Brewzilla thread to share knowledge, experiences and good practice

[UKSkydiver]

What are you using currently?

11 litre batches - BIAB in a Buffalo urn and boiling in a 16l stock pot.

 

[the_quick]

You will not regret it. I came from diy boiler and cool box mash tun to Brewzilla. It save me around 2h in the brewing day, much better temp control as well. Mashing is more efficient than before, as you can recirculate water in mashing.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

11 litre batches - BIAB in a Buffalo urn and boiling in a 16l stock pot.

I do 23l batches. I have now done three brews in my Brewzilla since I got it moving from a Peco BIAB. I can’t say anything about the beers as I haven’t tried any of them yet but, apart from an easier clean up, I honestly can’t say yet I feel the change has been worth the £350+ cost.
My efficiencies are slightly down and the false bottom in the Brewzilla (which I think must be in place to save the pump from any stray grains) collects trub on top of it which ultimately ends up in the FV. So, I do now get more wort into the FV as there’s less left behind than before but that extra litre or so is then lost at kegging time. As I say, early days for me and I’m sure my experiences are not viewed the same by all.
strangely, an interesting thread has just started here: Increasing efficiency in Brewmonk

 

[BlackRegent]

Change of topic, but I was hoping to call on everyone's experience of the chiller connection fittings. I used the Brewzilla supplied chiller for the first time last night. (Previously I've used my copper immersion chiller as I never got round to getting the fittings for the Brewzilla one).

It performed quite well and seemed to chill quicker than the copper chiller (which surprised me) but it pissed water everywhere from the connection fittings which meant I had to put a couple of tea towels either side of the unit so the water didn't get into the electrics.

Both fittings were leaking, although one worse than the other, and the leak seemed to be coming from where the chiller pipe goes into the large nut on the end. Now, the obvious explanation is that I've done something wrong in attaching the compression fittings, but I'm not sure what. I knew they were a faff so did some research beforehand and also followed Gash's guide on Youtube. I am pretty positive I got the ferrules the right way round and in the correct order. I also used two spanners to tighten them up as far as they would go and put PTFE tape on the threaded connection with the hozelock adapter.

Has anyone had issues with leaks from the chiller connection fittings and what did you do to correct it? Am I OK to take the connections apart again or will that basically knacker them for good because they're compression fittings?

Any insight gratefully received.

 

[The Cat]

I just took the plunge as well - bit of time to study videos too which is a good thing for me

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Change of topic, but I was hoping to call on everyone's experience of the chiller connection fittings. I used the Brewzilla supplied chiller for the first time last night. (Previously I've used my copper immersion chiller as I never got round to getting the fittings for the Brewzilla one).

It performed quite well and seemed to chill quicker than the copper chiller (which surprised me) but it p****d water everywhere from the connection fittings which meant I had to put a couple of tea towels either side of the unit so the water didn't get into the electrics.

Both fittings were leaking, although one worse than the other, and the leak seemed to be coming from where the chiller pipe goes into the large nut on the end. Now, the obvious explanation is that I've done something wrong in attaching the compression fittings, but I'm not sure what. I knew they were a faff so did some research beforehand and also followed Gash's guide on Youtube. I am pretty positive I got the ferrules the right way round and in the correct order. I also used two spanners to tighten them up as far as they would go and put PTFE tape on the threaded connection with the hozelock adapter.

Has anyone had issued with leaks from the chiller connection fittings and what did you do to correct it? Am I OK to take the connections apart again or will that basically knacker them for good because they're compression fittings?

Any insight gratefully received.

Mine leaked from one side too and wouldn’t stop no matter how tight. I opened it up and put a few rounds of FTFE tape around the olive then put it back together again and it’s fine now.

 

[BlackRegent]

Mine leaked from one side too and wouldn’t stop no matter how tight. I opened it up and put a few rounds of FTFE tape around the olive then put it back together again and it’s fine now.

@Markk Which olive did you wrap with the tape - was it the larger of the two?

 

[Falco]

Hi @UKSkydiver, I've got one of the new Gen 3.1.1 Robobrews and decided on this model after watching the two @David Heath videos below which were a great help to me.

 

[The Cat]

I've looked at quite a few vids and most of them have good tips to collate. My Brewzilla should arrive in 2/3 weeks depending how it goes.

Has anyone come across a totally for beginners with no experience kind of youtube video for it? Say for someone who has never even tried a kit or extract in a kettle or anything?

I've been looking but all the vids seem to expect some level of knowledge either with these kinds of systems or in all grain brewing with 3 units. I can hopefully piece it all together from various sources but was just wondering if there is a step by step idiot's guide for your first brew that covers absolutely everything? I've done quite a few kits so I understand the basics but things like sparging etc I've never done even though I understand the principle it would be useful to see someone video a complete brew from start to finish covering every single step - what to connect and when as well etc.

