manufacturer?

    Posted 03-29-2019 16:04
    Hi Daniel,

    I have Fristam, Ampco and Thomsen pumps at our various locations. The Fristam are, by far, the best pumps available. They have internal seals that never leak. Ever. I've become pretty fast at changing seals on Ampco and Thomsen pumps because they have to be changed so damn frequently. I couldn't tell you how to change a seal on a Fristam pump because I've never done it. At a previous job I had a Fristam pump in brutal service for 13 years and never changed the seal. By brutal, I mean that the pump did most of the tasks in the small brewpub including running dead-ended for much of the time because it was so far away from where the work was being done.

    Fristam pumps cost more and they are worth every cent.

    Note: this isn't an anonymous post by a clandestine Fristam salesman, just a happy customer with absolutely no connection to Fristam other than loving their pumps.

    Have fun!

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    George De Piro
    Chief Brewing Officer
    Druthers Brewing Company
    Albany NY
    (518) 650-7996
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    Original Message


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