Great video David! Love that these 3 systems have finally been compared against each other. Also, the humor added was a nice treat and I actually laughed out loud at "the reality of your budget or what you think you can get away with if you are married." As usual, great work, love your videos!
Many thanks Allan, yes I just cannot help but add some humour into my videos! Have you seen this pure humour video of mine? :- th-cam.com/video/x5jmFc3ujPI/w-d-xo.html
Great to watch and very informative. I, too, reverted back to manual mode on the G30 a ways back. The Brewtools looks awesome but is way to expensive ($3000 total with tax) for a home brewing hobby IMO.
Excellent comparison. I have a very hands on system with a 40 L urn, two 50 L “igloo” mash tuns and two 50 L ss boil pots. Powered with up to four 2400 watt immersion heaters (four separate power outlets and two different circuits with two lots of safety cut off switches). I can boil up to two times 45 litres. Can mash more than 25 kg using both mash tuns when brewing a no sparge RIS for example. I feel I have far more flexibility than with an all in one system. However I am often asked to advise on what system to buy and this video has been most useful. In Australia the Brewzilla 65 L is $650 AUD, the Brewtools B80 pro with recommended accessory starter pack is $4,458 AUD ( this includes the counterflow chiller). Nearly seven Brewzillas for one Brewtool!! There is also a Keg King Guten 70 L for $699 AUD. Hope this is some what informative rather than just rambling.
First, I would like to congratulate you on your channel. I have been following you for some years now, and I always learn something new from your videos. That being said, I felt sad watching this comparison. I own a G30, and I've been a fan of the brand. The community built around this equipment, especially on Facebook, has accelerated my learning curve pretty fast, and for me, that is the most significant advantage of owning a GF. With other users' help, things that bothered me, like a clogged filter and adjusting the bottom plate with the silicon ring, faded over time because I followed many tips. The phone app seems to be working well after the last update (I still can point some areas that need improvement), and I have been using it much more than before. Yet, as a marketing strategy, Grainfather has to position itself better. It was considered to be near the top-end of the spectrum of automated single-vessel equipment, only loosing (slightly) to Braumeister (but still having the best cost/benefit, IMO). However, taking the G70 as an example, it seems that the product is in an odd "in-between" space due to the appearance of low-end (BrewZzlla) and high-end competitors (Brewtools). The equipment still does not offer the best price (to be fair, the company never used the cost leader strategy). But the quality gap between the G70 and Brewtools seems to be even further from the Braumeister, making the perceived cost/benefit of this investment largely inferior. But there is still a future for the company if they bring their software to another level by providing a smooth experience and integration in the app, browser, and controller. As far as I know, no other company has this technology, which provides users with: higher levels of automation, the possibility of retiring other calculators (BeerSmith/Brewfather, etc.), access to a vast list of beer recipes, and an increased sense of community. I would suggest that the GF management team promote the app towards non-GF owners, making it the ultimate brew calculator. Over time, it can also increase the sales of the equipment (G30 and G70) once users perceive the advantage of owning a GF system (high integration, automation, unlimited cloud space for recipes, etc.).
Many thanks, your message is much appreciated. Yes, GF is certainly in a different position in recent times and like you this is disappointing for me. The G70 was clearly rushed out too fast, just like the app before it. Bad decisions like these are a great shame to see and I hope GF can improve their thinking in the future. What makes this far worse is other market players have been improving and innovating around them. Lets hope that they go back on path moving forward.
I missed the Speidel Braumeister 50 or 50 plus in this comparison and on your channal. You tested the 10l verison 4 years ago, but for that it was the first "maltpipe" system ever invented and has all the smart features like bluetooth, wifi and app connectivity, I wish you would test this device as well as you did with all the orthers.
Good video David and a very non bias review. I have a B80pro and went for it because of the expandability. After using it for 4 months now, you can see where the cost is, which is in the build quality and user friendly.
Great comparison video David. I think it was spot on! Brewtools is by far the superior system, but as you said it is more expensive. I will be buying the B80, not the G70. Its a real shame as my first brew system was a grainfather.
