Brewzilla Gen 4 - Struggling to get to boil point

[MashBag]

Each to their own, home brewing is my hobby so I like to be more involved even though I haven't got room for three pot system

I really get that. I bought a machine to do some of the heavy lifting.

I am surprised how many people have an AIO but essentially biab.

Even less people truly use an all in one and ferment in it.

 

[Twostage]

@Twostage
I wake up and mash is done. Ready to boil.

I doughed in at 20c the night (12 hours ) before

So I was right and wrong at the same time .

So as the mash heats up it will go through a protein rest. Interesting.

 

[MashBag]

So I was right and wrong at the same time .

So as the mash heats up it will go through a protein rest. Interesting.

Yes & no. I thought that initially,
But it is different if you "rest" or just pass through. I removed the rest (50c/30m) and then reinstated it. It is my normal now. Yes that is with modern malt. Does it trim the head.. Maybe a smidge. Does it improve clarity & flavour. Hell yeah!

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Yes you can. That's where I started, but there is the extra electric cost. Holding the grain cold for 8 hours is cheaper. No big difference in beer. Probably a bit dryer.

I thought with overnight mash you doughed in at strike held for a while then it fell to ambient and you re heated in the morning. Good job I haven't tried it.

 

[MashBag]

That's a third option. I like eating away the time cold (cheaper) and then just have it ready for when you get there.

 

[jambop]

Ok a couple of points or questions really about the Bz gen 4 35L version . I have a wrist injury at the moment so although I am itching to try my new Bz out it is not possible for probably another month or so. However I have been having a little inspection of the system and need to know a couple of things. The first is not so important but the heat exchange plate is very slightly conical. The instructions I have seen for fitting seem to suggest that the plate is fitted so that the cone is to the bottom. I have tried this and two points arise. Firstly my one does not fit well that way and the other is I would have thought it better for the wort to flow over the cone to disperse to outside of the kettle and then flow down the cone in the kettle and over the heating elements. It will work both ways but mine does not fitt well with the cone down. The second is the actual real world brewing capacity. Kegland say up to 30 L ? I have to say looking at the kettle for me this seems optimistic . I generally make 25L to the fermenter batches . If I look at water volumes for that I am looking at about 30L pre boil for a 60 min boil and 31.5L for 90 mins that is not leaving a lot of volume for foam and boil but a 30L batch seems stretching things way too far I reckon on other the volume extenders would be required. Don't know about others who have bought one but I think for Kegland say for up to 30L volumes is a bit misleading.

 

[Davegase]

Ok a couple of points or questions really about the Bz gen 4 35L version . I have a wrist injury at the moment so although I am itching to try my new Bz out it is not possible for probably another month or so. However I have been having a little inspection of the system and need to know a couple of things. The first is not so important but the heat exchange plate is very slightly conical. The instructions I have seen for fitting seem to suggest that the plate is fitted so that the cone is to the bottom. I have tried this and two points arise. Firstly my one does not fit well that way and the other is I would have thought it better for the wort to flow over the cone to disperse to outside of the kettle and then flow down the cone in the kettle and over the heating elements. It will work both ways but mine does not fitt well with the cone down. The second is the actual real world brewing capacity. Kegland say up to 30 L ? I have to say looking at the kettle for me this seems optimistic . I generally make 25L to the fermenter batches . If I look at water volumes for that I am looking at about 30L pre boil for a 60 min boil and 31.5L for 90 mins that is not leaving a lot of volume for foam and boil but a 30L batch seems stretching things way too far I reckon on other the volume extenders would be required. Don't know about others who have bought one but I think for Kegland say for up to 30L volumes is a bit misleading.

If the heat exchanger plate is assembled correctly it should fit perfectly. I'll post some picks. I've seen some comment that it's tight when fitting through the grain basket support rail at the top. It will slide in easily if you align it with the point shown in my picture.
As for 30 l brews, in the Brewfather app you can edit your equipment profile to allow for fermenter top up.
You may also need to adjust the boil off rate to suit the vigor and length of your boil. You will probably need to experiment as you go.

 

[jambop]

If the heat exchanger plate is assembled correctly it should fit perfectly. I'll post some picks. I've seen some comment that it's tight when fitting through the grain basket support rail at the top. It will slide in easily if you align it with the point shown in my picture.
As for 30 l brews, in the Brewfather app you can edit your equipment profile to allow for fermenter top up.
You may also need to adjust the boil off rate to suit the vigor and length of your boil. You will probably need to experiment as you go.

Yes I had it both ways and it fitted best in the other orientation. Having said that I am only playing about and have not actually fitted it into the kettle. Truth is the bottom filter is so bloody tight that it pulled it out of shape getting it out of the kettle that may be the reason it looks odd. Probably when fitted into the kettle it will be fine It is good to have a tight fit I suppose but I reckon just a bit overly so in my case. As to the beer making volume I am not that concerned as I would not make a 30L batch in the Bz I would use my GF S40 but if someone bought one thing 30L was possible I think they might be disappointed. I take the point about back liquoring but that presents other possible problems as I am not certain that this process makes the same beer as a full volume brew would.

