Grainfather VS BrewZilla VS Brewtools 2022 PART TWO HomeBrewing Systems Comparison

[@exedus666]

Hi David, thanks for all the great videos. I'll try to give a little bit back. I recently bought the Brewtools B80 Pro and set it up for the first time today and took the measurements for you straight away. First of all, I have to say that a test with 15 litres is not possible. The elements are only safely covered at 20 litres and the sensor is completely covered at 21 litres. Therefore, my test run took place under the following conditions: - 21L volume (Will certainly become a problem, however, if you let the wort circulate through the pipes and the boil off. So in reality more liquid is needed) - Initial water temperature 25°C (elements off until then) - Ambient temperature 27°C - Pump off - Malt basket not installed - PID auto mode - 2x 16A - 230V The time the B80P needed to heat up to 65°C under these circumstances was exactly 08:30 minutes. I hope I could help you with this. Best regards from Germany.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers Peter, that is much appreciated. I totally forgot about that limitation when making this test. However, your test certainly shows how powerful these are anyway 🍻🍻

[@alanman5328]

Love what you do David. This was a great mini series that I found very informative and helpful. I choose the Brewzilla 65.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Many thanks Alun, I am glad you found it useful. 🍻🍻🍻

[@Trevtao]

Great work as usual David. gen 4 65 brewzillas went live here in Australia as of yesterday. Snapped one up asap. No longer have to mutter jealous obscenities at you while I watch your video's.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear :) Yes it has seen a delay but at least you still got both first in AU compared to most of the rest of the world. I am sure it will be well worth the wait though 🍻🍻🍻

[@RoryAherne]

Great video David. Now that the GF 30Lv3 and the Brewzilla 35L Gen 4 with Brewmonks Stainless Counterflow chiller are the same price, I can't see any reason to not go with the Brewzilla.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thanks Rory. Pricing does seem to vary from market to market.

[@thomasschleis2545]

In the US, the Brewtools B40 is only about $200 more than the G40, although probably about $300-400 more with a few worthwhile accessories like an extra valve and fittings. I sure like the increased grain bill and batch size flexibilty of the G40 though. If I didn't have the B40, I'd be giving the G40 a strong look. I think it is a real contender now, but wasn't available when I bought my B40. Not that i have any regrets - the B40 is a great system.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, you really do need to factor in the extras that you will need. I cannot see the point of buying a Brewtools and not maxing its ports.

[@danhonan6718]

Thanks David, well done again. Very nice format on the comparisons and great detail with your info as usual, it’s helped me make up my mind on my new brewing system!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear Dan 🍻🍻🍻 Whats your verdict?

[@danhonan6718]

The Brewzilla 65…for a few factors. Kegland are local for me, the expansion capability, the Rapt controller(I’m also using rapt fermentation chamber and pills) and it’s ecosystem with it’s potential for innovation. I suspect I may miss the grainfathers ability to dropbox the recipe to the controller from the brewfather app.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, its looking like a popular choice. The recipe side is planned to be coming in the future along with other updates.

[@harvardsjason]

Hard to ignore price point of BZ 65 Gen4 and upgradability to increase batch size.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, I think many with find the upgradability and price point of the Gen 4 Brewzillas very attractive.

[@Reus5943]

thank you very much David, it is again well and clearly explained. Very valuable, I'm going to wait until brewzilla gen.4 is available. It's not available in the Netherlands, but I'm willing to come to your store for it..

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear Robin.European release is not long now and you will find it in the Netherlands at this store:- unibrew.nl

[@Reus5943]

thank you david, pre-ordered right away

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, enjoy :)

[@guillermovazqueziscar8770]

Hi David thank you very much for your videos, we are in 2024, which one would you buy? Do you know if Bewzilla will release Gen 5 soon?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

The details are still 100% the same. I find it unlikely to see any changes in this line up for at least a couple of years. Brewzilla GEN 5 is probably further away. I can only really give you the facts so that you can decide for yourself 🍻🍻🍻

[@pukbobo1423]

For me the draw of the BZ gen4 is the low batch volume. When brewing for only one or a few people this makes it much more possible to experiment and try different recipes without being stuck with large quantities going to waste. This along with price point seems to make these systems the obvious entry point. Do you have any experience with close-to-minimum-size batches on the BZ? And how well - if at all - does the RAPT environment integrate with something like Brewfather?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Same for me Puk. I have a video that provides Brewfather profiles for both GEN 4 units here :- kzbin.info/www/bejne/nonOlJV_m95paJY The RAPT system is featured in Brewfather already in beta form. It is progressing well.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I have brewed the minimum batch size and have shared my experience in this video:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/boqpmHiXjNx2a6c

[@stripeyjoe]

Love the videos but would actually like some opinion, which gives the most satisfying brew day, which was easiest to clean what annoying niggles are there etc etc alongside the cold hard facts! I bought the G40 at the end of last year as I had outgrown my 25l Burco BIAB setup, I enjoy it until it’s time to clean, often find the pump gets clogged with the gunk left in the bottom after you’ve taken out the false bottom. And it’s a heavy bugger, I made a wheeled dolly for it to make it easier to move around my brew shed.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I prefer to simply present the facts and my findings without too much opinion but when asked that is no problem. When it comes to Brew day satisfaction I find them all pretty equal, though the Brewtools with its premium feel has the edge. However it is the heaviest and the most time consuming to set up. Cleaning wise I suggest using the G40s bottom tap with the false bottom left in first and doing a couple of cycles after adding water before removing it. Personally I find the Brewzillas a little easier to clean and they are for sure much lighter than the GF & BT systems. I hope this helps.

