The Dummies' Guide to Brewzilla

[TheOsprey]

So I bought a Robobrew Brewzilla 3.1.1. I’d only done one AG brew, on the stove top and decided that I needed more effective equipment. The price difference between an effective 3 vessel system and a Brewzilla seemed so minimal that going all in on an all in one seemed like a good idea.

I did loads of research online, watched hours of videos, and decided the Brewzilla was for me. One waiting list and a ship bound from China later and I had one. Then I tried to use it, and realised that there is a huge difference between watching other people use a system and using it myself. Without a 3 hour ‘full brew day’ video available, I decided to do a dry run with just water. I wrote down everything I did as I went, researching along the way.

Then a week later, I did my actual brew day, cocked up loads of times and made some changes to my notes. Then I spilled wort on them, and decided typing them up would be a better idea.

Then I realised that other people were having the same issues as me - generally newbies to the hobby who don’t have years of experience of brewing with a 3V system. And try as I might, I couldn’t find an effective ‘manual’ anywhere – and the one in the box is… shall we say light on detail? I wanted something to tell me step by step how to use this system.

I figure, if someone in the world googles “How to use brewzilla” or “brewzilla manual” and stumbles across this, I’ve done a good turn.

[TL: DR]
Presenting:

The Dummies’ Guide to the Brewzilla

If this is the first time you have used the Brewzilla, run through this guide using just water. This takes the majority of the stress out of the first real brew day, while checking for leaks or other problems.

Strike Water

• Add the false bottom into the empty Brewzilla and fill to your strike water level (this should be in the recipe) – if possible, measure the water before adding it in, in case the increments are inaccurate.
• Switch both elements on, put the lid on and set the temperature to the desired mash temperature, then press play. You may wish to check the temperature with a thermometer and change the mash temperature accordingly.
• When mash temperature is reached, turn off the 1900w element (this must be turned off when mash pipe is in).

The Mash

• Construct the mash pipe (with bottom screen and malt pipe) with the handle attached. Add to Brewzilla. Put the black topper on the malt pipe.
• Add the grains to the mash pipe slowly, breaking up any dough balls as you go. Add the top screen and push down gently until it rests on top of the grain bed.
• Replace the black pipe cover with the silver siphon cone. Push down on the cone until it rests against the screen.
• Attach the recirculation arm and turn on the pump. Adjust the valve until the top screen stays at a constant level – never dry, never too deep.
• Leave with just the 500w element on for the length of the mash. Keep an eye to maintain the recirculation level.4

Sparging

• When the mash is complete, turn off the pump. Lift the mash pipe and rotate so the feet sit on their stands.
• Pour sparge water over the top screen (from another source), making sure to move around the grain bed. Sparge slowly, again making sure the water level is never too high or too low.
• When sparge is complete, and wort has finished draining, remove the mash pipe and place into a container (it will continue to drip, and this wort can be added back into the Brewzilla).

The Boil

• Turn the temperature up to HH and press play. Switch 1900w element back on (both should now be on).
• Once boiling, turn off the 500w element.
• Add hops at times detailed in the recipe, using a hop spider if you have one.
• Leave the lid off the Brewzilla for the boil.

Cooling the Wort

• Switch off both heating elements.
• Use your preferred method for cooling the wort.
  • If using the supplied immersion chiller, add a water supply to one end (through a hose) and an unconnected hose to the other end. Which end is which is not important.
  • The immersion chiller can be used in reverse – i.e. feed the wort through the chiller, with the chiller in a bucket of ice water, but this requires a food grade hose.
  • A counterflow chiller is available as an optional extra.

Racking

• The front tap and the recirculation arm can both be used to drain the wort into the fermentation vessel. If using the recirc arm, switch off the pump when it begins to gargle, as the pump should not be run empty.
• If using the tap, lightly tilting the Brewzilla forward can help to get more wort into the FV.

