Digiboil (BIAB) or Brewzilla (all grain), is the $200 difference worth it?

[deeve007]

I'm sure I'm just trying to convince myself since I know the Brewzilla will simply be a much easier all round brewday, right?

Anyone gone from one to the other, or gone through a similar assessment of which to buy?

 

[madscientist451]

I've been brewing for many years without a pump, do you think you really need one?
Any reason why you don't just skip both units and use a pot on your kitchen stove for BIAB?

 

[deeve007]

I've been brewing for many years without a pump, do you think you really need one?
Any reason why you don't just skip both units and use a pot on your kitchen stove for BIAB?

Did that for 18 months and want to step it up a little, and looking for easier, less messy, and increasing efficiency.

 

[Beerstein]

I hand circulate a few gallons via bucket every 30 minutes with my mash and boil. I have not detected any difference in efficienc.

 

[Noob_Brewer]

Any reason why you've narrowed it down to digiboil vs brewzilla for the all-in-one units? I have no experience with either of these, but I can say that I am a foundry owner. Ive learned Homebrewing on this system and its great. One thing that I do like (there are many things though) is that the foundry appears pretty modular and easy to modify in how you want to brew. Not saying these others aren't easy to modify if you wanted to but just my experience. I also enjoy that the anvil pump is external to the all-in-one unit and not trapped underneath the unit. I like my hops to roam free and on 2-3 occasions (out of 47 brews total), Ive ended up with a clogged pump. If the pump is not trapped underneath the unit and its external, it makes it easy to take apart and put back together. Just a couple of thoughts to think about.

 

[deeve007]

Any reason why you've narrowed it down to digiboil vs brewzilla for the all-in-one units? I have no experience with either of these, but I can say that I am a foundry owner. Ive learned Homebrewing on this system and its great. One thing that I do like (there are many things though) is that the foundry appears pretty modular and easy to modify in how you want to brew. Not saying these others aren't easy to modify if you wanted to but just my experience. I also enjoy that the anvil pump is external to the all-in-one unit and not trapped underneath the unit. I like my hops to roam free and on 2-3 occasions (out of 47 brews total), Ive ended up with a clogged pump. If the pump is not trapped underneath the unit and its external, it makes it easy to take apart and put back together. Just a couple of thoughts to think about.

Foundry not available in Australia, and double the price of the Brewzilla if buying from OS and having sent.

 

[Noob_Brewer]

Foundry not available in Australia, and double the price of the Brewzilla if buying from OS and having sent.

OUCH! that's good enough reason for me! lol.

 

[Sammy86]

I'm sure I'm just trying to convince myself since I know the Brewzilla will simply be a much easier all round brewday, right?

Anyone gone from one to the other, or gone through a similar assessment of which to buy?

I love my Brewzilla 65L and would highly recommend it. I can't say for certain you'll see an increase in efficiency but your brew day will be a whole lot easier for the simple fact of electric brewery.

My efficiency has unfortunately been all over since I started making adjustments to my mill but my best was 89%.

 

[deeve007]

I love my Brewzilla 65L and would highly recommend it. I can't say for certain you'll see an increase in efficiency but your brew day will be a whole lot easier for the simple fact of electric brewery.

My efficiency has unfortunately been all over since I started making adjustments to my mill but my best was 89%.

Yeah the "easier brew day" aspect is probably the main reason I'm considering the Brezilla...

 

[Sammy86]

Yeah the "easier brew day" aspect is probably the main reason I'm considering the Brezilla...

I'm almost at the point with mine of being set and forget. I'm an early AM brewer, so i set up the Brewzilla to be ready for mash in at 6:30 AM. I do step mashes and figured out my heat times so I add it in and it just does it's thing. I'm sparging by 7:30-8 depending on mash schedule. And im done with cleanup by 11:30.

Doesn't get much better than that!

 

[deeve007]

I'm almost at the point with mine of being set and forget. I'm an early AM brewer, so i set up the Brewzilla to be ready for mash in at 6:30 AM. I do step mashes and figured out my heat times so I add it in and it just does it's thing. I'm sparging by 7:30-8 depending on mash schedule. And im done with cleanup by 11:30.

Doesn't get much better than that!

I'm a later in the day brewer and will mostly do overnight no-chilling, but the programmable aspect is appealing too, means I can brew during a standard work from home day.

Sparging with Brwzilla, what do you do? I've read that this is simpler than with BIAB too, no?
(of course, many don't BIAB sparge of course...)

And what fermenting setup do you have, do you mind me asking?

 

[Sammy86]

I'm a later in the day brewer and will mostly do overnight no-chilling, but the programmable aspect is appealing too, means I can brew during a standard work from home day.

Sparging with Brwzilla, what do you do? I've read that this is simpler than with BIAB too, no?
(of course, many don't BIAB sparge of course...)

And what fermenting setup do you have, do you mind me asking?

I got a digiboil for my birthday this past year so I heat up 7 gallons of water and use a gallon pitcher to pour over the grain...i could use a collander on the top but don't see the point.

For fermentation I'm still old school 6.5 gallon Big Mouth Bubblers and my chest freezer with an inkbird controller holding temps. I was using buckets but got a gift card so went with those.

 

[PaleMan]

Ive gone from Brew In A Basket without a pump to Brewzilla 35L. Love it and haven't looked back.
My beers seem to be clearer and more to point.

 

[madscientist451]

I do a dunk sparge with BIAB and always hit my expected numbers. I'm more than a little skeptical about the low priced all in one systems, wondering how long they are going to last, how long it takes to ramp up the temperature and how strong a boil you are going to get.
If you had to choose one of the two mentioned, I'd go with the Brewzilla.