Got My Robobrew!!!

[JacktardBrewmeister]

(Sorry for being gone from the forums awhile, work has swamped my free time to the point where forum reading became non-existant. But I am back yo!)

That's right. I got my Robobrew in last month and my nipples have been VERY hard as I brew beers from it with mass gusto! So far two beers down and I am planning my month of The Naked Scotsman as I do a Scottish 90 Schilling and a Wee Heavy before Indian summer (in August/September) rolls in. I will say that I have had a 22% increase in my OG and much smoother flavors forming in comparison to my hybrid extract/specialty grains method that I was using prior.

There was a mild issue when I first ordered this beast... the first unit (a second gen) was actually damaged in shipping and I had to wait 3 months for a replacement. Luckily for me the new one came and was a 3rd gen unit with a better hookup system for recirculation and a better user interface. I have had some suggested sparge options with my brewery owner friends who came over to brew with me and we decided a cold sparge with some beers will be perfect and a hot sparge with certain other styles (that I have not attempted yet with the Robobrew) will be fine and dandy.

My beers, so far, grain bill-wise can max out at 18 pounds of grain. Any more then that will be outside the safety specs for the unit's grain cylinder. The pump works flawlessly so no problems there and the heating elements work fine too. One at 500w and one at 1000w. I have not tried the programing feature yet as I am a fat drunk bastard who refuses to learn to program a day ahead timer, but it only takes about 30 minutes to get the water to temp if I have both heating elements on at the same time. I Mash with the 500w element only (because it will burn grain and cylinder with the 1000w) and I boil with both elements going full blast. Once at boil I turn off the 500w element. The chiller works nicely even though it is not copper, but recirculating the wart will cool it down faster as well only taking about 30 minutes.

I am also saving my grain and making dog treats that I leave out for dog walkers during the daytime and for spent grain bread to help maintain my girth. b^^ So far I love this machine (even considered sleeping next to it naked, but my girlfriend was having none of that) and I have had no issues with it whatsoever outside the learning curve of assembly and getting the hoses, clamps, attachments and so on... that I needed to be able to get it all ready to go.

 

[theeremite]

What mash efficiency are you getting? I went from 80% using a cooler to 62% with the robobrew. I feel like I'm doing something wrong. I usually mash with a 1.5 qt/lb. and rinse grain. Maybe I need to add rice hulls?

Everything else is great though... I ditched the cooler after 1 brew though. It's not bad, but a good plate chiller works faster.

 

[JacktardBrewmeister]

I got 72% out of the first batch and 77% out of the second one. I use the Robobrew a bit differently because I am a lazy bastard. I take six gallons of purified water and add my grains in once my desired temp is reached. After an hour I let the grain cylinder drain and during that time I do a cold sparge with 1 gallon of purified water. I recirculated the wart during the mash and when I went to use the chiller I turned the recirculator back on to cool the wart down faster.

My efficiency went up using the robobrew to the stove top kettle I was using before.

 

[theeremite]

Ok. Maybe I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be. I recirc the entire mash and then try to fly sparge while I'm draining the cylinder. Maybe I should just let it drip and then add the sparge water on top.

When you sparge do you stir the grain bed or just pour over top and let it drip?

 

[theeremite]

FWIW, my efficiency went up to 76% just by draining the wort completely before rinsing the grain, and not trying to "fly sparge" after pulling out the mash pipe.

 

[Storkenheimer]

FWIW, my efficiency went up to 76% just by draining the wort completely before rinsing the grain, and not trying to "fly sparge" after pulling out the mash pipe.

I had a similar experience on my v3 robobrew. My method is to:
1. Drain wort to slow drip
2. Push lightly on top screen
3. Begin rinse, maintaining about 1/2 inch of water above screen
4. Allow sparge water to mostly drain
5. Push on top screen

I saw a 78% efficiency with this. I have not observed any tannin off flavors either.

 

[augiedoggy]

I had a similar experience on my v3 robobrew. My method is to:
1. Drain wort to slow drip
2. Push lightly on top screen
3. Begin rinse, maintaining about 1/2 inch of water above screen
4. Allow sparge water to mostly drain
5. Push on top screen

I saw a 78% efficiency with this. I have not observed any tannin off flavors either.

yes good point on the tannins, when I first started brewing I was told squeezing the grain could cause them but since learned that is in fact an old home brewing wives tale.. commercial brewers press the remaining liquids from the mash in many cases..
I dont press the grain myself but I use a 3 vessel setup but found the same things. That slower sparging and even a lower flow rate on recircing made a large impact on my efficiency, as well as performing a real mashout and bringing the mash up to sparge temps before draining and fly sparging which I still do just at a VERY slow rate. I am consistently at 90% or better efficiency on most beer styles this way.

 

[Storkenheimer]

yes good point on the tannins, when I first started brewing I was told squeezing the grain could cause them but since learned that is in fact an old home brewing wives tale.. commercial brewers press the remaining liquids from the mash in many cases..
I dont press the grain myself but I use a 3 vessel setup but found the same things. That slower sparging and even a lower flow rate on recircing made a large impact on my efficiency, as well as performing a real mashout and bringing the mash up to sparge temps before draining and fly sparging which I still do just at a VERY slow rate. I am consistently at 90% or better efficiency on most beer styles this way.

I have also added a 10 minute mashout step.

 

[Sparkncode]

Great to see your enjoying your robobrew.

The pump version didn't exsist when i built my eherms and to be honest i would have probably built my own system anyway because to me thats half the fun but a friend at work got one once they added the pump.

They do seam like a good way for a lot of people to get into all grain with recirculation etc without having to build a control panel at a pretty reasonable price. Way more compact than my eherms with 3x50L pots.
It will be interesting to see how well the robobrews last under heavy use.