 

[Davegase]

Yes I had it both ways and it fitted best in the other orientation. Having said that I am only playing about and have not actually fitted it into the kettle. Truth is the bottom filter is so bloody tight that it pulled it out of shape getting it out of the kettle that may be the reason it looks odd. Probably when fitted into the kettle it will be fine It is good to have a tight fit I suppose but I reckon just a bit overly so in my case. As to the beer making volume I am not that concerned as I would not make a 30L batch in the Bz I would use my GF S40 but if someone bought one thing 30L was possible I think they might be disappointed. I take the point about back liquoring but that presents other possible problems as I am not certain that this process makes the same beer as a full volume brew would.

Another option would be to top up with boiling water during the boil. With a shorter boil time (which I know is not to everyone's liking) I don't think it wouldn't need an awful lot of topping up.
I'm surprised that your screen is tight, the only comments I've seen before about tightness is when sliding it through the grain basket support rail. I found it easy when aligning the screen with the point shown in the pictures.
Anyway I hope your fit to brew soon

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I used to do 25 litre to fermenter batches in robobrew. This was " 35 litre ".
Gentle boil,watched like a hawk and it was doable. But stress, top up during boil helps. Another option would be brew a little stronger and liquor back in the fermenter.
Moved to a 70 litre system and now 25 litre easy and 50. I've not tried a 60+ litre batch.

 

[MashBag]

Another option would be to top up with boiling water during the boil.

You are not the first to mention this and I just don't get why people boil perfectly safe, drinkable water.

Wort needs boiling not water.

A quicker and cheaper boil is top up the vf. Topping up (the fv) with a few liters is not a crime against humanity and makes no difference to the flavour.. And is a brilliant aid the getting fv temps and volumes spot on.

It is a practice we have failed to let go, from when water was undrinkable. So we made beer

 

[Davegase]

You are not the first to mention this and I just don't get why people boil perfectly safe, drinkable water.

Wort needs boiling not water.

A quicker and cheaper boil is top up the vf. Topping up (the fv) with a few liters is not a crime against humanity and makes no difference to the flavour.. And is a brilliant aid the getting fv temps and volumes spot on.

It is a practice we have failed to let go, from when water was undrinkable. So we made beer

 

[Davegase]

Yes, I also mentioned topping up the fermenter in my previous post !
It's also a way of correcting your original gravity.

 

[MashBag]

Yes, I also mentioned topping up the fermenter in my previous post !
It's also a way of correcting your original gravity.

Absolutely. Anything else and we will need to round up all the kit brewers and put them in a field..... Sorry that was Kenny Everitt misquote

 

[jambop]

Yes, I also mentioned topping up the fermenter in my previous post !
It's also a way of correcting your original gravity.

Liquoring back the boiled wort is a practice used by brewers for a long time. The thing is through years of doing so they do it on the basis of knowing the beer the will get after they have done it. If for example I make a batch of my TT's Landlord recipe and because of volume restriction get a much more rich beer and liquor it back to the original gravity I really do not know what beer I am going to get at the end of the process. If I use the correct volumes I know what I will get because I have done it many times before.

 

[MashBag]

Some simple maths could confirm the volumes. Although I didn't think you need to really.

 

[Davegase]

If I use the correct volumes I know what I will get because I have done it many times before.

If you are following a recipe that you haven't done before, and you don't hit the predicted volume or original gravity then why not top up if necessary to achieve those numbers?
Then in future brews you can adjust your pre boil volume (if you have the capacity) or ingredients so that you hit the numbers.

The numbers aren't particularly important to me. As long as I produce beer that my friends and I like and I get close to what I am aiming at.That is my main goal.

Anyone who thinks and it it's an exact science is foolling themselves.

We are working with organic materials that change with the seasons. Commercial breweries have to adjust parameters to achieve consistency.
We are way off the topic of the original question now but I'm only offering solutions for questions that have been asked.

 

[MashBag]

I hit like on that post, but it doesn't cover it.
Very nicely put. I do think people focus on and are often frightened by the numbers too much. Equally for some it is a "Dan I hit the numbers" hobby.

"The numbers aren't particularly important to me. As long as I produce beer that my friends and I like and I get close to what I am aiming at.That is my main goal."

 

[gavp1979]

If the heat exchanger plate is assembled correctly it should fit perfectly. I'll post some picks. I've seen some comment that it's tight when fitting through the grain basket support rail at the top. It will slide in easily if you align it with the point shown in my picture.
As for 30 l brews, in the Brewfather app you can edit your equipment profile to allow for fermenter top up.
You may also need to adjust the boil off rate to suit the vigor and length of your boil. You will probably need to experiment as you go.

Every day is a school day, I never realised that the heat exchanger attached to the bottom plate, I have just been placing it in the kettle and then putting the bottom screen on top

 

[jambop]

Every day is a school day, I never realised that the heat exchanger attached to the bottom plate, I have just been placing it in the kettle and then putting the bottom screen on top

I don't understand the orientation to be honest. To my thinking the cone should face upward not downward whatever way it should work but what is not in doubt is the thing they sent me is a much better fit when fitted contra to the suggested way but you have to ubderstand it is probably children that are knocking these things out so not every one is going to be perfect?