highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
Got my hands on one of the new 65L brewzilla brewing systems. Did a video on the new features and a boil test.
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A first look at the Brewzilla 65L 240v USA version
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Scarabrew
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Great video.
Hope to see a brewing day video on this bad boy soon!
Hope to see a brewing day video on this bad boy soon!
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
Brewing/filming this weekend!! 
very nice video.
Carolina_Matt
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Looks like you had a good boil going. I'm thinking about the Digiboil since it's more affordable and this gives me confidence that 3500 watts will do the job.
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
Yeah it surprised me for sure. The digiboil is a pretty much stripped down version of it. No pump or malt pipe but easy enough to use as a BIAB kettle.
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
Thanks!
Is the Digiboil 65L like the Brewzilla ?
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
I don't think it has the step mash program capabilities, but I believe it will hold temps. One of the members of the homebrew club just bought one. So I will know more once I talk to him about his experience.
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
1st Brewday on the new system!
3500w seems to get it dont just fine, but for the sake of speed and already being 240v I can't understand why they didnt go the normal 5500w route
Scorching. And the heat that it would generate in the electronics in the base of the unit.
BTW, one could run this thing off 2 x 120VAC 15A circuits by building a converter cable and then finding 2 plugs that are on opposite legs in the panel.
HarkinBanks
Well-Known Member
Great video man, well done, and the perfect length to highlight everything.
I'm sure you wanted to keep it vanilla, but next time fermcap might be a nice tip to avoid a boil over.
I'm sure you wanted to keep it vanilla, but next time fermcap might be a nice tip to avoid a boil over.
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
Yeah that's true I even have some lol. Never even thought about it really. Thanks for the comments, I try to keep my videos pretty "tight" With not much rambling. Cheers!
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
I can imagine that the kept it the same as the units sold in Australia.
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
I have a system i built similar to the claw hammer supply. Baseball on the Bayou classic. If you use the e brew supply diy bias controller you can put one together for under a grand. (240v 5500w)
Alright I will look into the e brew DIY kit and see what it looks like
I'd go all in one before I'd even think about a BIAB system.
Carolina_Matt
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Can't wait to see the video - it's blocked at work, so I'll watch it when I get home. I keep going back and forth between the Digiboil, a 3500 Watt Induction Burner, and a 5500 Watt element with a controller. I'm interested to see how the Brewzilla works out in the video, and I'll assume the Digiboil is similar for BIAB.
I'm definitely interested to hear what your Brewclub member thinks about the Digiboil once you chat with him.
I'm definitely interested to hear what your Brewclub member thinks about the Digiboil once you chat with him.
"Note: The Digiboil is primarily designed for boiling, distilling, and heating sparge water. It is not designed for Brew In Bag or mashing directly in the unit. If you suspend a large grain bag in the unit or add mash directly to the unit, it will throw a thermal protection error, because the grain or the grain bag will cover the thermostat, which will then shut off the heating element"
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/KegLand-Digiboil-P4663.aspx
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/KegLand-Digiboil-P4663.aspx
Circulating while heating and keeping tge grain bag/basket off the bottom would probably prevent the tripping of the thermostat.
There is a 65L Digiboil.
https://www.kegland.com.au/65l-digiboil-digital-turbo-boiler-3500watt.html
Being a DIY kinda guy, I'd buy it and add my own pump, grain basket and controller.
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Carolina_Matt
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"The DigiBoil is a versatile electric kettle that can be used as a standalone unit or integrated into your current brew system to serve a variety of functions. Easily brew 10-gallon extract or all-grain brew-in-a-bag batches."
https://www.morebeer.com/products/digiboil-electric-kettle-65l171g-220v.html
Either way, if I buy the Digiboil I wouldn't plan on keeping the element on during the mash. I'd just cover it and let it ride, like I do with my current propane setup.
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
It actually is thick. The legs on the malt pipe are really sturdy, not to mention it got shipped all over the place because if winter storms! Not that fed-ex folks aren't gentle with a 59lb awkward shaped box.. Lol
Scarabrew
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Thinking about some hacks one could do to the Brewzilla:
1 - Install a hop stopper (those from The Electric Brewery or the Lauterhexe) connected to the tap; or
2 - Use the tap as the inlet for whirlpooling, using something like the Brewhardware spincycle
1 - Install a hop stopper (those from The Electric Brewery or the Lauterhexe) connected to the tap; or
2 - Use the tap as the inlet for whirlpooling, using something like the Brewhardware spincycle
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
The Spincycle is definitely a possibility, Bobby actually has a whirlpool arm for the smaller version that connects to the camlock return. The brewzilla has a screen in the bottom. My fear with a hop stopper is that if too much hop debris collects on the bottom it will throw and error code by the sensor being covered. They make it that way to prevent scorching if too much debris gets on the bottom.
Morebeer was the only place I saw selling them here. Any idea on why its on backorder so long, and when we might expect them back in the US?
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highland_brewer
Short Circuited Brewers
The demand was so high that all the first shipment was sold in pre-orders. The next shipment is coming... I am not sure why the delay is so long. I'll post here once they are back in stock if you'd like.
augiedoggy
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couple reasons come to mind... 3500w runs off a regular 20a (15a even) 220v circuit which many countries possibly use for standard outlets, and the elements are most likely repurposed from some other coffee urn device to keep costs down. Watt density also comes to mind. from the sounds of it the element is already a higher watt density setup..