And that’s it. If you feel I’ve missed anything important, or got anything drastically wrong, please feel free to VAR me underneath. Only the 'official' guidance please - I know there's a lot of 'your mileage may vary' on these, but loads of contrasting ideas on which parts to not bother using are likely to confuse.

I may add a ‘optional extras’ section underneath – whirlpooling, cleaning etc – when it’s not 11pm.

 

[TheOsprey]

And I've just remembered the 'How to guides' forum. Any chance a mod can move this over?

 

[foxy]

One of the most important things is to calibrate the temperature.
https://www.kegland.com.au/media/pdf/BrewZilla 35L - Instruction Manual.pdf

 

[SteveH]

Nice guide! Personally I wouldn't put wort through the chiller, any water left in mine after cleaning ends up coming out a rusty brown colour the next brewday.

 

[Chris_S]

A video detailing the clean up operation after the FV has been filled

 

[Suds Chillingsworth]

So I bought a Robobrew Brewzilla 3.1.1. I’d only done one AG brew, on the stove top and decided that I needed more effective equipment. The price difference between an effective 3 vessel system and a Brewzilla seemed so minimal that going all in on an all in one seemed like a good idea.

I did loads of research online, watched hours of videos, and decided the Brewzilla was for me. One waiting list and a ship bound from China later and I had one. Then I tried to use it, and realised that there is a huge difference between watching other people use a system and using it myself. Without a 3 hour ‘full brew day’ video available, I decided to do a dry run with just water. I wrote down everything I did as I went, researching along the way.

Then a week later, I did my actual brew day, cocked up loads of times and made some changes to my notes. Then I spilled wort on them, and decided typing them up would be a better idea.

Then I realised that other people were having the same issues as me - generally newbies to the hobby who don’t have years of experience of brewing with a 3V system. And try as I might, I couldn’t find an effective ‘manual’ anywhere – and the one in the box is… shall we say light on detail? I wanted something to tell me step by step how to use this system.

I figure, if someone in the world googles “How to use brewzilla” or “brewzilla manual” and stumbles across this, I’ve done a good turn.

[TL: DR]
Presenting:

The Dummies’ Guide to the Brewzilla

If this is the first time you have used the Brewzilla, run through this guide using just water. This takes the majority of the stress out of the first real brew day, while checking for leaks or other problems.

Strike Water

• Add the false bottom into the empty Brewzilla and fill to your strike water level (this should be in the recipe) – if possible, measure the water before adding it in, in case the increments are inaccurate.
• Switch both elements on, put the lid on and set the temperature to the desired mash temperature, then press play. You may wish to check the temperature with a thermometer and change the mash temperature accordingly.
• When mash temperature is reached, turn off the 1900w element (this must be turned off when mash pipe is in).

The Mash

• Construct the mash pipe (with bottom screen and malt pipe) with the handle attached. Add to Brewzilla. Put the black topper on the malt pipe.
• Add the grains to the mash pipe slowly, breaking up any dough balls as you go. Add the top screen and push down gently until it rests on top of the grain bed.
• Replace the black pipe cover with the silver siphon cone. Push down on the cone until it rests against the screen.
• Attach the recirculation arm and turn on the pump. Adjust the valve until the top screen stays at a constant level – never dry, never too deep.
• Leave with just the 500w element on for the length of the mash. Keep an eye to maintain the recirculation level.4

Sparging

• When the mash is complete, turn off the pump. Lift the mash pipe and rotate so the feet sit on their stands.
• Pour sparge water over the top screen (from another source), making sure to move around the grain bed. Sparge slowly, again making sure the water level is never too high or too low.
• When sparge is complete, and wort has finished draining, remove the mash pipe and place into a container (it will continue to drip, and this wort can be added back into the Brewzilla).

The Boil

• Turn the temperature up to HH and press play. Switch 1900w element back on (both should now be on).
• Once boiling, turn off the 500w element.
• Add hops at times detailed in the recipe, using a hop spider if you have one.
• Leave the lid off the Brewzilla for the boil.

