Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Picobrew Z1 Batch Size  (Read 2474 times)

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Picobrew Z1 Batch Size
« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2019, 12:02:55 pm »
Today I brewed an 805 Blonde clone. Efficiency was up to 67%. I used the High Efficiency Mash setting. I collected 2.78 gallons of wort.  I planned for 62% (what I got last batch) so my beer has 4 extra gravity points but 1050 (where it ended up) is my sweet spot.

Today’s wort looks a bit cloudy. I didn’t see much cold break.  Today I used an ice bath to cool. It was not that bad. The wort is very foamy when chilling. Maybe that helps oxidize the wort before pitching yeast. But, it is also annoying to pour so much foam into the fermenter. I have a Jaded Corny Pillar ordered. I think will be a faster better way to chill with no foam. Hopefully, the Corny Pillar arrives before my next batch.

Also today, I kegged my first Picobrew Z1 batch (American Pale Ale). It tastes great: exactly like it should.  Nice and hoppy like I would expect.

I did a Z brew last week.  After the Brew is done, I run a drain rather than a record (no foam) then chill with the corny pillar.  Then I stick a Brewjacket Immersion Pro in the keg for fermentation.
Do you do that manually? Or is there a way to use the advanced editor to have the Z1 drain to the keg after the last brew step?

I went into the advanced editor and subbed a drain for the chill.  Seems like I eliminated the pause to connect chiller step, too, but I can't recall.   
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline tommymorris

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3869
Picobrew Z1 Batch Size
« Reply #16 on: August 18, 2019, 03:35:01 pm »
My Z1 was reporting overheating errors while heating to mash temperature yesterday. It had already added water to the mash for a rest. The step filter filled nearly to the top. The hop compartments were flooded also.

I wasn’t sure what was happening. After a couple feeble attempts at fixing I gave up and move to my Grainfather.

24 hours later I figured out the source of the problem. The Z1 has a drain tube grommet that connects to a small tube. The tube dips into the wort and sucks it out of a tub (the step filter).

Here is a drain tube grommet.


Here is my bad drain tube grommet close up.

I think maybe a mouse took a bite. I can’t imagine what else might have taken that chunk out of it. With the bad drain tube grommet the drain pump was just sucking air.

Luckily the Z1 ships with a spare grommet. I replaced it and the system seems to function fine.
« Last Edit: August 18, 2019, 03:44:04 pm by tommymorris »