Same here Jennifer, i started my brewing journey on the G30, have got a Brewtools B40pro now, it is more expensive but when you get your new baby you can certainly see where the money goes in comparison to the GF, the difference is startling, i'd brew 3 times a week if i could get away with it...
I will break it down in short for you :) Both systems have 100% replaceable parts. BM is an older design at heart with a much more basic controller. BT is a little higher in build quality. Design wise BT scores much better than the BM in various areas, one of the key benefits being how the cleaning works. The BT heating elements are offering more power and you have the option to set the amps. The BT is much more feature rich, it is customisable in terms of its pipework and has a valve system. The BM is much more basic in many areas including its controller which is LCD vs the touch screen panel with lots of added functions. The BM has lost much of its market share to cheaper systems but when the BT came along this increased. Really for BM to compete I feel they need a large redesign.
I don't mind the Grainfather app that much anymore. The GUI is a bit quirky in places but it does work except if you move out of range of bluetooth, then it will have problems reconnecting to the controller. In that case however the controller will just go on as normal anyway so there is not much lost. I don't create recipes with the app as I use Brewfather and then move it to GF on the website, maybe that part of the app is bad?
Hi Thanks for this, could not come in a better time for me. Looking to upgrade my Grainfather 30 to something bigger. Got my eyes on the Brewzilla for sometime now and this made me take the final decision.
Hi David, another informative video, great work. I've been ising the brewzilla 60 for a while and into my 20th+ brew with it, and so far very happy with it. I would say that the 60l capacity is to the brim, and that a safe working size would be 55l maximum pre-boil. I've found the mashing temperature needs a little nursing to maintain the right temperature, but no massive under/over shooting. Lately I've been using the extra capacity to brew 20l batches using the full volume method, no sparging, and the system works very well for that. Would you consider doing a full volume brew day video in the future? Cheers David!
Thanks David, great comparison. I have 2 grainfather 30l's, that I like to use simultaneously to save time during brew days. With the new update to the app, this has been made impossible because it's impossible to switch between kettles without deleting the recipe from the first kettle. This is a cause of great frustration to me. I might consider the BrewTools as a next kettle now!
Thanks Yorick. Yes that must be annoying. There is a solution though that I am yet to try but if you already have a Raspberry PI with Bluetooth then check this out:- www.norgesvej12a.dk/husbryg/gf-connect-v0-9-released/?fbclid=IwAR2J40Kx7Ge1cQr2Y9iuDFaqxZVZmTfYJ2NfOUjZjVhEsML_cIN5EajzLHM
Grainfather should just open up their communication protocol to let people write third party apps for it. Keeping it closed gives them no advantage, they have to pay people to maintain it but they don't get any income from it. Thanks for the link though, David! I'm glad to see someone has managed to reverse engineer it anyway. Loading recipes directly from Brewfather and keeping brew sessions there sounds excellent! Time to buy a Raspberry Pi I think!
There are larger fermenters out there. Trouble is the weight is going to be pretty high if you need to move them around. My solution would be to use more than one smaller fermenter, you also then are able to brew one wort and have various different styles. I have a video on the channel about this.
Love your content David. You commented on clean up. Have you or would you consider doing a video showing how you clean up an all in one system? I have a 35L brewzilla, and still feel I’m making the clean up more time consuming then it should be. I’ve only been brewing for a year and it’s gotten better but additional time saving tips would definitely be useful. Thanks again for your videos. Carl
Many thanks Carl. I have a guide for cleaning the GF. Much of this will transfer to other brewing systems also:- th-cam.com/video/PJT9XiSezZE/w-d-xo.html
I use the BZ35 and find it adequate. It makes good beer and plumped for this over the Grainfather then...Agree with what you say and Grainfather do seem to incorporate some learning from feedback and other systems but usually way after others have already be using it for a year or so. Would like to step up the batch size and would love the B80 but I doubt the funds would stretch. The Grainfather looks like its trying to catch the middle ground but seems to fail on all fronts and from what i've seen I couldn't justify the cost difference from the BZ again. (I actually like immersion chillers by the way). Can't seem to get the BZ65 in the UK anymore though.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Johnny has sold out and 15Amp systems seem to have died out in the uk. I know the the BZ65 is twice the size but don't understand why its twice the price...so many components the same and a bit more stainless with an extra heater. love the vids, keep them comming
Well it has a much more powerful pump and heating system and more stainless steel, which is also thicker. Good value I would say compared to the rest of the market. They are very popular and since Covid times more in demand than ever.
