Note: the following is an unbiased review of a product I purchased myself. This is not a sponsored review.
For those brewers who recirculate their wort and/or have a single tier brew system, such as a HERMS (heat exchanged recirculating mash system), pumps are an important tool. They allow the brewer to transfer water or wort from one vessel to another with minimal labor.
A number of choices exist in the homebrew market, but one model that warrants serious consideration is the RipTide by Blichmann Engineering. I currently use two of these pumps in my HERMS system and have been very pleased with their performance.
Ease of use: 4/5
Whether or not a pump is self priming will have a lot to do with how easy it is to use. When starting the brew day, and later when transferring hoses, there will invariably be air in the lines and it can be a challenge to get liquid into the pump so that it can be safely operated.
The RipTide is not self priming; however, it does have an air vent valve built in, which allows for the pump to be primed relatively easily.
Furthermore, the head of the pump connects via a tri-clamp, which allows it to be quickly disassembled for cleaning. It can also rotate 360 degrees prior to being clamped down, which allows for great flexibility; the inlet and outlet can be situated in whatever position works best for your system.
The pump also has a power switch located on the base so that you can turn it off at the pump in the event there is an issue and you aren't near your brewery controller.
Quality: 4/5
The build quality is excellent, and Blichmann Engineering has thought of many nice features. In addition to those mentioned above, the motor is totally enclosed and relatively quiet (quoted at 50 dB). There is also a linear flow valve built into the pump head, which allows you to control the outlet flow without the need for a separate valve.
It is worth noting that I originally purchased two of these pumps and one was dead on arrival. It was quickly replaced and I have since been using two of these pumps without any issues for over a year.
Effectiveness: 5/5
The pumps work very well for their intended purpose, with a flow rate of 7 gallons per minute and up to 21ft of pressure head according to Blichmann. They have performed well for me both in brewing and also in running a CIP (clean-in-place) loop through my Spike Brewing Conical Fermenter. The pump is powerful, quiet, easy to clean, and simple to prime.
Cost: 3/5
As of the time of this writing, the RipTide pump retails for $199.99, which makes it a bit more costly than some other choices. However, I feel that the feature set and build quality justify the cost.
Overall: 4/5
In a perfect world, I would love if the pumps were less expensive; however, I am very satisfied with their performance. There is plenty of opportunity for challenges to arise during a brew day. For me, I love the piece of mind knowing that I am not going to have any issues priming my pumps or difficulty cleaning them at the end of the day. I would much rather focus my attention elsewhere.
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