Brewzilla g4 heavy duty false bottom

[kohalajohn]

Good morning, all

Anybody tried this out?

On the one hand it looks impressive. On the other hand, the false bottom that comes with the machine seems to work fine

https://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/brewzilla-35l-hd-fb.html

 

[Halfakneecap]

No, haven't tried it. I have a 35L robo, and also the malt pipe extension kit to do double batches, and even doing double batches with a lot more grain than a single batch, the standard false bottom is fine. I used a BIAB a few times when i first got the extension kit, so all the weight was sitting on the standard false bottom, and had no issues.

 

[kohalajohn]

I thought so.

And I also realized that with this, you can't use the heat diffuser plate.

So nope.

 

[Halfakneecap]

I thought so.

And I also realized that with this, you can't use the heat diffuser plate.

So nope.

Heat diffuser plate?

 

[kohalajohn]

 

[Dave C01]

I thought so.

And I also realized that with this, you can't use the heat diffuser plate.

So nope.

Well if it ain't broke don't fix it

 

[hungupdown]

Heat diffuser plate?

HED Heat Exchanger Dish.
Think that works, by forcing all flow to go through gap around it's circumference. So the wort then has to flow across all the heater base, to reach the centre drain.

If the heavy duty base raises the malt pipe, that might cause other issues.

 

[Yooper]

I thought so.

And I also realized that with this, you can't use the heat diffuser plate.

So nope.

That's what I was wondering. I think a better false bottom would be a huge plus, as I got very tired of the bottom drain clogging even with the malt pipe and the HED. I started mashing back in my very old MLT to avoid mashing in the Brewzilla. If there was a decent false bottom, I could definitely be persuaded to change back to mashing in the Brewzilla. I tried it with no bag, no bag with rice halls, a bag, slower recirculation, faster recirculation, and no recirculation but lots of stirring- all a big PITA so it's just easy to pump the wort to my old MLT, and gravity drain back.

 

[Halfakneecap]

I don't have any of those extras and im very happy with the beers i make in my standard robo

 

[Halfakneecap]

That's what I was wondering. I think a better false bottom would be a huge plus, as I got very tired of the bottom drain clogging even with the malt pipe and the HED. I started mashing back in my very old MLT to avoid mashing in the Brewzilla. If there was a decent false bottom, I could definitely be persuaded to change back to mashing in the Brewzilla. I tried it with no bag, no bag with rice halls, a bag, slower recirculation, faster recirculation, and no recirculation but lots of stirring- all a big PITA so it's just easy to pump the wort to my old MLT, and gravity drain back.

Which bottom drain? the hole in the bottom ? I ask because i've never had an issue after 99 batches in mine. When i first got it, i tried to recirc too fast a few times and the grain bed became too solid to let flow through, but once i slowed recirc down, no issues. A rice lager got a bit sticky, but that's a me thing, not a robo brew thing, and i sorted it out.

I also don't use the fine bottom screen in the bottom of the malt pipe, i found i don't have any issue leaving it out, after probably the 10th batch.

 

[Whisky River]

Heat diffuser plate?

I don't have any of those extras and im very happy with the beers i make in my standard robo

Which bottom drain? the hole in the bottom ? I ask because i've never had an issue after 99 batches in mine. When i first got it, i tried to recirc too fast a few times and the grain bed became too solid to let flow through, but once i slowed recirc down, no issues. A rice lager got a bit sticky, but that's a me thing, not a robo brew thing, and i sorted it out.

I also don't use the fine bottom screen in the bottom of the malt pipe, i found i don't have any issue leaving it out, after probably the 10th batch.

Just to clarify, do you have a RoboBrew or a Brewzilla?

I ask because the OP is talking about the Brewzilla Generation 4 which has a dished bottom and a center drain that exits vertically downward. The design is basically like a shallow funnel which has more of a tendency to clog than most other systems like the RoboBrew which usually have a side drain.

 

[Halfakneecap]

Just to clarify, do you have a RoboBrew or a Brewzilla?

I ask because the OP is talking about the Brewzilla Generation 4 which has a dished bottom and a center drain that exits vertically downward. The design is basically like a shallow funnel which has more of a tendency to clog than most other systems like the RoboBrew which usually have a side drain.

Ah, ok i get it now. I have a Robo. I thought they were the same thing. My bad


Now ill spend all day looking at Brewzilla's haha

 

[Whisky River]

Ah, ok i get it now. I have a Robo. I thought they were the same thing. My bad


Now ill spend all day looking at Brewzilla's haha

There are so many AIO systems and they’re mostly the same it’s just the BZ G4 that has the bottom center drain.

Don’t envy them too much. It’s as much of a nightmare as it is a benefit I think. Never had any clogging problems on my old Grainfather but the BZ G4 is a total crap shoot.

 

[Halfakneecap]

There are so many AIO systems and they’re mostly the same it’s just the BZ G4 that has the bottom center drain.

Don’t envy them too much. It’s as much of a nightmare as it is a benefit I think. Never had any clogging problems on my old Grainfather but the BZ G4 is a total crap shoot.

If my robo dies ( 99 batches in it ) I’ll get a digiboil. I don’t need fancy

 

[kohalajohn]

Yes, it’s a BZ gen 4. The exit is a center hole at the bottom, and the bottom is concave.

Everything is nicely pulled to the middle. But that’s also the problem. Liquid takes the path of least resistance. Much of it flows straight down the middle and avoids the hot floor.

The heat exchanger dish is just a solid flat plate. The falling wort has to flow out to the sides and over and then has to flow over the hot concave floor and then finally flow down into the exit hole.

It makes the heating floor work more efficiently.

Finally, I can see that in a ten gallon 120v system you’ll want all the help you can get. I have a five gallon 240v system so it heats up fast as is.

 

[Yooper]

I don't have any of those extras and im very happy with the beers i make in my standard robo

We have different systems with different ‘features’ so it’s not comparable.

 

[Halfakneecap]

We have different systems with different ‘features’ so it’s not comparable.

Sure, i wasn't trying to offend or anything. Apologies if it came across that way

 

[Yooper]

Sure, i wasn't trying to offend or anything. Apologies if it came across that way

No, no- not at all. Just trying to explain why your system isn’t comparable to what we’re discussing with some of the issues with the Brewzilla gen 4 and why something like a false bottom or a different way to drain/lauter is important.

 

[kohalajohn]

I received the answer back from the good folk at Kegland:



The heavy duty false bottom is better suited to digiboils more so than the brewzillas as it allow use without a malt pipe.

The heat exchanger can be adapted to the heavy duty false bottom but it would then leave your malt pipe sitting an inch or 2 higher which means it will stick out of the boiler.

We all use a heat exchanger with the stand false bottom without the need for the heavy duty one.

Hope this helps.