[@stripeyjoe]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew I take the false bottom out to clean the mound of hops and trub off of it first but there’s always a fair amount of crud under it too.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

There should not be a large amount. You might want to check that the fit of the false bottom is right with where you bought it from. Some after brew photos would help too.

[@stripeyjoe]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew I did get a replacement bottom filter, the first one didn’t seal that well. Have only done one brew with the new one ( a Weizen which was fairly light on hopping) and it did seem better.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Ok, good 🍻🍻🍻

[@jacktyrrell2050]

Hi David I've lost your reply to the message sent yesterday about the brewmonk verses the brewzilla gen 4 65 thanks

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hmm thats odd. Must be at KZbins end I guess.

[@zibzer]

Thank you for this excellent review! (Liked and subscribed!) Im still undecided as to what system I want to buy. I have been contemplating getting into this hobby for several years now and am a complete beginner. I am looking at either a Grainfather g30v3 or a Brewzilla 35 gen4. I was initially leaning towards grainfather due to their impressive software that appears to make brewing less intimidating, but, the brewzilla is almost half the price here in Canada. What would you recommend for an aspiring brewer?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, much appreciated. Personally I would say that the G30 v3 still has old style heating elements and its main system is also aging. Where as the BZ GEN 4 is very up to date and comes in at a bargain price compared.

[@fabriziocapellino9827]

Hi, thanks for the videos, liked them a lot as theyy are straight to the facts. one question remained unaswered. How compatible these new brezilla are with Brewfather app? can I brew straight from it, or as like with grainfather I have to move the recepies to their own platform, in this case Rapt, to be able to brew it? thanks again for all your videos, for sure I might never have improved so greatly so fast without them!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Many thanks Fabrizio. Yes I like videos like this so I make them this way :) You can already use Brewfather with Brewzilla Gen 4. RAPT is already compatible with Brewfather, there is just a little more work needed to take it even further. I have shared great profiles for GEN 4 with Brewfather in this video:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/nonOlJV_m95paJY

[@MathewIrsak]

Cheers for the review on all the systems. Just wondering if you have had another chance to test out the G70? Im in the market for a new system and was looking at the G40 or the G70. But watching your review on it 2 years ago I am unsure if those issues have been rectified or not. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hi Mathew, I have not. However the G40 is an enhanced version compared. So If you wanted to go the Grainfather route then the G40 would be a step in everything but maximum volume.

[@LukasKletzander]

Great comparison, thank you! The g30v3 wasn‘t released back then. Does it change the game for you?

[@LukasKletzander]

I‘m fluctuating between Brewzilla 35 gen4 and Grainfather g30v3 - both seem to give good results

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

@@LukasKletzander The G30 V3 sees two changes:- 1) A pipeworkless grain basket 2) A repositioned power switch. Brewzilla GEN 4 compared offers the following benefits:- 1) Modern heating elements that are more efficient and faster that do not have hot spots that can cause burning on the bottom 2) More upgrades inc the ability to increase volume by a further 24L and also increase mash capacity by a good %. 3) A more advanced technical side that features both wifi and Bluetooth. I hope this helps. I no longer own a G30 but do have a G40 which costs a fair bit more than a G30 but is a good upgrade. As an owner of 2 Brewzilla GEN 4 systems though I feel they are very hard to beat for value.

[@LukasKletzander]

Wow - thanks for your quick and detailed answer! That helps a lot!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear 🍻🍻🍻

[@askan214]

Thanks for another great video! The three systems I’m choosing between are BZ35, g40 and g30. I have to carry my gear up from the basement every time I brew and I have a bad back. How do they compare in terms of 1. carry weight and 2. easy to set up? Cheers!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hi, sorry to hear that. The G40 is the heaviest by a long way. The BZ35 and G30 are nice and light and are both easy to set up. It is fair to say that the GZ35 Gen 4 is much improved vs the far older G30. Better and more modern heating elements for a start but for more check out my Brewzilla GEN 4 videos.

[@askan214]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thanks for the quick reply! Then I’m leaning towards the BZ35. I saw your other videos and it looks great! (As does g40 , but the weight is probably too much for me) Thanks a lot!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers, enjoy 🍻🍻🍻

[@renekalmeijer]

Hi David, i'm new to all grain brewing and im having a hard time deciding between the Grainfather g40 and the Brewzilla gen 4 65, which one would you recommend for having a beter experience overall? Thanks so much!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hi, These two systems are highly recommended. In terms of experience they both have their plus points. The Brewzilla is cheaper, so as such has better value for money and has some great upgrade parts that allow for bigger grain bills and volume. The GF has a more heavy duty build and offers some hand holding via its software. These are the primary points really.