Cooling the Wort

• Switch off both heating elements.
• Use your preferred method for cooling the wort.
  • If using the supplied immersion chiller, add a water supply to one end (through a hose) and an unconnected hose to the other end. Which end is which is not important.
  • The immersion chiller can be used in reverse – i.e. feed the wort through the chiller, with the chiller in a bucket of ice water, but this requires a food grade hose.
  • A counterflow chiller is available as an optional extra.

Racking

• The front tap and the recirculation arm can both be used to drain the wort into the fermentation vessel. If using the recirc arm, switch off the pump when it begins to gargle, as the pump should not be run empty.
• If using the tap, lightly tilting the Brewzilla forward can help to get more wort into the FV.

And that’s it. If you feel I’ve missed anything important, or got anything drastically wrong, please feel free to VAR me underneath. Only the 'official' guidance please - I know there's a lot of 'your mileage may vary' on these, but loads of contrasting ideas on which parts to not bother using are likely to confuse.

I may add a ‘optional extras’ section underneath – whirlpooling, cleaning etc – when it’s not 11pm.

Hello from far away! I came across your guide through a Google search and joined this forum just so I could say "thank you!" I'm going to do my first brewzilla project tomorrow and was flying blind until I found your article. It is much appreciated!

 

[DocAnna]

Good guide, and well written. There’s no need to add the handle till the mash is complete and it can get a bit messy if added while adding the grain addition.

for me the continuing learning curve is hopping during the boil and whirl pool. A hop spider is great at filtering out hops but naff at circulation during the boil. Add them loose and risk blocking the pump. Add them in a hop sock and they hang on to lots of fluid during the transfer to a fermenter.

whirlpool -do you use the fancy dedicated whirlpool arm or just direct the recirculation pipe - with or without manual stirring! Oh and boil in the depths of a Scottish winter required both elements be left on.

lastly - don’t plug into an extension reel with a thermal cut out when running both elements !

Anna

 

[TheOsprey]

Hello from far away! I came across your guide through a Google search and joined this forum just so I could say "thank you!" I'm going to do my first brewzilla project tomorrow and was flying blind until I found your article. It is much appreciated!

You're very welcome. Glad the 'good turn' happened!

 

[private4587]

You're very welcome. Glad the 'good turn' happened!

I am awaiting delivery of my Robobrew and was just wondering one or two things, firstly what did you use to initially clean the equipment to rid it of any oils and such and secondly what equipment profile did you set up. Did you use your own or did you go for a preconfigured one from Brewfather for example. Thanks in advance

 

[Consett26]

When the mash is complete I increase the temperature to 75 degrees. Its probably not necessary but my first couple of brews had a starch haze.

Why is it necessary to sparge slowly? Isn't the purpose of the top screen to hold the water back so that the amount that goes through the holes flows at the right rate? I pour all my sparge liquor in at once save for ensuring that it doesn't go down the overflow and the resulting beer seems fine but I ask in case I'm risking something that I've thus far been lucky to avoid

 

[Consett26]

I am awaiting delivery of my Robobrew and was just wondering one or two things, firstly what did you use to initially clean the equipment to rid it of any oils and such and secondly what equipment profile did you set up. Did you use your own or did you go for a preconfigured one from Brewfather for example. Thanks in advance

You're supposed to clean it first?

I use the Brewfather preset and have found it to be impressively accurate. The only thing I change is that I often hold 3 - 4 litres of water back for the boil then add some/all of it afterwards to dilute down to my target OG. Others may be less scared/risk averse than me

 

[foxy]

I am awaiting delivery of my Robobrew and was just wondering one or two things, firstly what did you use to initially clean the equipment to rid it of any oils and such and secondly what equipment profile did you set up. Did you use your own or did you go for a preconfigured one from Brewfather for example. Thanks in advance

Tricleanium get it from a hardware store.