Hey David, Ive been extract brewing for last 7 years using a WilliamsWarn Brewmaster and looking to get into all grain for the first time. I like the look of the Brewtools and was wondering if in your opinion would this be to complicated for me to use with my lack of experience in all grain?
Hi Mitch. I don't think it's relative to brewing experience really. More the use of valves and learning how it all comes together. It's a learning curve relative to the system itself. It's not rocket science. I would recommend experimenting with just water first and understanding it fully before using it. Some will learn this faster than others.
Very good video David I'm not saying that just because we are of a similar opinion. I really enjoyed all of your comparisons. I think they were quite insightful. I especially enjoyed the final value comparison. I've never brewed on a g70 is it bad that now I kind of want to just to see ?
Many thanks Bradley, much appreciated :) Yes, I simply write these scripts as to what I would want to see myself. They have made some improvements on the firmware, it now actually boils for example but its still not market ready even all these months later. Pity really because with some better design & quality overall it could have been a great middle market option. Still, you already have a Brewtools :)
Hi David I see the Brewzilla 65L is the only one out of the 3 that has accessories to turn it into a still, do know how well the Brewzilla 65L works as a still as I would like to start making grain whiskey wash and whiskey as the Brewzilla can do both.
Hey David, Do you recommend this vessel for making bulk very strong beer? I figure if I can use huge amounts of grain then boil it down a lot I will get a much stronger beer.
brew tools b40 has 2 elements i live in a domestic council house does that mean i have to plug each element into a separate room i live in scotland uk what for instance is the length of each cable and can i plug one element in the kitchen and plug the other in say the bedroom on an extension cable i have 240v domestic plugs on all house electric ie kettle eat
Typically a dual socket is rated at 20 amps (not 26 as you'd think). I'm considering the B80 and I would use it in my garage and would run two separate radial circuits for two 13A sockets to the fuse box. But I'd still limit the amps to 10 on each plug to be safe.
I've seen you mention that a failed heating element means it's 'game over' for most brewing systems in a few videos. Is there really no way to swap out the elements in the Brewzilla/Grainfather? Is this because of how its constructed or because they simply don't sell replacement parts? If it is the contruction, how exactly is the design preventing a repair/part swap? Thanks!
Great video! Now I have a klarstein brauheld 35L and I don't like it much, it has to much parts to clean, weak pump (not detachable), no drain bottom, its a pain to use (and clean) with the counter flow chiller... I think that I will go for the b40 in the near future.
Excellent comparable review David, well laid out with all the pro's and con's evident, very pleased i could see the writing on the wall late last year, like you i had become fed up with all the niggles of my GF G30 and seeming ambivalence of the GF owners/management to remedy the many issues, thats in the past for me as i bought a Brewtools B40pro just before xmas last year, great system and after the first brewday [big learning curve] its been pretty plain sailing, love brewdays as if you follow the steps correctly issues are minimal to non existent tbh...stay safe bud...
Thanks, as always, for an informative and fair comparison. I have for some time been thinking about buying a new brewery system and the idea has been G30. But because of all the discussions concerning problems I have been waiting. However, I feel that you mostly refer to real problems with the G70 and not the G30. Would you say you experience the same problem with the app when using the G30? Think mainly of problems with the temperature that suddenly drops, etc.
Yes, I have problems with the GF app in general sadly. However now Brewfather supports all the Bluetooth side this is a gamechanger. Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Thanks for yet another fantastic video and David, love your work! I’ve been eye off the G30 connect for a few years now but seems the Brewzilla 35 is nearly just as good for half the price! If you we’re buying new now would love to know which route you would take.
