Grain Mill recommendations and grain crush for Brewzilla Gen4

[Agentgonzo]

The spent grain, if tasted and chewed, does seem to have slight flavour and sweetness. But it's probably not much, birds hardly touch the stuff, if it's left out.

Results of your experiment, checking for sugar and flavour, could be interesting.
Might need a fair acid addition, as there's unlikely to be enough acidity from the spent grain. Otherwise increased levels of tannin extracted, from a high PH, might mask any flavour.

It would be tricky working out the dry grain equivalent weight, in the 0.5kg of wet spent grain.
For ease, I'd maybe put the lot back (still in malt pipe), into acidified cold water. With a few litres less water, than the initial mash. And maybe recirculate, for a while, before draining.

If the result tastes nice enough, it could become the mash water for tomorrow's batch.

Good call. I didn't think that half a kilo of dry malt would equate to the same at the end.

Hmmm... Maybe just keep all the grain and then dunk it in a whole lot of recirculating water after I've finished the brew. Nice idea

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I sparged the grain with my next brew batch liquor on a double brew day.
The gravity of the liquor pre doughing in was only a few gravity points.
Wasn't worth the hassle and I sparged with hot water pH adjusted.

 

[foxy]

Yes, that would work if you're feeling fit.

I'd worry about causing grain bed compaction, then getting a struck mash. Especially with large grain bills, or wheat beers.
Once the grains aren't floating, the base layer of grain takes most of weight, from all the wet grain and wort above.
Thats why places use a floating sparge, to give the best flow rates.

QUOTE="foxy, post: 1268918, member: 8942"]
A thinner mash will achieve a better conversion efficiency, .......

Brewfather, default setting for BZ4-35. Gives water volumes that seem to me, on low side for mash water, and the high side for sparge.
I usually change the ratio, upping the mash water by a few litres. Then get the desired efficiency, or better.
[/QUOTE]
They are probably quoting for an English mash (static) which is thicker, for a German mash (recirculating/stirring) it is thinner. As you are recirculating you need a thinner mash.

I wouldn't raise the malt pipe up and down, chance the bottom plate will get raised by the liquid in kettle and grain will escape.

It only has to be lifted 150 ml to displace the liquor around the side not lifting the basket out. If the bottom screen is going to move with compacted grain in the bottom then it will move putting an empty malt pipe in.

 

[MashBag]

For future readers. Braumeister users should not apply this technique.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

It only has to be lifted 150 ml to displace the liquor around the side not lifting the basket out. If the bottom screen is going to move with compacted grain in the bottom then it will move putting an empty malt pipe in.

You clearly haven't tried this and had it happen.
BTW empty malt pipe has holes in so less resistance to liquor when inserting.
Grain in malt pipe prevents this so more uplift and chance of displacement of the base.
I'm assuming typo of units as well?

 

[foxy]

You clearly haven't tried this and had it happen.
BTW empty malt pipe has holes in so less resistance to liquor when inserting.
Grain in malt pipe prevents this so more uplift and chance of displacement of the base.
I'm assuming typo of units as well?

No, I haven't, I tend not to worry about something that doesn't matter. Plus the fact that both my top and bottom screens are securely bolted into place. I leave nothing to chance. There are far too many posts of bottom screens being lifted when putting the malt pipe in the kettle.

 

[gavp1979]

No, I haven't, I tend not to worry about something that doesn't matter. Plus the fact that both my top and bottom screens are securely bolted into place. I leave nothing to chance. There are far too many posts of bottom screens being lifted when putting the malt pipe in the kettle.

View attachment 97361

I don't worry about things that don't matter but I have spent the time to bolt mine into place

 

[foxy]

I don't worry about things that don't matter but I have spent the time to bolt mine into place

It appears you haven't read the previous posts. The 'worry' in question comes from peterpiper worrying about the dead space around the sides of the kettle. Not about the bottom screen.

 

[gavp1979]

I have read the posts but you quoted @RoomWithABrew who was talking about the bottom screen lifting. I do admit that I was charging my crystal ball at the time so I missed that fact that your reply was to a completely different post by a different member so I must apologise