 

[foxy]

When the mash is complete I increase the temperature to 75 degrees. Its probably not necessary but my first couple of brews had a starch haze.

Why is it necessary to sparge slowly? Isn't the purpose of the top screen to hold the water back so that the amount that goes through the holes flows at the right rate? I pour all my sparge liquor in at once save for ensuring that it doesn't go down the overflow and the resulting beer seems fine but I ask in case I'm risking something that I've thus far been lucky to avoid

Sparging slowly reduces the risk of channeling and increases efficiency it reduces washing tannins into the wort too. A sparge should take around an hour or more depending on the volume of sparge water. One of the reasons I 'no sparge'

 

[Philthebrewer]

Thanks for a great guide. It is a big improvement on the guide from Kegland and fits well with my experience. I would add a couple of comments and variations based on my 16 brews in the last 12 months:

1. Strike water. Good that you remind people to check the temp as I have found the machine's thermometer to be inconsistently inaccurate, i.e. it reads under or over the real mash temp depending on where you are in the mash cycle, temp, mash or boil.

2. Mash: I recommend using a cup of rice hulls to stop the mash bed sticking. Even so, over a 2 hour mash cycle I need to stir the mash several times to get the water flowing through, even at low pump volume. So I can't use the top screen. I would say you don't need the top screen at all.

I would like to agree with you on turning off the 1900w element when you have your mash temp, but sadly on my machine in my often 15 degree brewing room (with the window open in winter) the 500w element just won't get the temp up to the next mash temp. If you do a single temp mash with no mash out and you are in a 20 degree room then just maybe the 500w element is enough. If you do multi step mashing and a mash out then you can't avoid using the 1900w element. So far I have not noticed any "cooked" aromas or flavours from the 1900w element.

Thanks again for your work. Kegland should be paying you.....

 

[Consett26]

Sparging slowly reduces the risk of channeling and increases efficiency it reduces washing tannins into the wort too.

Even with the top plate in place?

 

[foxy]

Even with the top plate in place?

Even with the top plate in place.

 

[Hop_it]

Adding some additional insulation during the mash (and perhaps also keeping it on during the boil in the depths of winter) helps to maintain a more consistent temperature during the mash - There are 4 layers of the metalized bubble wrap in addition to the Brewzilla neoprene jacket.

 

[Hop_it]

Good guide, and well written. There’s no need to add the handle till the mash is complete and it can get a bit messy if added while adding the grain addition.

for me the continuing learning curve is hopping during the boil and whirl pool. A hop spider is great at filtering out hops but naff at circulation during the boil. Add them loose and risk blocking the pump. Add them in a hop sock and they hang on to lots of fluid during the transfer to a fermenter.

whirlpool -do you use the fancy dedicated whirlpool arm or just direct the recirculation pipe - with or without manual stirring! Oh and boil in the depths of a Scottish winter required both elements be left on.

lastly - don’t plug into an extension reel with a thermal cut out when running both elements !

Anna

A very good point about not using an extension reel. The Robobrew Brewzilla pulls more than 10 amps with both elements on, and even more if the pump is running as well. . . . . . . I need to use an extension cable where I normally brew, so I bought a few metres of 16 amp orange coloured caravan hook-up cable (without the blue plug and socket fittings). I put a standard 13 amp plug and an outdoor grade 13 amp socket on each end. I can't remember what it cost, but it was not expensive. But more importantly it is safe.

 

[private4587]

Hopefully my brewzilla arrives today but it will be the weekend before i have time to get to it. I am going to use Brewfather as my brewing software. As far as the profile for the 35lt brewzila is i have heard thats it is quite accurate. I will set my own boil off but i am thinking of using the pump to empty kettle into fermenter due to height, will this leave the true/chiller loss as zero?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

And I've just remembered the 'How to guides' forum. Any chance a mod can move this over?

I missed this when you posted, now moved.