Brewzilla advice.

[brew88]

Hi, does anyone know what the smallest possible batch size is with a 35l Brewzilla? Thanks

 

[dave_77]

I have done a 12 litre batch. Much below this the dead space below becomes a problem and there isn't enough water above the malt pipe. You could help with this and take out the malt pipe and use a BIAB instead which would reduce the dead space a little as you can have the bag sitting on the false bottom.

 

[dave_77]

Although I would say as the batch volume reduces you would need to think about how your going to chill. The standard immersion chiller will only have a couple of coils in the wort and takes ages to chill. So you would need a plate or counter flow chiller or make a different shape immersion chiller. I have settled on 16 litre batches now.

 

[brew88]

Although I would say as the batch volume reduces you would need to think about how your going to chill. The standard immersion chiller will only have a couple of coils in the wort and takes ages to chill. So you would need a plate or counter flow chiller or make a different shape immersion chiller. I have settled on 16 litre batches now.

Thanks, that's a really useful bit of information. I quite like doing about 10l so brew more often. I keep swaying between the Brewzilla and the Digiboil with the mash kit.

 

[dave_77]

I had previously been doing BIAB on the hob with a batch sparge in a cool box and after buying the Brewzilla I had thought I could have gone electric with the digiboil brewing the same way. I have used the Brewzilla for 12 months now and I'm happy that I does the job for slightly smaller batches with the option to do bigger batches if need be. The pump and recirculation is useful so I think for me it was just about worth paying the extra for the Brewzilla.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Thanks, that's a really useful bit of information. I quite like doing about 10l so brew more often. I keep swaying between the Brewzilla and the Digiboil with the mash kit.

I've been looking at similar systems and found this Klarstein Mundschenk which looks very similar to Brewzilla.
Ordered a B stock model (return, slight marks and 1 yr warranty) from Hi-Fi Tower for £190

https://www.hifi-tower.co.uk/Home-L...dff23ed&listtype=search&searchparam=klarstein

It comes from Germany but is a UK company so Vat is paid here but now slightly worried about extra customs charges etc.
That said it looks a decent bit of kit for the price.

 

[Gerryjo]

Cleaning down the Brewzilla outside as although cleaned in Saturday after a brew on Friday night as I like to rinse everything out and boil for around 15 mins and found that whilst boiling get a wet cloth to rub down and dries right away with no streaking...
Lost 16 points on the brew I had done but didn't stir much in fact nothing after mashing at a high temp but lesson learned.

 

[moto748]

I made a similar move from stove-top BIAB to a Brewzilla 3.1 - been using it for a year or so and it's been reliable so far, overall pretty happy with it for the price.

I heat my sparge water on the kitchen hob (using my old BIAB pot), or sometimes don't bother and just sparge with cold water

My only issues have been with the pump - this blocks very easily and there's no obvious way to fit a filter due to the fitting used for the pump inlet, you can often unblock by backflushing with a large syringe or garden hose, but be careful as I burst one of the pump silicone pipes doing this.

One option I'd consider if buying again is to get a digiboil instead - this is essentially the same vessel but without the programmable controller and pump:

https://brewkegtap.co.uk/collections/brewing-equipment/products/digiboil-35l-turbo-boiler
You could do regular BIAB with that, or it has the option to buy with the malt pipe assembly that's presumably the same as the brewzilla.

I reckon that would be all I need. I'm really unenthusiastic about pumps, piping, filters, any of that. I reckon, 'just' a boiler would do me. With a tap at the bottom. I don't know what a malt pipe is, but I've managed without one so far and I'm sure I can continue to do so!

So is that what that unit in your link is? 'Just' a boiler?

 

[Rodcx500z]

I don't know what a malt pipe is,

Hi Moto, a malt pipe is a basket the replaces that bag it has a mesh bottom you put grain in and mash, at the end of the mash you raise it and it sits on lugs to drain while you sparge you then take it out and dump the grain clean while you do the boil, i don't have one but it seems a lot less faff than a bag

 

[moto748]

Thanks, Rod. "Pipe" is a funny term for it really, as you say, it's not a pipe at all, but a inner basket.

Me, I like bags. You can 'dunk' a bag. Which seems to me a thoroughly good thing, in terms of equalising temp through the mash.

 

[chillipickle]

That is exactly what it is in the brewzilla rod.Very easy to empty the grain and clean.

 

[private4587]

Although I would say as the batch volume reduces you would need to think about how your going to chill. The standard immersion chiller will only have a couple of coils in the wort and takes ages to chill. So you would need a plate or counter flow chiller or make a different shape immersion chiller. I have settled on 16 litre batches now.

Hi Dave_77 when you say you do 16l batches is with a sparge or full vol mash, and also can you use the supplied chiller with this level of brew
ps i take the 16l is fermenter level