 

[foxy]

Its stands to reason if you are selling the BrewZilla not to give it a bum rap.

I've looked at quite a few vids and most of them have good tips to collate. My Brewzilla should arrive in 2/3 weeks depending how it goes.

Has anyone come across a totally for beginners with no experience kind of youtube video for it? Say for someone who has never even tried a kit or extract in a kettle or anything?

I've been looking but all the vids seem to expect some level of knowledge either with these kinds of systems or in all grain brewing with 3 units. I can hopefully piece it all together from various sources but was just wondering if there is a step by step idiot's guide for your first brew that covers absolutely everything? I've done quite a few kits so I understand the basics but things like sparging etc I've never done even though I understand the principle it would be useful to see someone video a complete brew from start to finish covering every single step - what to connect and when as well etc.

I too jumped in at the deep end went straight into all grain 11 years ago with a BM, you need to engage in a lot of reading to understand the whole process from grain crush, through to transferring to the fermenter a whole lot of information which couldn't be put into video format.
You will make mistakes, lots of them, that's how you will learn. And you never stop learning.
Does seem daunting at the start, getting your head around the why's and wherefores of each process, but its like anything else when you do know, it seems so simple.

 

[Falco]

Has anyone come across a totally for beginners with no experience kind of youtube video for it? Say for someone who has never even tried a kit or extract in a kettle or anything?

Have a look at this one, sparging with the Brewzilla is really straightforward

 

[The Cat]

Have a look at this one, sparging with the Brewzilla is really straightforward

Thanks looks good that - am quietly building up a collection of vids and also using some Grainfather ones as the ideas are the same.

Maybe in a few months I'll put a beginners vid together for someone jumping in with no experience like me.

 

[Doublediamond]

@Markk Which olive did you wrap with the tape - was it the larger of the two?

Not an expert by any means, however I don't have any leaks and only used tape on the threads.

 

[Gerryjo]

@Markk Which olive did you wrap with the tape - was it the larger of the two?

They are ferrules and not olives as such and do require quite a bit of tension as they are Stainless steel and a lot harder to seal than brass olives on copper. Two big shifters needed to tighten as I had the same issue though it was only a drip but damn annoying.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

They are ferrules and not olives as such and do require quite a bit of tension as they are Stainless steel and a lot harder to seal than brass olives on copper. Two big shifters needed to tighten as I had the same issue though it was only a drip but damn annoying.

I see. Anyway, one went on fine but the other just kept on leaking without the PTFE.

 

[dv12]

I done a brew today with no hop spider for the first time. Just chucked 66g of pellets in at 60.
I was plagued with a clogged pump after that. Anyone else find this?

 

[foxy]

Have a look at this one, sparging with the Brewzilla is really straightforward

I wouldn't advise lifting the BrewZilla with any weight in it, those handles are only spot welded.

I done a brew today with no hop spider for the first time. Just chucked 66g of pellets in at 60.
I was plagued with a clogged pump after that. Anyone else find this?

Thats why my recirculating arm is redundant. Can't beat the old paddle.

 

[Falco]

I done a brew today with no hop spider for the first time. Just chucked 66g of pellets in at 60.
I was plagued with a clogged pump after that. Anyone else find this?

I've got a hop spider that came with the package, only done the one brew so far and used leaf hops in a bag for the boil instead of the spider as I'd read a comment somewhere that spiders are a PITA to clean afterwards. I'll use it next time though to test that theory.

Personally I wouldn't just throw the hops in espescially pellets as think they're renowned for their ability to clog things up especially in the Brewzillas recirculation system. Others may come along though and say it isn't a problem.

 

[DocAnna]

I've got a hop spider that came with the package, only done the one brew so far and used leaf hops in a bag for the boil instead of the spider as I'd read a comment somewhere that spiders are a PITA to clean afterwards. I'll use it next time though to test that theory.

Personally I wouldn't just throw the hops in espescially pellets as think they're renowned for their ability to clog things up especially in the Brewzillas recirculation system. Others may come along though and say it isn't a problem.

@dv12 Similar experience this weekend, made a batch with whole leaf hops and thought they wouldn't clog the pump due to their size... that did't go according to plan and the pump gunged up at the boil. Annoying but fixed by suction to the end of the tube till cleared. I run the pump for the last 15 min of the boil to sterilise the tubing so I can run it over the immersion coil while cooling.

Anna

 

[Gerryjo]

@dv12 Similar experience this weekend, made a batch with whole leaf hops and thought they wouldn't clog the pump due to their size... that did't go according to plan and the pump gunged up at the boil. Annoying but fixed by suction to the end of the tube till cleared. I run the pump for the last 15 min of the boil to sterilise the tubing so I can run it over the immersion coil while cooling.

Anna

Quick tip for a stuck pump is keep the valve open and give a good blow as I had the same problem a few weeks back and it worked OK.