Brewzilla

[Benfleet Brewery]

I “upgraded” to a Brewzilla last year. Previously I was doing BIAB in a basic Peco boiler. Do I think my beers are noticeably any better than they were before? Not really! I have increased my efficiency (possibly saving a few pence per brew on grain) and I find the clean up easier due to the enclosed element and that the vessel is stainless steel and not plastic.
Personally, if I was starting AG again, I would have said it’s better to spend £350 on the Brewzilla rather than £100 odd on a Peco boiler. However, I don’t think it’s worth spending an extra £350 to go from the Peco to a Brewzilla

 

[Philthebrewer]

Your practical experience, and what you say are encouraging. I'll give it a try.
Do you use rice hulls in everything you brew?

always use rice hulls, otherwise I end up stirring forever...

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Try 10ml glucanase, not as much volume in that and easier to stir.

 

[Philthebrewer]

Try 10ml glucanase, not as much volume in that and easier to stir.

Hi, what is the purpose of using glucanase please?

 

[Hop_it]

I “upgraded” to a Brewzilla last year. Previously I was doing BIAB in a basic Peco boiler. Do I think my beers are noticeably any better than they were before? Not really! I have increased my efficiency (possibly saving a few pence per brew on grain) and I find the clean up easier due to the enclosed element and that the vessel is stainless steel and not plastic.
Personally, if I was starting AG again, I would have said it’s better to spend £350 on the Brewzilla rather than £100 odd on a Peco boiler. However, I don’t think it’s worth spending an extra £350 to go from the Peco to a Brewzilla

As things stand at the moment, this sums up my feelings exactly

 

[Hop_it]

Try 10ml glucanase, not as much volume in that and easier to stir.

I don't doubt that this can be a means to improve the wort flow through the mash . . . . . But I haven't yet found a homebrew supplier in the UK who sells it in small quantities. The smallest quantity I have seen for sale is 5kg from Murphy & Son (who supply to the brewing industry). . . . . . A rough calculation (based on your recommended addition rate) suggests that this would be enough for ~ 500l, i.e. ~25 x 20l batches of homebrew. According to the TDS it has a shelf life of >6 months, but after that there is a continual loss (up to 2% per month) of enzyme effectiveness. This might be ok for some prolific homebrewers, but would certainly result in a lot of wastage for someone like me. But if you brew 20l every fortnight then its certainly worth considering :hat:

Whoops, I've just realised that I have screwed up the arithmetic (Sorry about that ). . . . . . . So, on the assumption that the density is close to 1.0, then a 5kg container of glucanase (a.k.a beta-glucanase) would be sufficient for 10,000l of beer.

 

[London]

Deleted

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@Philthebrewer

β-glucanase enzyme is used to break down the beta glucans in the cell walls of grains. These beta glucans cause gumminess in the grain, similar to bread dough, and can lead to problems with excess haze and stuck/slow lautering. This is especially true for mashes containing significant wheat or rye, as these grains do not have a husk like barley and tend to drain poorly and gum up. Glucanase enzyme can reduce or eliminate the need for bulky additions like oat hulls to circumvent this problem. It is also highly beneficial if brewing with unmalted adjuncts, which can have a similar problem.

This glucanase can be added directly to the mash to work alongside the saccharification stage. Typical addition rates are 0.5 – 1 litre per tonne of grist, which equates to roughly 2.5 – 5 mL for a standard 23 litre batch of beer. The enzyme is highly active from 40°C to 75°C (optimum 60°C) and from pH 3.5 to 6.5 (optimum 5.5), which is well within normal mash ranges. It is deactivated during the boil.

Advantages of glucanase enzyme in the mash include:

• Reduced haze in finished beer
• Decreased wort viscosity and improved drainage
• Increased extract efficiency
• Improved mash filtration

I get it from a local homebrew store that must have divided it up from a bigger batch. Seems a reasonable price at 3 pounds fifty for a 100ml.
So good for about 10 x 25 litre brews.

@Hop_it

If it's a 5kg package wont it be about 5000ml divide by 10ml is 500 .

So good for 500 x 25 litre batches

That's ten years worth at a brew a week so a completely impractical quantity.

I have checked the Gladfield price list they only do 25kg and 1kg packages. The 1 kg is 8 pounds equivalent. But I expect the postage would be prohibitive and given how long it takes for a card to get to the uk from here I expect it would be off.

AB Vickers also seem to produce glucanase and they are also in the uk. Might be worth a call.

 

[Hop_it]

@Philthebrewer

β-glucanase enzyme is used to break down the beta glucans in the cell walls of grains. These beta glucans cause gumminess in the grain, similar to bread dough, and can lead to problems with excess haze and stuck/slow lautering. This is especially true for mashes containing significant wheat or rye, as these grains do not have a husk like barley and tend to drain poorly and gum up. Glucanase enzyme can reduce or eliminate the need for bulky additions like oat hulls to circumvent this problem. It is also highly beneficial if brewing with unmalted adjuncts, which can have a similar problem.

