Brewzilla Gen 4 advice and experiences

[Barone]

Not used mine yet for actual brewing, but that doesnt sound right. Whats the level in the pipe before the boil?
Still to check, but I think the pump is not rated for boiling wort. Might just need to reset it. Is there not a button underneath?

It's not in the boiling...it's in the mashing that happens

 

[Ross1974]

So when you are mashing it overflows? Sounds like a stuck mash. Is your grain too fine? Not getting through the mesh and backing up inside the pipe? This would also explain the pump cutting out.

 

[Barone]

So when you are mashing it overflows? Sounds like a stuck mash. Is your grain too fine? Not getting through the mesh and backing up inside the pipe? This would also explain the pump cutting out.

Yes... only in mashing...exactly...stuck mashh...ratio 4: 1 grain water...must doesn't go down

 

[Agentgonzo]

Give the mash bed a good stir after about 5 minutes, then again after another 5. This should loosen up the grain bed and you should get a much better draining of the wort though the bed.

 

[Rwilts]

If the level is rising and the. Pump stops sounds like you have no liquid at the bottom, so a stuck sparge.

Didn't see other replies

 

[Barone]

If the level is rising and the. Pump stops sounds like you have no liquid at the bottom, so a stuck sparge.

Didn't see other replies

yes...exactly that

 

[Rwilts]

yes...exactly that

Assume you sorted it based on good advice above

 

[dcbrookes]

yes...exactly that

Use some rice hulls or oat husks in your mash and keep the pump throttled well back in the early stages of the mash. Stir your mash after about ten minutes and, if you turn the pump flow tap up later in the mash, keep a close eye on the level in the malt basket. I rarely turn my pump tap up more then about 40% to avoid this happening.

 

[Barone]

Use some rice hulls or oat husks in your mash and keep the pump throttled well back in the early stages of the mash. Stir your mash after about ten minutes and, if you turn the pump flow tap up later in the mash, keep a close eye on the level in the malt basket. I rarely turn my pump tap up more then about 40% to avoid this happening.

thanks ....The information I have is to keep the pump well closed at the beginning

 

[dcbrookes]

thanks ....The information I have is to keep the pump well closed at the beginning

Don't keep the pump completely closed, as you need some re-circulation. Just keep it turned very low to start with until you are sure that the wort is percolating through the mash satisfactorily..

 

[Rwilts]

Use some rice hulls or oat husks in your mash and keep the pump throttled well back in the early stages of the mash. Stir your mash after about ten minutes and, if you turn the pump flow tap up later in the mash, keep a close eye on the level in the malt basket. I rarely turn my pump tap up more then about 40% to avoid this happening.

Interestingly, I use rice hulls every brew (so good call) but after douing in and stirring well I leave every alone for 10 minutes before I turn pump on and start mash timer.

 

[Speccy]

For what it's worth, I don't bother with rice hulls, but I stir after 10 mins and run the pump at about 35%. Seems to work OK.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Interestingly, I use rice hulls every brew (so good call) but after douing in and stirring well I leave every alone for 10 minutes before I turn pump on and start mash timer.

I would give the mash a good stir at the 10 minute point before you turn the pump on. That'll probably help significantly

 

[Rwilts]

I would give the mash a good stir at the 10 minute point before you turn the pump on. That'll probably help significantly

I believe the idea is that the grain bed gets a chance to settle before recirculation starts , works for me

 

[Barone]

Hey... in Brewzilla 35 gen 4 do you consider the dead space under the tube?...I was considering zero...as the wort is all used...correct ?

 

[Rwilts]

For my gen 3.1.1 I have 6.25 L of deadspace in brewfather

But accept that it's being recirculating.

 

[Mash Monster]

Hey... in Brewzilla 35 gen 4 do you consider the dead space under the tube?...I was considering zero...as the wort is all used...correct ?

Mash-Tun Deadspace: Recoverable deadspace volume in your mash-tun, used for calculating mash water amount. In a system with a malt pipe, it is the volume before the water reaches the bottom of the malt pipe. Usually 0 in BIAB. Mash water amount is normally a sum of mash-tun deadspace and water/grain ratio.
You will need to measure the volume of water/wort below the malt pipe otherwise your mash water will be too short
I don’t have a Gen 4 Brewzilla but believe the dead space is 2.5L

 

[Barone]

Mash-Tun Deadspace: Recoverable deadspace volume in your mash-tun, used for calculating mash water amount. In a system with a malt pipe, it is the volume before the water reaches the bottom of the malt pipe. Usually 0 in BIAB. Mash water amount is normally a sum of mash-tun deadspace and water/grain ratio.
You will need to measure the volume of water/wort below the malt pipe otherwise your mash water will be too short
I don’t have a Gen 4 Brewzilla but believe the dead space is 2.5L

thanks ...but all the dead space is used in the BZ gen 4 ...equal BIAB

 

[Mash Monster]

Yes you are absolutely right but if you don’t add the 2.5L in to your calculations your total volume of mash water will be 2.5 L short and you will have a very thick mash ( Because the grist is sitting above 2.5L of the liquid ) Perhaps no big deal for you but I am currently using a system with 10L mash tun dead space and couldn’t even cover the grain if I left it off the profile.
I think David Heath has a YOU TUBE VIDEO explaining the Brewfather settings for your system

 

[Mash Monster]

Hope this helps