[@namnification]

thanks david for this info video! i am saving upp for a new brewzilla g35 fo it will fit my home and not take upp to musch space. :-)

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear that you found these videos useful 🍻🍻🍻

[@kenfowler1980]

good series of videos David

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Many thanks Ken 🍻🍻

[@Humlegruvan]

Have you gotten your hands on Keglands new Duotight Flow Control? If yes - is there a video coming on them? Cheers

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hi, yes I have. I will do a video once ive used it a little more.

[@paskrell]

Thanks a lot! I wonder how fast my g30 heats. Apart from the center pipe brew day speed is the other reason I might switch…

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers 🍻 Its an easy test to set up. I did test it some years back and published the results in one of the comparison videos. It could be the Grainfather vs Brewzilla video here but I cannot remember :- kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXTJhaZjn5qch7c

[@paskrell]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew my in-laws are here. I need to behave ✌️ From your view and having worked with both systems: if a G30 brew day is 4h how fast would the G40 be??

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

This difference is not going to be massive but you could save 30 minutes overall I guess.

[@paskrell]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew that is massive. It could be the difference in deciding to squeeze in a brew day after work!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Sure 🍻🍻🍻

[@espen000]

I am considering the B80 Pro as i have the space to have a fixed setup and i really like the modular approach and premium components to the product. I have heard a few times that the learning curve for home brewers with B80Pro is steeper than with Grainfather and Brewtools. Could you be more spesific here so i can get an understanding of what to expect? Is the software autmation and simplicity (in case what is not automated), is it the valve setup and how to use (i like the idea of not having a fixed setup and not disconnecting too much during brewing)? anything else i am missing?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hey Espen, Brewtools create awesome products and if they fit your profile then you will be very happy. Brewtools use is very different to other systems on account of the valves and handle system. It takes time to understand but this will vary wildly from person to person. I am used to such systems from commercial brewing so my learning curve was quite short, if you have a valve background that will help too.

[@thomasschleis2545]

If you just connected the 2 ports on the left together, you are similar to the other systems in terms of learning curve and I suggest starting there. Even in that setup you have a little more functionality than the other systems as you can whirlpool. Then you can add a counterflow and other accessories for more automation if you like. I had the complete setup initially, but now don't use the counterflow but instead a Jaded immersion chiller I had customized. They are really fast.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, probably not a bad way to get started.

[@Raxy198]

Did you compare the systems for heating from 65 to boil? I have a BZ 35l 3.1 & find it takes ages to come to the boil after sparging.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

No but the heating tests done show speed in general. The GEN 4 systems are certainly a fair bit faster than GEN 3. Get the 65L for the fastest heating of course, of either generation.

[@gingernate]

Any time data for the brewzilla gen 4 35L us 110v version?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Sorry no. I am based in Europe. 230v here

[@gingernate]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew ok thank you!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers 🍻🍻🍻

[@AndrewSmithThomas]

A fifty percent price increase for the BZ Gen4 65 over the 35 is considerable. I guess I'll have to carefully consider what batch sizes I want to be able to do and consider whether that jump is worth it.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Certainly it is a consideration, though the 65 is having much more heating power and can brew as low as 5L.

[@AndrewSmithThomas]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew yes, that 5l minimum batch size is a key feature for me and if nothing else that rules out the other systems for me. But your video was very useful in showing that the Gen4 35 isn't _that_ much slower at heating than the 65, so whilst a nice added benefit, it's useful to have data to consider whether the faster heating is worth the price.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

For sure the 35 is fast enough at heating too. You can expand both these systems also should higher volumes be of more interest at some point.

[@marktrahan4262]

Which would you recommend the Brewzilla Gen4 35l or the Grainfather S50?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I would suggest the Brewzilla GEN 4 35L over the Grainfather S40 based on the price to features offered. The S40 is quite basic compared. The BZ GEN 4 models are much more advanced and have a much more effecient and modern heating system.

[@marktrahan4262]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thank you for the response and recommendation.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

🍻🍻🍻

[@GH-lq9fg]

That's intriguing, how can I run my B40Pro on 320V ? Is that a Norway specific model ?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

In Norway its 230v 🍻

[@GH-lq9fg]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew 😳ah, I misheard that. Thank you David. Great video as always.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers 🍻🍻🍻

[@sheitane]

Does anyone know a EU reseller that deliver to France? I've tried contacting my usual shops but they're not planning on getting any or at least not in the next few months.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

BZ Gen 4 is available in limited numbers right now so only stores that ordered it quickly will have them at first. As for France, It is not a market that I have a connection too, so I cannot advise sadly.

[@sheitane]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thanks David. Appreciate the reply

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hopefully you find some, it is a little early right now.