This glucanase can be added directly to the mash to work alongside the saccharification stage. Typical addition rates are 0.5 – 1 litre per tonne of grist, which equates to roughly 2.5 – 5 mL for a standard 23 litre batch of beer. The enzyme is highly active from 40°C to 75°C (optimum 60°C) and from pH 3.5 to 6.5 (optimum 5.5), which is well within normal mash ranges. It is deactivated during the boil.

Advantages of glucanase enzyme in the mash include:

• Reduced haze in finished beer
• Decreased wort viscosity and improved drainage
• Increased extract efficiency
• Improved mash filtration

I get it from a local homebrew store that must have divided it up from a bigger batch. Seems a reasonable price at 3 pounds fifty for a 100ml.
So good for about 10 x 25 litre brews.

@Hop_it

If it's a 5kg package wont it be about 5000ml divide by 10ml is 500 .

So good for 500 x 25 litre batches

That's ten years worth at a brew a week so a completely impractical quantity.

I have checked the Gladfield price list they only do 25kg and 1kg packages. The 1 kg is 8 pounds equivalent. But I expect the postage would be prohibitive and given how long it takes for a card to get to the uk from here I expect it would be off.

AB Vickers also seem to produce glucanase and they are also in the uk. Might be worth a call.

Thanks for a very good explanation, and for spotting my not so deliberate arithmetic error

I've just done a search for AB Vickers. I can't work out the exact relationship (i.e. who owns who, or whatever), but Lallemand appear to market their range of enzymes. They do not appear to sell it into the homebrew market in manageable quantities.
Perhaps the only way to get some in the UK for a trial is to beg a small sample from a commercial brewer . . . . . but I wonder just how many actually use it because you only need it if/when you have a problem, and that will depend on what you brew, and to some extent the design of the brewhouse.
I now realise that a lot of the lautering problems with all-in-one systems like the Brewzilla are probably due to the ratio of height to diameter of the malt pipe being too high - short and fat would be better than tall and thin. This leads to compaction, particularly with larger quantities of grist.

 

[The Baron]

I don't doubt that this can be a means to improve the wort flow through the mash . . . . . But I haven't yet found a homebrew supplier in the UK who sells it in small quantities. The smallest quantity I have seen for sale is 5kg from Murphy & Son (who supply to the brewing industry). . . . . . A rough calculation (based on your recommended addition rate) suggests that this would be enough for ~ 500l, i.e. ~25 x 20l batches of homebrew. According to the TDS it has a shelf life of >6 months, but after that there is a continual loss (up to 2% per month) of enzyme effectiveness. This might be ok for some prolific homebrewers, but would certainly result in a lot of wastage for someone like me. But if you brew 20l every fortnight then its certainly worth considering :hat:

Whoops, I've just realised that I have screwed up the arithmetic (Sorry about that ). . . . . . . So, on the assumption that the density is close to 1.0, then a 5kg container of glucanase (a.k.a beta-glucanase) would be sufficient for 10,000l of beer.

Hi if you use the bulk buy on the forum run by Obadiah and Chopps ask if it is possible to split with other brewers, you never know

 

[Hop_it]

Hi if you use the bulk buy on the forum run by Obadiah and Chopps ask if it is possible to split with other brewers, you never know

A nice idea. I didn't think of that. However, I'm not sure whether or not there would be 50 forum members willing to buy 100g each. Also, there is the not so small matter of repackaging and the safe distribution of a liquid food grade product. This is a lot of work and a big responsibility for whoever might take it on. I'll be honest - I would not be keen to volunteer, at least until I was satisfied that it worked for me. But that said, it might still be worth discussing the idea with the above mentioned gentlemen

 

[The Baron]

Don't ask don't get

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@Hop_it

I agree with the relationship conundrum. That's why I thought a phone call to them might be most productive. Mention you're a brewer / startup and you might get a sample.

If I was going to try breweries I'd see if there are any gluten free brewers as they do use a lot of enzymes as routine.

Sadly with Covid Visas etc can't see a trip back to UK in the near future otherwise I'd just load up with bottles of the stuff.

Regarding your thought about malt pipe height and diameter I'm not so sure.

I use the Guten 70 and the malt pipe is about 30 cm across, I am starting to do more brews to make 50 litres of wort but I find that a rapid sparge is a problem with the larger and if I'm aiming for 25 litres of wort the same. The efficiency has been the same as well. I'm making every effort to slow down the sparge to improve extraction.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Hi Hop It, i have just ordered the whirlpool arm for my BZ along with a blanking plug for the mash tun bottom screen

Hey Rod

Could you link me to the blanking plug please?

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi Lisa, i can't for the life of me remember i just googled 1/4 inch blanking plug in stainless steel

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thank you. Will I need a nut as well for it to stay on?

 

[Rodcx500z]

In a word no, it just screws right in

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Cool, thanks Rod

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Cork it!

 

[Hop_it]

Thank you. Will I need a nut as well for it to stay on?

You could try this place: BSP Pipe Fittings Stainless Steel 316 A4 Grade 150lb 1/8" To 4" Food Grade SS | eBay

See also - Brewzilla