I understand the issue of keeping heat down due to electronics but the 500w element doesn’t seem that useful. Don’t see why they didn’t just put in another 1000w
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
I could be wrong but I think its because the repurposed hot water urns already have the two elements in them from thier original design... Dont forget when used as a coffee or tea urn they use even cheaper controls... one element likely to heat the water and one to keep the liquid hot afterwards while it sits...this design is proven with these elements and changing things out adds risk and cost.
These are basically starting out as $50-100 alibaba kettles modified with attachments and controllers.. The people that spec these mods are looking to maximize profits and work with what they have as much as possible. If they have $125 cost in each one, my guess is its a lot.
[QUOTE="augiedoggy, post: 8568052, member: 177334"
These are basically starting out as $50-100 alibaba kettles modified with attachments and controllers.. The people that spec these mods are looking to maximize profits and work with what they have as much as possible. If they have $125 cost in each one, my guess is its a lot.[/QUOTE]
You are insinuating that this is a cheap repurposed piece of junk urn as opposed to a high quality cooking pot. I've never seen a 9 gallon coffee urn, let alone a 17 gallon one . I looked up what I could and the biggest are 3-4 gallons with a max 1500w. I doubt they are buying a cheap $50 coffee urn and slapping on a control panel and pump and calling it brewzilla. I'm sure parts are sourced from other manufactures with some being made and another company is building them for kegland.
I've got a beautiful chapman 15g mashtun that I'm sure was built with two huge cooking pots with some sourced parts and fittings and manufactured by someone else. its nice and it works. custom manufactured from raw materials? NO.
These are basically starting out as $50-100 alibaba kettles modified with attachments and controllers.. The people that spec these mods are looking to maximize profits and work with what they have as much as possible. If they have $125 cost in each one, my guess is its a lot.[/QUOTE]
You are insinuating that this is a cheap repurposed piece of junk urn as opposed to a high quality cooking pot. I've never seen a 9 gallon coffee urn, let alone a 17 gallon one . I looked up what I could and the biggest are 3-4 gallons with a max 1500w. I doubt they are buying a cheap $50 coffee urn and slapping on a control panel and pump and calling it brewzilla. I'm sure parts are sourced from other manufactures with some being made and another company is building them for kegland.
I've got a beautiful chapman 15g mashtun that I'm sure was built with two huge cooking pots with some sourced parts and fittings and manufactured by someone else. its nice and it works. custom manufactured from raw materials? NO.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
You are insinuating that this is a cheap repurposed piece of junk urn as opposed to a high quality cooking pot. I've never seen a 9 gallon coffee urn, let alone a 17 gallon one . I looked up what I could and the biggest are 3-4 gallons with a max 1500w. I doubt they are buying a cheap $50 coffee urn and slapping on a control panel and pump and calling it brewzilla. I'm sure parts are sourced from other manufactures with some being made and another company is building them for kegland.
I've got a beautiful chapman 15g mashtun that I'm sure was built with two huge cooking pots with some sourced parts and fittings and manufactured by someone else. its nice and it works. custom manufactured from raw materials? NO.[/QUOTE]
I'm not insinuating anything.. I commented on my best guess based on what's already out there and its configuration with the 500w element.
It is what it is, but I stand by my comment that its likely another repurposed hot water or coffee urn like the robobrew and mash and boil and even the grainfather. Someone else pointed out it made of very thin walled stainless maybe you should be attacking them? Some banquet halls and hotels have large hot water urns like this. That's likely where the original design came from. And yes MOST of these homebrewing machines are made with repurposed components as it's very expensive to have things tested and certified when you design them from scratch. Just how much money do you really think these cost to make anyway? Normal markups for this type of thing is around double manufacturing costs.. I believe these sell for like $250? Many plain stainless brewing kettles alone sell for that here with no controllers of elements.. I wouldnt expect German engineering and quality here myself but I'm sure it works well for what it's supposed to do.
And I have no idea what this conversation has to do with Chapman but since we are comparing other random products, dont you also own a blichmann avil fermenter too? Weren't you one of the folks disappointed with the quality?
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The chapman point was clearly about how its assembled from soup pots but works perfect and is high quality. I too think a lot of affordable equipment on the market has parts sourced from something else that is being manufactured. I would't go so far as to say they bought a cheap urn, screwed some parts on and bam, Robobrew, though. Maybe you're right but It could be a nice piece. The metal is claimed to be noticeably thicker.
The anvil had machining marks that I said was not a good finish. So sure, not everything is awesome. It wasn't junk either.
The anvil had machining marks that I said was not a good finish. So sure, not everything is awesome. It wasn't junk either.
What's the capacity of the grain basket? The More Beer website says 18 lb, but that's not near enough to do a decent-sized 10 gallon batch over 5% ABV. Some of my 10-gallon batches now use over 30 lb of grain.
Nevermind. I found their online instruction manual and the capacity is 16 kg, or a little over 35 lb. So okay up to around 7. 5% ABV maybe ?
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