Brewzilla

[Rodcx500z]

Well after a lot of thought and money wasting i brewed today in in as intended mode, i have now come to the conclusion this kettle is fine used as intended, i have not tried the whirlpool arm yet that will be next brew one question when do you switch the pump on for whirlpool

 

[Hop_it]

It's really interesting that everybody has found different solutions to dealing with the foibles of the Brewzilla. I have two goals:

• Maintain the mash temperature at the required level
• Achieve a good circulation of the wort through the grain bed

They should complement each other . . . . But in my experience so far it has not been an easy journey. I've used rice hulls when I think they might be appropriate (i.e. in a wheat beer or my recent attempt at a rye beer). I've tried altering the grain crush, and have tried both thick and thin mashes. In the majority of brews now (using a coarse grain crush and a thin mash) I get what I would regard as a reasonable recirculation. However, I still find that the mash temperature is frequently lower than it should be - and I don't mean the temperature of the wort coming out of the recirculation tube - I mean the temperature within the mass of the grain bed. I've measure it with a long temperature probe, and it is often 2 or 3 degrees lower than the temperature of the wort flowing out of the tube. To my simple mind this is not indicative of a good enough liquid flow through the grain bed. It should be possible to maintain a predictable steady temperature. So, I'm still working towards that goal, and am prepared to continue twiddling and tweaking my process until I achieve it.
I'm still not convinced that removing the run-off tube is the answer - at least in all cases. But I will give it another try without the tube, if only because it made stirring the mash so much easier. The ability to stir effectively during the mash might just help to even out the temperature variations

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi hop it, i now set mash temp at 68c for a 65c mash the wort from the overflow was 65.4 the top of the grain bed was 64.9c this was only a small grain bill though, my view is you will never get a uniform temp form top to bottom

 

[Hop_it]

Hi hop it, i now set mash temp at 68c for a 65c mash the wort from the overflow was 65.4 the top of the grain bed was 64.9c this was only a small grain bill though, my view is you will never get a uniform temp form top to bottom

I fear that you may be right, but as I said I'll keep bashing my head against that wall in the (possibly misguided hope) that I will come up with a workable solution

 

[Rodcx500z]

I fear that you may be right, but as I said I'll keep bashing my head against that wall in the (possibly misguided hope) that I will come up with a workable solution

If you do let me know, i now have a whirlpool arm, a helix coil, and a blanking plug to play with

 

[venkman100]

Just thought of a couple of other points, I am usually trying to get 25L in the FV and to achieve that with the large dead space and gunk that ends up blocking the drain off, typically I sparge right to the top marker I can't recall what that mark is, but boil off with the 1 larger elemt on is about 3L per hour, also it takes just about bang on 40 mins to go from mash temps to boiling with both elements on.
So if your using the step timer as I do and you want a 90 minute boil, add another 40 mins to that step as unlike the Klarstein it counts down straight away, not when it gets up to temperature.
Also I went from Klarstein to Brewzilla and the smaller diameter malt pipe makes boil overs and foam as it approaches the boil catch you out much more quickly, I keep a bowl and a sieve handy to scoop it off the top

To avoid a boil over I use this stuff. A bit on the end of a teaspoon handle is all that is needed in the wort coming up to the boil. I then watched the foam rise, then suddenly it just caves in on itself...
Brilliant.....

 

[Zorro]

I fear that you may be right, but as I said I'll keep bashing my head against that wall in the (possibly misguided hope) that I will come up with a workable solution

Do you use the insulated jacket for it too? It may help if not

 

[Griff097]

To avoid a boil over I use this stuff. A bit on the end of a teaspoon handle is all that is needed in the wort coming up to the boil. I then watched the foam rise, then suddenly it just caves in on itself...
Brilliant.....

Is that only for Porters and Stouts though?

 

[Hop_it]

Do you use the insulated jacket for it too? It may help if not

Yes, I use the neoprene jacket, and I wrap several layers of bubble-wrap around the cylinder as well. In addition to this I put foam pipe lagging on the vertical pipe from the pump outlet . . . . it all looks a bit OTT, but it has helped a bit.
I do now set the temperature a couple of degrees higher than the required mash temperature (as mentioned above by Rodcx500z) , and this also helps. This is fine if you want to mash at 65-66degC, but I feel that this could possibly be an issue if you want to mash at ~68degC because there is a risk that the wort temperature close to the heater (probably 70 - 71 degC) will destroy the beta amylase, and will be close to destroying the alpha amylase enzymes too.
I have no idea if my thinking is correct because I haven't put it to the test . . . . . Perhaps somebody out there knows better ?????

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi Hop it, i have not mashing higher than 65-66c yet out of fear of ruining a brew

 

[Hop_it]

Hi Hop it, i have not mashing higher than 65-66c yet out of fear of ruining a brew

Hi Rodcx500x, I'm also very wary of setting the temperature too high during the mash . . . . . That's why I'd like somebody to tell me that it's OK to expose the wort to higher than normal temperatures during mashing

 

[Philthebrewer]

I mash at whatever temperature the beer needs (68 or more sometimes), but make sure that the pump is running pretty strongly to stop the wort boiling above the element. I don't seem to have any problems with flavours or efficiency, but I do have to keep an eye on the mash and stir it if it starts to stick. More rice hulls and more water seems to help. I always mash with 25 litres of water which probably helps too.