Great that you enjoyed it :) Personally I would go for the BZ35, better value and it brews the same wort :) Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
I am going to move to grain brewing and want some good advice on which system you would say is the best in terms of value for money on the current market TIA
Hi Nick. Sure I can certainly assist with this. Some questions first, which country do you live in? What volume range are you looking to brew and what is your budget? Finally, Is there anything features wise that you are especially looking for?
I would suggest a 35L Brewzilla. You could upgrade the chiller to something aftermarket and still have some spare cash. I know of two stores in England that sell these. Both are out of stock but it looks like that will change next month. Here are a couple of links:- www.angelhomebrew.co.uk/robobrew-brewzilla-microbrewery/402-robobrew-brewzilla-35l-all-in-one-microbrewery-system.html And brewkegtap.co.uk/collections/best-sellers/products/brewzilla-robobrew-35l-gen3-1-1-bundle?variant=32402092326993 I hope this helps :)
Top notch content as always! I've been researching replacing my GF-G30 with the Brewtools 80 for a little while, this may put it over the top. Side note: my wife is not to fond of you anymore lol
As of this video I no longer have a G70 to test as it went back to the supplier. I had it months longer than planned awaiting an update fix.Ive not heard of any fix personally.
Great comparison video! I'm thinking BrewTools will be my next system eventually. I'm mostly happy with my G30, minus a few quirks, but it is sad to see the path Grainfather is on ever since they were bought by BSG.
Hi David. Thanks for the video (excellent as usual). Since the first time I saw this video last year, I have decided to go to the Brewzilla for my next equipment, because of the range between 20 and 60 litres batches (and price of course). Finally this time has come and I received last week my one. Now I wondering how do we get to do 60 litres batch in this equipment, do you have any tip? Maybe a Brewfather profile to share? Thank you in advance. ;)
Thanks Marcelo. The system is 60L in total so you need to have some space for the Brew. I have managed 55L but that is really pushing things. 50L is the easy amount to go for though I tend to go more for enough to fill 2 kegs.
David, I am currently brewing on a Brewtools B40Pro. It is a great system and has been great to learn on as you can brew many batches and do not accumulate a lot of beer. I am now looking to increase scale and upgrade to a one barrel system that may ultimately become a pilot system. I am at a cross roads of simply going to the B150Pro -OR- move to a three vessel system like the SS BrewTech or Spike system. From a technical brewing view, what do I gain or loose by staying with the single pot system like the B150 vs a three vessel system? There is quite a price difference so trying to decide what the value proposition is. Thx Kurt
Hi Kurt. I have brewed a lot with 3 vessels in the past and the results from a single system are very comparable. If you compare similar volume out put systems then for me the advantage of 3v is that there is no lifting, not that this is a big deal. With 1v you save money on equipment cost, have less cleaning (big for me!) and save space. I would never go back to 3v personally. To my mind the BT150 is a real bargain compared to the 3v offerings.
Well done speaking up about how bad the GF App is now, they have killed the best bit of GF brewing. Took a rest for a year and brewed recently and it's totally unusable on the same phone where I never had a problem a year ago. Had to go manual as the ap broke half way. Wake up GF!! I see no reason to buy your products at the moment.
Not that I anything against BrewTools, quite the opposite...if I had the cash..., but you also neglected to mention that the "Recommended Accessory pack", which includes the counterflow chiller, and therefore is almost mandatory, is another $1000 (AUD) on top of the base cost for the brew tools itself. I'm with you on Grainfather though the app for G30 has ruined the experience and just does not seem to be improving and it seemed that the G70 has inherited that problem. Good comparison video.
Many thanks :) But yes that price includes the extras also. Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
The B40 looks very complicated to use with 3 3-way valves and a center valve. If the B40 control panel should stopped working after warranty time, its gonna set you back almost €1000 euro. Thats scary. The price on the B40 with chiller package and 3rd 3way valve is €2500 euro. Extended controle cables for B40 another €200. I really hoped that Grainfather came up with a upgraded G30 in 40 Liters size. But they didn't. A G70 at €1700 full with errors and fails. So that leaves us to Brewzilla and the outdated G30. Under the pricerange €750. Too bad that Brewtools has a very expensive tft screen. If that B40 system had a Grainfather G30 control panel it would cost atleast €800 less. That would be a game changer. Oh well , we just have to wait another year. Im not willing to spend €2500 on a B40 with a sensitive tft screen. My phones, car Navigation, and Tablet screens dont live long either. Hot moist temps and a tft liquid crystals dont go very well together with my experience.
