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I took Engineering in University so I know all about thermodynamics. My point all along was about heat exchange involving localized flow which you seem unclear about, and which causes significant fluctuations of temperature and extended delays in stabilizing. This is why you stir when you chill...

I totally disagree. I have thought about this, and experimented with the settings for a long time to see a significant difference. What you failed to realize is that there is a constant pool of wort sitting directly over the heating element. This pool quickly gets heated to the target...

I found the on/off function of the pump very helpful when mashing and trying to maintain a more consistent temperature. If you set the pump at say, about 45%, it allows the liquid mash to stay near the heating element for a short length of time, thereby heating it before it recirculates...

As mentioned, I keep the screen on the top, and sparge with the basket on the top feet (I use a circulating sparge arm). I've used the Brewzilla 16 times with never a leak.

I keep the top screen on during all my mashes. I also recirculate constantly during the mashes, which gives much higher efficiencies than occasionally stirring. My Brewhouse efficiency is generally about 80% - 84% with my Mash Efficiency a couple of percentages higher.

Mine has the same perforations as shown in the photo. However, I do have the extra "feet" which sits half-way up the pipe. it is very convenient.

My mash thickness is generally from 1.25 quarts per pound of grain to 1.5 quarts (mostly 1.5). I bring the mash up to about 168 F, let it sit for ten minutes, then raise the pipe slowly for the sparge. I have a rotating sparge arm that I place over the pipe. The sparge water is about 170-175 F...

I have brewed with the Brewzilla Gen 4 for almost 2 years with never once experiencing the leak. It's very odd that you continue to have leaks. I wonder if your grain crush is too fine?

I would raise it judged on how much waort has drained. As mentioned, I usually rest it on the lower stop level for maybe 10-15 seconds and then raise it to the top level. But since you don't have the lower rest stop on the American model, maybe raise it part way, hold it for 10-15 seconds until...

Then try the other suggestion - lifting the pipe slowly. If that doesn't fix the problem, then your system must be haunted.

But that's not what you said. You said: "The second time this happened to me I put half of my sparge water into the kettle, stirred it a ton, then lifted it up for a "modified" batch sparge. Anyways, trying reducing the water to grain ratio to 1.5 quarts per pound and see if that makes any...

OK, so your problem is likely because you add so much of your sparge water to the mash before you lift the pipe. You are loading the mash with all kinds of water, increasing the pressure when you lift it. I always lift the pipe before even starting my sparge. Then I add it gradually, leaving...

How many quarts per pound of grain do you use for the mash? Also how many pounds of grain do you use for your 5-gallon batches? Also your problem could be because you are adding so much of your sparge water before you even lift the pipe. Try lifting it first, letting it start draining, and then...

As mentioned, I lift it to the top and it always dribbles straight down with no mess. And I use a lot of sparge water. When you lift the pipe, most of the wort drains quite quickly. Then with the sparge, it basically goes straight down. It would need a LOT of pressure for the wort to squirt out...

Firstly, the pipe (Gen 4) can be lifted to two separate positions. In the lower position, the perforated sides are well below the top of the Brewzilla. So if you're worried, you can start the sparge there and lift the pipe to its higher postion later. Secondly, there is about an inch all...

Great nd helpful research!

How were you able to find the water profile for all those styles?

That is exactly what I've been doing lately. I start out with 3 liters (I generally use a 3 liter yeast starter so I can later save one liter for the next starter and use the remaining two liters in the lager I'm making) and boil it down to the reduced volume needed to fit the bottles and allow...

I like that approach. Do you boil the wort again after thawing?

Thanks. I made a 6 liter batch of wort some time ago, used half of it directly in a yeast starter, and froze the rest. I just thawed it out a couple of days ago and boiled it for 15 minutes. It likely wasn't necessary since I put the wort in the bottles at about 180 F and closed them immediately...