 

[Zorro]

Yes, I use the neoprene jacket, and I wrap several layers of bubble-wrap around the cylinder as well. In addition to this I put foam pipe lagging on the vertical pipe from the pump outlet . . . . it all looks a bit OTT, but it has helped a bit.
I do now set the temperature a couple of degrees higher than the required mash temperature (as mentioned above by Rodcx500z) , and this also helps. This is fine if you want to mash at 65-66degC, but I feel that this could possibly be an issue if you want to mash at ~68degC because there is a risk that the wort temperature close to the heater (probably 70 - 71 degC) will destroy the beta amylase, and will be close to destroying the alpha amylase enzymes too.
I have no idea if my thinking is correct because I haven't put it to the test . . . . . Perhaps somebody out there knows better ?????

I mash at whatever temperature the beer needs (68 or more sometimes), but make sure that the pump is running pretty strongly to stop the wort boiling above the element. I don't seem to have any problems with flavours or efficiency, but I do have to keep an eye on the mash and stir it if it starts to stick. More rice hulls and more water seems to help. I always mash with 25 litres of water which probably helps too.

What type of crush out of curiosity? I might try this way for a change.

 

[Philthebrewer]

What type of crush out of curiosity? I might try this way for a change.

I crush to the largest gap which will still crack the grain. This seems to be around 1.1mm . I try to keep my life simple these days and just do a single mash temp, plus mashout at around 78 degrees. I like this guide by Brad Smith: Enzymes in the Mash and Mash Temperatures for Beer Brewing

 

[nickjdavis]

Just noticed you say on the new grainfather, that the perforations go all the way up the side of the malt pipe. They don't on any unboxing video I have watched. Just near the bottom...

On the G40 the perforations up the side of the malt pipe are on the inside of where the "support legs" are, so you cannot see them from the outside.

I do not believe that the S40 has the vertical perforations.

 

[Hop_it]

I mash at whatever temperature the beer needs (68 or more sometimes), but make sure that the pump is running pretty strongly to stop the wort boiling above the element. I don't seem to have any problems with flavours or efficiency, but I do have to keep an eye on the mash and stir it if it starts to stick. More rice hulls and more water seems to help. I always mash with 25 litres of water which probably helps too.

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

 

[Hop_it]

I crush to the largest gap which will still crack the grain. This seems to be around 1.1mm . I try to keep my life simple these days and just do a single mash temp, plus mashout at around 78 degrees. I like this guide by Brad Smith: Enzymes in the Mash and Mash Temperatures for Beer Brewing

Thanks - That's an interesting article.
Just for information, I set my mill at a gap of 1.2mm for normal malted barley. I also moisture condition the grain before milling. I find that it is less dusty this way.

 

[martin1256]

Just read the above Beersmith article which might explain why I’ve brewed two clone beers 1 Speckled Hen, 2 Hobgoblin Ruby & they both taste alike. I’ve got a Brewzilla coming today therefore hopefully this will cure the problem. I used an Electrim to make the above where the temperature is not really controllable! I think it probably mashed nearer the 70+ mark & the brews ended up heavier like a porter?

 

[BlackRegent]

Yes, I use the neoprene jacket, and I wrap several layers of bubble-wrap around the cylinder as well. In addition to this I put foam pipe lagging on the vertical pipe from the pump outlet . . . . it all looks a bit OTT, but it has helped a bit.
I do now set the temperature a couple of degrees higher than the required mash temperature (as mentioned above by Rodcx500z) , and this also helps. This is fine if you want to mash at 65-66degC, but I feel that this could possibly be an issue if you want to mash at ~68degC because there is a risk that the wort temperature close to the heater (probably 70 - 71 degC) will destroy the beta amylase, and will be close to destroying the alpha amylase enzymes too.
I have no idea if my thinking is correct because I haven't put it to the test . . . . . Perhaps somebody out there knows better ?????

But how is the beer that you're making? If it is coming out fine, why worry?

 

[Hop_it]

But how is the beer that you're making? If it is coming out fine, why worry?

My answer to that question is going to be a bit subjective, but the beers I brew are always fine, and I achieve good efficiencies. Sometimes (at the risk of blowing my own trumpet a bit) they are very good indeed. So, why do I worry? . . . . . I guess that it is because I expected more from the BZ.
I've been homebrewing since 1976, and for the most part have been able to make decent beer using pretty basic, and mostly homemade equipment. I had hoped that "upgrading" to an all in one brewing machine would make life a bit easier, and give me better process control. However, I'm not yet satisfied that I have really achieved these goals. For example, I had hoped to be able to use the built-in timers to step mash, but in order to do this with any precision you need good wort circulation and accurate temperature control of the mash - neither of which I can rely on at the moment. So, I keep trying out ideas and suggestions from other forum contributors, and a few ideas of my own in the hope that I'll eventually achieve an acceptable level of control. . . . . . . But, perhaps I'm expecting too much?????