Some interesting thoughts. The Brewtools is not going to be for everyone. The valves are part of the learning curve of this system for sure. Most people take to this with some testing, it just takes longer than more basic designs. Like anything expensive, replacement parts out of warranty are going to be at a premium price also. I understand that the design does well protect the screen, so that should also be considered. The Brewzilla certainly is much more basic but at a far reduced price point and there is less worry if things go wrong for sure. The G70 still has ways to go for sure but we have to hope that this will come. Some are already having good experiences though, so hopefully it can be figured out more widely in time.
Well.. The GF30 is still one of, if not the best 30 liter system out there. The same thing can also be said about their conical fermenter. It's just that the G70 is a complete flop, as none of the real improvements we expected was in place. Almost all of the flaws with the G70 could and should be found trough the beta testing. It looks like they rushed it onto the market.
Useful video. It brings me closer to Brewtools, although I'm extremely horrified by the complexity of the system. From many tutorials I failed to fully understand how the 3-valve system works and how many are needed. I'm still studying ... 🙂🍺 But thank you anyways. 🍻
I just bought the B40. Actually for me it was between the Braumeister and Brewtools. I used 1.5 clover stuff which is cheaper than the BT 34mm. The B40 is way more versatile than the Brau, allowing various batch sizes, whirlpool, hookup to counterflow/plate chillers, etc. Really, figuring out the valves seemed daunting to me at first, but quickly made sense. How they got everything so right on this machine is amazing to me. Only thing I'm not crazy about is the mash screen, but their new laser cut one coming out is killer. Just check out their Facebook page. People are crazy about their stuff for a good reason. It's like having your own micro-microbrewery.
Great comparison David! Really disappointing about the G70 but I guess they don’t really care! I like the Brewtools and wish them well! As for the Brewzilla - well they are a good cheap product! Anyway like I said - great video mate!
I have a 65L Digiboil and false bottom and a huge BBIAB and I just stir it like they did ages ago, adds to the fun doing it properly not with Apps and robots ,most of the time easier is not better ,it just puts the whole responsibility of the beer working out a whole lot of variables that an App tries its best at solving, I like a lot of brewer's have some hightech brew gear but it's really not needed, after all the best beers in the world never had WiFi Bluetooth and phone Apps Computer controlled connectivity Cloud based mashing and control ,There's a lot of Shit beers 🍻 these days because of laziness in brewing, 15 odd years ago you would go to say liquorland you might find 10 different beers now there's like 💯 s Dan Murphy's especially Shoe 👞 Beer I call it ,99% of it you wouldn't give it to your worst enemy it tastes that bad ....Faaark and when did mud Beer's become a thing Hazy IPA and what not ,isn't a good Beer a clear Beer not a Mudy one jezzzzus .
@DavidHeathHomebrew .I watch your channel a far bit an it's really good. Just like . Home Brew Network.... his channel is imphormative as .any Beer 🍺 Brewer on TH-cam. There's some good beer out there...Simple Home Brewing.. 👍.. ..my new Fermentor looks like a God damn satellite. Got pill 💊 beacon LCD Presure Relief Srreen ...Hop Bong ...Dip Tube Transfer. Co2..3 PRv.s linked to a RAPT Temperature Controller..Phone link .P.C link ... when your Pill 💊 beacons for the first time you see it you'll spin out,..it's like an Allen Probe trying to make your Beer Better ...But Does it all work... 🥱
Do you have a chip on your shoulder for the perceived issues with the Grandfather? To spend approx 5 minutes reiterating these issues and throughout the video does make this feel you have a grudge and to me skews the testing. This is not a comparison more of a dig against one system
Thing is, he's not the only one blasting the g70. Had he been the only one in a sea of positive reviews, i would take it with a grain of salt. But he's not.
