65 litre RoboBrew Thread

[TwoCrows]

I cannot find a dedicated page for the new 65 ltr Robobrew.

If there is one then this is thread starter is mute.

I am thinking of getting this version, if it is possible to fill two 20 ltr cubes. The cubes total volume is 22 ltrs each, so I need to get 44 litres post boil any loss to trub and dead space is extra.

If not then double brew days on the 35 ltr or a second unit for Chrissy

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Its called a Brewzilla, not a Robobrew, someone bought one and started a thread on the other side.

 

[altone]

And to answer your question it is possible to get 2 cubes but may be difficult with a very high gravity beer.

 

[Lionman]

if it is possible to fill two 20 ltr cubes

That is pretty much the whole point of the device.

 

[TwoCrows]

Quote That is pretty much the whole point of the device.

Yeh, double is the intention, but is it possible. That is the question. Not 40 or 42 maybe , actual 44 ltrs.

 

[SponsorSFC]

Yeah I did it with my 65L last weekend with room to spare. You could easily get 50L of standard full strength ABV beer out of a brew.

There is a Brewzilla facebook group up an running with a few bits of feedback from people's brew days.

 

[pokolbinguy]

Has been way too many beers between posts and even more between brews. As such I am looking at possibly buying a "Brewzilla".

Anyone here have one and have any feedback?

Cheers Pok

 

[Lionman]

Anyone here have one and have any feedback?

A mate has one. He managed to break the bottom screen of the malt pipe on the first brew. Keg land are sending out a replacement.

 

[fdsaasdf]

A mate has one. He managed to break the bottom screen of the malt pipe on the first brew. Keg land are sending out a replacement.

I'd be interested to know how it broke as mine feels like it is built like a tank. Did the threaded mount separate from the screen?

 

[sixfignig]

Brewing two batches on Thursday on one, happy to provide feedback.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

The only concern I have, as with all the concealed elements for the single vessel breweries is the burning out of one of the elements, Brewzilla has 3 elements so a 50% increase in the chances of an element burning out over a 2 element unit. I don't know how the concealed elements in the Crown urn are fitted but I have seen them on their spares list so they must be replaceable.

 

[Lionman]

I'd be interested to know how it broke as mine feels like it is built like a tank. Did the threaded mount separate from the screen?

Yep, Had some poor welds on it I think. It broke while he was emptying the spent grain.

 

[enoch]

A bit of a stream of consciousness from first brew yesterday...

Physically is a great looking unit and quiet.
Camlock and valve on the recirculating arm are good.
Silicon hose supplied is ridiculously short. Another metre or so would make pumping into fermenter easy. First thing I swapped out.

Lack of instructions!
On the 35 litre you only use the 500w for mashing. Does twice the volume means use the 1000?

Mash water volume guidance?
45 litre strike water and 10kg of grain put the mash over the bypass pipe. Thankfully I had solved this with the GF in the past. Divert some of the recirculated liquid into a bucket until the pipe is visible, put on top filter and bypass thingy and pour bucket back on top.
A smarter person would have held back some of the strike water and added it after mashing in...

Throttle the recirc or go flat out?
Started with the former and then figured higher flow meant less chance of scorching so let the bypass earn its keep and switched to 1000w element.

The boil went ok with some switch flipping. I used FermcapS to prevent boilover - worked a treat with 55 litres in the boiler.

Immersion chiller is under powered. Takes a long time to chill. That said...
Actually over chilled significantly as the temperature measurement point is down below the screen and the screen became fully caked with hop and break material. I use ice water to get the last 10C but when it said 20 it was down to 13 or so. In hindsight the slowing of the whirlpool from the pump return was evident - do get a secondary temperature monitor!

Over all a good brew day.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

There are those who would say choke back on the return, 1) more chance of scorching with choke fully open. 2) The liquor going down the overflow isn't going through the grain bed.

 

[Fro-Daddy]

more chance of scorching with choke fully open

How does that increase the chance of scorching?

I run mine enough to keep it constantly 10mm above the grain/top plate and don't use the centre overflow.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

How does that increase the chance of scorching?

I run mine enough to keep it constantly 10mm above the grain/top plate and don't use the centre overflow.

Fully open the bottom of the kettle is emptying, less liquor more chance of scorching, keeping the liquor from going down the overflow means it is going through the wort extracting the sugars, I do full volume and have found it doesn't make a lot of difference as the grain is suspended in the liquor, but I do try to prevent using the overflow.

 

[enoch]

How does that increase the chance of scorching?

I run mine enough to keep it constantly 10mm above the grain/top plate and don't use the centre overflow.

Agree. More flow means more liquid through the heating “chamber” beneath the screen so less chance of scorching.

While the liquid going down the pipe isn’t going through the grain bed it isn’t reducing the amount that does either as the liquid on top of the grain bed is effectively the “head” as the pump doesn’t force liquid through the grain bed.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Agree. More flow means more liquid through the heating “chamber” beneath the screen so less chance of scorching.

While the liquid going down the pipe isn’t going through the grain bed it isn’t reducing the amount that does either as the liquid on top of the grain bed is effectively the “head” as the pump doesn’t force liquid through the grain bed.

Gravity versus the pump, if you have a compact grain bed the pump wins, common sense, the least amount of liquor in the bottom of the kettle = scorching or worse still an element burn out.

 

[sixfignig]

I've now done two brews on the 65L unit, which I bought as an "upgrade" to capacity compared with my Grainfather.

The unit is absolutely great value for money and works as expected. Compared with the GF it's obviously a much poorer build quality, with sharp edges on the screens/malt pipe, and a few fairly obvious weld marks on the handles.

As far as operation is concerned, it pretty much worked flawlessly. Decent enough ramp times with all 3 elements switched on, good efficiency (52L of 1.058 wort). I'm also a bit suspect on the recirc arm assembly so will be swapping it out with something in the near future. Clean up was a breeze as well.

Hopefully the unit continues to perform well, as I've easily smashed out 100+ brews on the Grainfather without a hiccup.

 

[Lorenzo99]

Gravity versus the pump, if you have a compact grain bed the pump wins, common sense, the least amount of liquor in the bottom of the kettle = scorching or worse still an element burn out.

The overflow is there to ensure the bottom does not run dry if your grain bed is compacted. The pump can not pump the bottom dry as any extra liquid will return to the bottom through the overflow. This will also maintain a much more even mash temp, especially when you have a slower flow through the grain bed. My 2 cents.