Robobrew 3

[nala]

Just ordered a Robobrew 3.
Looking on line....Youtube videos etc to try to glean something useful, with respect to mash water volumes, or water to grain ratios.
I have brewed for some time now using my self made HERMS...quite successfully, but the Hermit controller which has served me well needs to be replaced.
I have decided to take a progressive attitude and move to a one piece system.
Whilst I am grateful for those who have dedicated time and cost to posting video's on Youtube, the ones that I
have viewed appear to be posted by brewers with almost no experience.
Stuck mashes, boil overs, and elementary mistakes and errors seem to be posted...great if the poster was demonstrating how not to do it.
Do we have any Robobrew 3 brewers on AHB ? If so have you posted any useful advice ?

 

[Fro-Daddy]

I have a V2, anything in particular you would like to know?

I use 3.5-4L/kg for the mash, last batch was 75% brewhouse efficiency.

 

[nala]

Having not seen the Robobrew 2, it appears the manufacturer has been quick to respond to improvment suggestions from users.
One of the improvements has been, to introduce a second false bottom, one which has more perforations I believe,and obviously smaller in diameter holes.
This might sound good from a wort clarity point of view but I would be interested to know if users are finding difficulty to avoid stuck mashes ?
My experience tells me that recirculating with the pump too early creates a compacted grain bed and therefore a stuck mash.
Any problems associated with temperature control or are the temperature probes located to give good temperature distribution throughout the grain bed.
I am looking forward to doing some trials using my old well established data to see where I need to change things.

Thanks for your reply.
s

 

[Fro-Daddy]

I don't have that second bottom screen, but many users on FB are ditching it anyway.
I've accidentally left the top screen on the bottom a couple of times, no major difference. I don't use the top screen at all now.
I used to run the pump from the start but wait 10 minutes before I turn it on, hard to tell if it makes a difference.
The only temp probe is on the bottom, I believe this is to help avoid scorching. I've checked the temp a long time ago and was pretty happy with the accuracy. Your V3 will have a calibration feature so you can fine tune a bit.

The only fiddly bit I think is working out which way you will use and connect the chiller.

 

[Milhouse]

I've had one for a while and have done about 20 brews in it. I use about 20-22 litres of strike water depending on the size of the grain bill. I've been using brewfather with the equipment profile set to grainfather (similar unit) and find the suggested strike water volume about right but the sparge amount too low.

I did one batch recently with 6.9 kg of grain and 24l strike water and this was pretty much maxing out the unit.

Never had an issue with a stuck sparge - in fact have switched to a finer mill lately to slow down the sparge and try and regain a bit of efficiency.

I did however initially have boil over issues. A couple of things in conjunction have pretty much eliminyed this. Turn off the smaller element when the temp is about 98o. I use a mash paddle to vigorously stir if it looks to be about to boil over. I also sort of break up the "foam" that forms on top. It seems to boil over when it is completely covered on this foam. I also have a spray bottle of water handy, a few spritzes knocks it down pretty quick but I haven't needed to in a while.

 

[beer gut]

First Post!

G’day
I am a novice brewer who after trying a Coopers kit once over 10 years ago and never again, recently started to brew AG.

I did 2 mini BIAB batches of NRB’s All Amarillo APA, the second one turned out good so I bought the Robobrew 3 and so far have brewed 2 batches. One more NRB’s AAAPA and a @Fro-Daddy Pirate Life Mosaic IPA clone TEST.

Both brews went pretty smoothly, no boil overs just a bit of stirring and a light starsan spray at boil and no stuck sparges.

As a total newb with only 2 RB brews under my belt my opinion might not matter. I have watched loads of Gash Slugg’s Robobrew vids on youtube that I found really helpful and ultimately got me to buy the gen 3, I have also read heaps of really helpful information on here.

My inexperienced opinion is it is a good easy to use unit.

My @Fro-Daddy PL Mosaic IPA clone TEST is on day 7/10 of fermentation and I can’t wait to taste how it turns out.

cheers

 

[nala]

I've had one for a while and have done about 20 brews in it. I use about 20-22 litres of strike water depending on the size of the grain bill. I've been using brewfather with the equipment profile set to grainfather (similar unit) and find the suggested strike water volume about right but the sparge amount too low.

I did one batch recently with 6.9 kg of grain and 24l strike water and this was pretty much maxing out the unit.

Never had an issue with a stuck sparge - in fact have switched to a finer mill lately to slow down the sparge and try and regain a bit of efficiency.

I did however initially have boil over issues. A couple of things in conjunction have pretty much eliminyed this. Turn off the smaller element when the temp is about 98o. I use a mash paddle to vigorously stir if it looks to be about to boil over. I also sort of break up the "foam" that forms on top. It seems to boil over when it is completely covered on this foam. I also have a spray bottle of water handy, a few spritzes knocks it down pretty quick but I haven't needed to in a while.

I've had one for a while and have done about 20 brews in it. I use about 20-22 litres of strike water depending on the size of the grain bill. I've been using brewfather with the equipment profile set to grainfather (similar unit) and find the suggested strike water volume about right but the sparge amount too low.

I did one batch recently with 6.9 kg of grain and 24l strike water and this was pretty much maxing out the unit.

Never had an issue with a stuck sparge - in fact have switched to a finer mill lately to slow down the sparge and try and regain a bit of efficiency.

