Digimash v brewzilla

[Mchivers]

Evening

I've pre-ordered a digimash and have buyers remorse. Should I just put my big boy pants on and upgrade to the brewzilla?

I'm fairly new to home brewing. Mainly kits and 2 stove top all grains which I loved

Any help or advice appreciated

Cheers

 

[stripeyjoe]

I guess the Brewzilla will be less effort than doing BIAB in the Digimash... Kegland said they are coming out with a V4 at some point in the future, will add wifi to the controller.

 

[Mchivers]

The digimash has the malt pipe. Only missing the pump/recirculation so no biab

 

[jayk34]

@Mchivers have you used your Digimash yet. I have one on preorder due to be delivered in early October.

I currently use a burco boiler but wanted a bit of an upgrade. I had heard that the Digiboil had a better ability to keep mash temperature stable compared to the brewzilla due to different placement of the thermometer ?

 

[Mchivers]

I'm in the same boat. Due for delivery October

Looking forward to it. Unless I swap for the brew

 

[RoomWithABrew]

You can always put a pump on later, the gen 1 ad 2 robobrew had no pump and I think the anvil system has an external pump. Don't wait for the next best thing it may still only be bread. A lot of kegland stuff goes to market and then get's tweaked to a decent product after returns, complaints etc. Robobrew 3 was followed very quickly by the 3.1

 

[fgoulding]

Maybe start with the Digimash and build up some experience and wait for the new Brewzilla 4.0 which is due at the end of the year (or maybe wait until the 4.1 version next year ;-)). You can then always use the digimash as an HLT in the future or just sell it.

Here's the Kegland YouTube video about their new Boil Extender for the Brewzilla whereby the mention in the new 4.0. They also talk about a 100 litre Brewzilla in the comments:

 

[jayk34]

Mine arrived today. Got home from work and set aside 30 minutes to get it setup and cleaned ready for first brew in it at the weekend. Well, 2 hours later I'm done

The malt pipe support was already in place and the malt pipe inside the boiler. Had to try and take it off to get everything out of the boiler to get it cleaned. 45 minutes later and much foul language I managed to get it off. I said to myself at least it would go on easier but oh no it didn't

Going to use the helix spring instead of the false bottom as there is a bit of space around the false bottom. Hopefully the spring does not interfere with the temperature probe here.

All cleaned and jacket put on ready for the milk Stout at the weekend.

 

[DeanRIowa]

I was wondering, how the Digimash has worked out for you? Any usage hints?

I had one delivered today and plan to use it in the next few days. It will be making a Czech Pilsner or Austrian Märzen.

Thank you,
Dean

 

[Brew_DD2]

The Digimash is a great bit of kit, and really simple to use. I went for it because I couldn't be bothered faffing about with blocked/failing pumps. No appreciable improvement to my beer over the Peco boiler (cold side far more important anyway IMO), but I can control the boil much better, and I'm definitely getting less trub into the fermenter.

 

[DeanRIowa]

The Digimash is a great bit of kit, and really simple to use. I went for it because I couldn't be bothered faffing about with blocked/failing pumps. No appreciable improvement to my beer over the Peco boiler (cold side far more important anyway IMO), but I can control the boil much better, and I'm definitely getting less trub into the fermenter.

Thank you for your information. I am coming from a BIAB setup, so this Digimash appears to be somewhat easier to use. I am looking forward to being able to do some step-mashing.
thank you,
Dean

 

[Brew_DD2]

Thank you for your information. I am coming from a BIAB setup, so this Digimash appears to be somewhat easier to use. I am looking forward to being able to do some step-mashing.
thank you,
Dean

I was brewing BIAB and was delighted with the results. Digimash is essentially the same brewing process, but in a basket. The comparative simplicity in the process to BIAB is what made me plump for it over the Brewzilla/Grainfather.

I've brewed on various setups and found that I like a brew day with minimal fuss. Have found 3 vessel setups over-egg the pudding with no discernible difference to the end beer.

 

[jayk34]

I have only used the Digimash for one brew and definitely improves the boil over my burco. I was getting an extremely high boil off rate with the burco compared to everyone else who uses it. With the Digimash I can turn one of the elements off and just have the 1900w element giving a nice boil with reduced boil off. I also like the grain basket so far.

The one mistake I made was forgetting to set the mash temperature after getting the water up to strike temperature. I started adding the grain and was confused as to why the temperature was not dropping to mash temperature until I realised that I still had the temp set to strike temp. After I got the temperature down, the Digimash seemed to keep the mash temperature at the correct level throughout.

I hope to get another brew done this week and will report any other findings.

 

[DeanRIowa]

The one mistake I made was forgetting to set the mash temperature after getting the water up to strike temperature. I started adding the grain and was confused as to why the temperature was not dropping to mash temperature until I realised that I still had the temp set to strike temp. After I got the temperature down, the Digimash seemed to keep the mash temperature at the correct level throughout.

Very good point and thanks for the heads up, I would have forgot that as well. I added a note to my brewing process checklist.

thank you,
Dean

 

[jayk34]

Very good point and thanks for the heads up, I would have forgot that as well. I added a note to my brewing process checklist.

thank you,
Dean

Good luck with the brew, let us know how it goes

 

[jayk34]

Just another thought. I used mine yesterday and have just realised that I haven't calibrated the thermostat on it and I suspect that it is a few degrees out. Will check before my next brew day.

 

[jayk34]

I just tested my Digimash today. It is 2°C less than my 2 calibrated thermometers. Is there anyway to set it to correct temperature rather than trying to remember during a brew day to add the 2° C onto the displayed value ?

 

[Mash Monster]

I just tested my Digimash today. It is 2°C less than my 2 calibrated thermometers. Is there anyway to set it to correct temperature rather than trying to remember during a brew day to add the 2° C onto the displayed value ?

I think you are out of luck with calibrating your Digiboil/ Digimash
I’m sure it’s only the Brewzilla that has the calibration function
That said my Digiboil is better than my BZ for temperature control as the probe is in a better place. Sorry I couldn’t be any more help

 

[jayk34]

Ah well, just another thing to remember on brew day. Will probably put a sticker on the front to remind me as I'm sure I will forget.

As you say it's very good at maintaining the mash temperature unless you leave it at the strike temperature and forget to change it like I did in my first brew with it

 

[Rodcx500z]

On my BZ i mash in then set at 68c get the pump going then test temp, for a mash of 65c i normally set at 67c