Newbie Brewzilla question - Mash and Sparge size?

[buddsy]

Hi friends

Ive a little experience with all grain from some small batches I done on my stove top.

I bought a Brewzilla and to simplify first brew I bought the Propper English IPA all grain kit from Geterbrewed. Kit said it came with full instructions which when reading didn’t give a sparge size.

I spoke to them and they said proceed as per the info on the webpage:


A Proper English IPA All Grain Ingredient Kit

A strong English IPA that is try to style, a hoppy pale ale traditional and flavoursome, not as hoppy as the American versions but highly satisfying with delicious biscuit malt backbone

Premium Grain; Crisp Pale Ale, Munich, Wheat, three Crystals

Hops; East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, Challenger

6.2% abv

The premium quality Lallemand Nottingham 11g Ale Yeast is included

Whirlfloc tablet included

Full instructions included

Full instructions included

Grain Bill is 6.4kg

16 Litres of strike water at 75 degrees

Mashing for 60 minutes at 67 degrees

Sparging 12 Litres

Boil size of 28 Litres

Hop additions at 60 mins, 10 mins and 0 minutes - 5.5 IBU's

Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast

OG 1064

FG 1016





Now as a newbie Im thinking the 16litres for mashing looks a bit low for 6.4Kg Grain bill?



Im also new to brewfather but thought I add the details into that.



I don’t know the percentage mix of the grains but started with 80% for the Pale Ale malt working the other valued down from there.



My brewfather info suggests 25litres of Mash water with 6.7 Sparge



Obviously my setting may not be correct as Im not 100% sure what I am doing in Brewfather.



From looking a vids on youtube I would have thought maybe 19 or 20 litres for mashing would be about right?

Id be interested in your thoughts.

Many thanks & apollogies in advance if its a dumb question.

buddsy

 

[RGeats]

Hi there,

I've used my robobrew about 6 times now, and generally used about 20l for mashing, then sparging with enough to make required preboil volume. My grain bills have been about 5.5kg and its worked well, maybe you might want a couple of more litres for your larger grain bill.

I'd suggest a looser mash and a lower sparge rather than the other way around. You may end up with slightly lower efficiency but that's better than a stuck sparge!

I use brewfather as well, but don't use the suggested mash and sparge volumes. I just work them out myself.

 

[Tom Parsons]

Assuming the Brewzilla is a similar size and shape as my Klarstein, you have about 8l of space between the bottom of the kettle and the bottom of the grain pipe, so 16l will be no where near enough strike water.

I use 8 + 2.3 * kg for mashing, so 8 + 6.4*2.3 = about 23l

 

[buddsy]

Many thanks for your replies!

I was worried if I add 6.4Kg to 16 litres of water Id end up with a Brick!

I will do as you guys say.

buddsy

 

[DocAnna]

Hi this is the site I use for mash and sparge water calculation on the robobrew/brewzilla Mash water calculation for the Robobrew - RoboBrew which may be a bit simplistic at 3*grain bill in kg, ie 19.2 litres but I'm certainly not an expert.

Anna

 

[cheeseyfeet]

I calculated 5l of recoverable dead space below the malt pipe , then 3l per kilo.

I generally have a 5kg malt bill, so 15 *3 + 5 = 20 litres strike water.

My sparge is then generally about 10 to 12 litres depending on boil length.