Using the Digiboil

[Brew Cat]

So I grabbed the 35L Digiboil pretty cheap on black Friday. Not sure what I will do. I figured since it is the 110v version It would come in handy as I age in place and go to 3 gallon batches or a mash tun or HLT neither of which I need.
I'll do a BIAB batch in it for fun, this is what I'll do

1st I'll fill it with my 6.75 gallons of water and add brewing salts.
2nd I'll drain off 3 gallons into my electric coffee urns that I use as HLTs now
3rd I'll heat the remaining 3.75 gallons to strike temp and mash in
4th while mashing I'll heat the water in the urns which gets to about 200° F
5th at the end of the mash I'll dump 1.5 gallons of the hot water in for a mashout then pull the bag and pour the rest over as a rinse/sparge
6th now the wort is 180 or so and I'll bring the rest of the way to boil and carry on
How's that sound?

 

[Craigerrr]

Home brewer, buys item on sale that he/she has no purpose for... solution, create new brewing process

That isn't too far off from what I do with my Brewzilla really. I heat up my total water volume to strike temperature, draw off sparge water volume, then mash in. I use a sous vide stick to heat sparge water up to mashout temperature.

 

[Dave Y]

I bought one a few years ago, also on B/F; at that price, I couldn't afford to not buy it !

I like the 110 kettle, it says 9 gallons but that's a little optimistic. I also like that it has 500w, 1kw, or both, switchable. At full power, boiling is a bit less enthusiastic than the Anvil 110, but it gets the job done.

For a basic electric kettle, it's tough to beat for the cost. As to your process, it seems like it will work. Try it out and let us know!

 

[Brew Cat]

I bought one a few years ago, also on B/F; at that price, I couldn't afford to not buy it !

I like the 110 kettle, it says 9 gallons but that's a little optimistic. I also like that it has 500w, 1kw, or both, switchable. At full power, boiling is a bit less enthusiastic than the Anvil 110, but it gets the job done.

For a basic electric kettle, it's tough to beat for the cost. As to your process, it seems like it will work. Try it out and let us know!

I'm interested to see the boil rate
I usually boil at a roll not the crazy jump out of the pot boil I see some do. The kettle I use now boils off about a 1 gallon in an hour. It's wider than this thing so I. Guess we will see. Usually I'll start mash up with 7 gallons witch gets me 6 1/2 gallons to boil. I'll change my calculations to boil off 1/2 gallon.
I'll keep a log and post it

 

[JVi]

These Digiboils here are 500w and 1900w or both, not cheap though 199€

 

[Donoroto]

Home brewer, buys item on sale that he/she has no purpose for... solution, create new brewing process

That isn't too far off from what I do with my Brewzilla really. I heat up my total water volume to strike temperature, draw off sparge water volume, then mash in. I use a sous vide stick to heat sparge water up to mashout temperature.

I do the same. Sometimes I even cook with the sous vide.

 

[Donoroto]

These Digiboils here are 500w and 1900w or both, not cheap though 199€

The 220 volt brewzilla (digiboil with more control buttons…) also has the 500 & 1900 watt elements.

 

[Sunfire96]

Dang I'm seriously considering adding a digiboil as a HLT to my setup...that site also has the Grainfather sparge water heater deeply discounted.

To talk myself out of it, I would also need a 2nd pump, tubing, and at least 2 more quick disconnects...

 

[Craigerrr]

I have the 110V Brewzilla, 500W and 1000W
Kinda slow, but it's all I know

 

[Brew Cat]

I have the 110V Brewzilla, 500W and 1000W
Kinda slow, but it's all I know

Well then you will be my mentor

 

[Brew Cat]

What size batches do you do and what are your volumes and do you ferment in it

 

[JVi]

The 220 volt brewzilla (digiboil with more control buttons…) also has the 500 & 1900 watt elements.

35l Brewzilla gen 4 wifi etc 625€, autsie!!!!

 

[Brew Cat]

I've been brewing since 2012 and changed my system a few times not sure I ever thought about WiFi for brewing other than to listen to Pandora

 

[Sunfire96]

How long does it take y'all to heat your strike water in the 110V models?

 

[Craigerrr]

How long does it take y'all to heat your strike water in the 110V models?

I use the timer function so that it is at temperature when I get up in the morning. It probably takes a good hour or more though to heat 31 liters up.

 

[Craigerrr]

What size batches do you do and what are your volumes and do you ferment in it

I do 19L batches
It is pretty snug with bigger beers
Part of the reason I am transitioning to a cooler mashtun.
Would never have considered fermenting in it, I use an Allrounder

 

[Brew Cat]

31 liters for 19 liter batch seems like quite a bit
Im going to mash in about only 15 liters
do you use an insulating jacket when heating the water?

 

[Craigerrr]

31 liters for 19 liter batch seems like quite a bit
Im going to mash in about only 15 liters
do you use an insulating jacket when heating the water?

I have my own home made out of "reflective" basically thin silver bubble wrap, two layers.
I lose liters here and there, depending on the brew. Typically 2 in the fermenter, 1 between the bottom of the zilla and the counterflow chiller, 1 to 1.5 to the boil off, 0.9 per kilogram of grain. I never really got very good efficiency in the Brewzilla either.

 

[Craigerrr]

A batch that uses 5kg, would be 4.5L, 7kg would be 6.3L.

 

[Craigerrr]

Are you going to basically do a BIAB in the digital?
When I used the malt pipe, There was 6.75 liters below the malt pipe, so mashes could get pretty thick on anything over 5%