I did however initially have boil over issues. A couple of things in conjunction have pretty much eliminyed this. Turn off the smaller element when the temp is about 98o. I use a mash paddle to vigorously stir if it looks to be about to boil over. I also sort of break up the "foam" that forms on top. It seems to boil over when it is completely covered on this foam. I also have a spray bottle of water handy, a few spritzes knocks it down pretty quick but I haven't needed to in a while.

Thanks for your reply.
I am amazed to learn that you have actually mashed 6.9 kgs of grain !
I never expect to be mashing that volume.
My inclination is to brew session beers, particularly ales, 4-4.5 %.
I am particularly interested in brewing full bodied ales with lots of flavour rather than alcoholic strength. My other intention will be to determine the veracity of sparge water parameters particularly ph value.
I am looking forward to exchanging ideas with other Robobrewers and intend to publish my experiences...warts and all.

 

[Milhouse]

Was more of an experiment both in the capacity of the robo and in brewing a big ipa. It was a pain in the arse to stir and next time around I would scale down the recipe to make it a bit easier.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Was more of an experiment both in the capacity of the robo and in brewing a big ipa. It was a pain in the arse to stir and next time around I would scale down the recipe to make it a bit easier.

Why did you find it necessary to stir the mash, sort of defeats the purpose of recirculating.

 

[ABG]

Why did you find it necessary to stir the mash, sort of defeats the purpose of recirculating.

I stir mine about every 20 minutes too in addition to recirculating. I find it gives a point or two of efficiency without adding any tannins or any other nasty side effects. I now regularly get just over 80% brewhouse efficiency with mine using recipes with less than 5.5Kg of grain. The biggest I've ever managed was 7.1Kg and I'm not in a rush to repeat it. Efficiency was a touch under 70% on that one from memory.

@nala regarding temperature, mine was accurate out of the box, but I stupidly adjusted it. Because the temperature probe is near the heating element, the bottom of the R3 will be warmer than the top for a few minutes. If you're patient (which I wasn't), you'll find the temperatures equalise as you stir and recirculate(I use a separate and accurate thermometer in the top of my mash in addition to the R3's temperature probe). I've posted in more detail about this on the other site - a Google search should help you.

I've had one stuck sparge in about 30 brews. I used about 10% wheat and 10% oats on that one with no rice hulls in a Pacific Ale. I've brewed it since with rice hulls and had no issues. I had a boil over once - second or third brew from memory. Like @Milhouse I now turn the smaller element off at 98-99 degrees and have a spray bottle of Starsan handy. Never looked like having another boil over - it was simply inattention from me that caused it, not an issue with the R3.

I'm sure you'll love brewing with your new toy. I sure have and am looking to splurge and get myself the 65L Brewzilla.

 

[nala]

Thanks to all responders, looking forward to giving it a go.

 

[Milhouse]

Why did you find it necessary to stir the mash, sort of defeats the purpose of recirculating.

I give it a good stir when mashing in to make sure all of the grain is wet and there are no dough balls then recirculate for the rest of the mash.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

When doughing in it is understandable to separate the grain and make sure that the grain has not formed any dough balls. But a recirculating wort does not need any stirring, the grain bed settles and the wort starts to run clear. Stirring the grain bed achieves nothing apart from disturbing the grain bed so the wort will cloud up again, best to leave it and let the recirculating do its job. When I first got the Braumeister a few years ago I would give the wort a stir during pump break, made no difference whatsoever to efficiency, just a step which was totally unnecessary.

 

[Fro-Daddy]

I tried stirring and didn't notice too much of a difference, now I just let it do it's thing and find something else to do during that time.

 

[Osangar]

I recently acquired an RBv3, and have to date completed 2 brews in it. the first, was 4.5kg to 20L, used all 3 screens, and did not stir the grain bed - the second was 5kg to 26L and used only the two bottom screens, I also stirred each mash temp step (x5). I think the second may have had too much water which could have diluted the desired enzyme reactions and not sure, but it had considerable scorching on the bottom which may have been from the grain getting past the screens.

my next brew will be 3.5/1 ratio and will not stir the grain after mash in. also, ill see how it goes without the fine mesh at the bottom

 

[Milhouse]

I find a good grist to water ratio is about 3.3 in the rb.

As far as the scorching goes are you using bit elements when mashing? The instructions specify to only use the smaller (400w?) element when the mash pipe is in to avoid scorching.

 

[Frothieman]

Think I use 3:1. Gash Slugg robobrew profile on BeerSmith. Works perfectly.

 

[seandonner]

Just ordered a Robobrew 3.
Looking on line....Youtube videos etc to try to glean something useful, with respect to mash water volumes, or water to grain ratios.
I have brewed for some time now using my self made HERMS...quite successfully, but the Hermit controller which has served me well needs to be replaced.
I have decided to take a progressive attitude and move to a one piece system.
Whilst I am grateful for those who have dedicated time and cost to posting video's on Youtube, the ones that I
have viewed appear to be posted by brewers with almost no experience.
Stuck mashes, boil overs, and elementary mistakes and errors seem to be posted...great if the poster was demonstrating how not to do it.
Do we have any Robobrew 3 brewers on AHB ? If so have you posted any useful advice ?

I’ve done 4 batches on my v3.1 and have had a stuck mash & sparge on all attempts.. Last brew was a cream ale with 1/2 lb rice hulls and it still stuck. 20 ltr strike volume. Next time I’ll try without the fine mesh
screen