There are issues and David is honnest about them. No BS or what so ever... And yeah GF might want to take some actions making their stuff better... they have lost me as customer.
Thanks for your honest remark here Nic. When writing the script for a video I cannot assume that all viewers would have seen my previous videos or the other videos/sources out there that inform about the issues. This is not a grudge, it is simply honest reporting. With all 3 of these systems I went through the various aspects and they all have pros and cons of course that need to be mentioned.
I agree that GF has many issues, i am not disagreeing at all. I use one myself so very familiar some of them, however it is the over emphasis of this one products issues and then the repeating of it in the same section and again later in the video that suggests it has become personal and distracts from the impartiality too much for l my liking
I also found the review unbalanced. More time seems to have been spent criticising the GF software, which as you mentioned can be fixed. For me the main problem would be siting the units, if 2 have to stand on something to enable the screen to be used sensibly how do you get the grain basket out without a pulley system and 15 foot ceilings or standing on steps?
Great video David! Love that these 3 systems have finally been compared against each other. Also, the humor added was a nice treat and I actually laughed out loud at "the reality of your budget or what you think you can get away with if you are married." As usual, great work, love your videos!
Many thanks Allan, yes I just cannot help but add some humour into my videos! Have you seen this pure humour video of mine? :- th-cam.com/video/x5jmFc3ujPI/w-d-xo.html
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Yes, I did see that one and loved it too! You do great work David and I always look forward to your next video.
Great to watch and very informative. I, too, reverted back to manual mode on the G30 a ways back. The Brewtools looks awesome but is way to expensive ($3000 total with tax) for a home brewing hobby IMO.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent comparison. I have a very hands on system with a 40 L urn, two 50 L “igloo” mash tuns and two 50 L ss boil pots. Powered with up to four 2400 watt immersion heaters (four separate power outlets and two different circuits with two lots of safety cut off switches). I can boil up to two times 45 litres. Can mash more than 25 kg using both mash tuns when brewing a no sparge RIS for example. I feel I have far more flexibility than with an all in one system. However I am often asked to advise on what system to buy and this video has been most useful. In Australia the Brewzilla 65 L is $650 AUD, the Brewtools B80 pro with recommended accessory starter pack is $4,458 AUD ( this includes the counterflow chiller). Nearly seven Brewzillas for one Brewtool!! There is also a Keg King Guten 70 L for $699 AUD. Hope this is some what informative rather than just rambling.
Great that you enjoyed it :) Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Like the video and can't wait for the first brewing video with the G70v2. Have brewed 6 brews myself on my G70v2
Thank you 🍻🍻🍻
First, I would like to congratulate you on your channel. I have been following you for some years now, and I always learn something new from your videos. That being said, I felt sad watching this comparison. I own a G30, and I've been a fan of the brand. The community built around this equipment, especially on Facebook, has accelerated my learning curve pretty fast, and for me, that is the most significant advantage of owning a GF. With other users' help, things that bothered me, like a clogged filter and adjusting the bottom plate with the silicon ring, faded over time because I followed many tips. The phone app seems to be working well after the last update (I still can point some areas that need improvement), and I have been using it much more than before. Yet, as a marketing strategy, Grainfather has to position itself better. It was considered to be near the top-end of the spectrum of automated single-vessel equipment, only loosing (slightly) to Braumeister (but still having the best cost/benefit, IMO). However, taking the G70 as an example, it seems that the product is in an odd "in-between" space due to the appearance of low-end (BrewZzlla) and high-end competitors (Brewtools). The equipment still does not offer the best price (to be fair, the company never used the cost leader strategy). But the quality gap between the G70 and Brewtools seems to be even further from the Braumeister, making the perceived cost/benefit of this investment largely inferior. But there is still a future for the company if they bring their software to another level by providing a smooth experience and integration in the app, browser, and controller. As far as I know, no other company has this technology, which provides users with: higher levels of automation, the possibility of retiring other calculators (BeerSmith/Brewfather, etc.), access to a vast list of beer recipes, and an increased sense of community. I would suggest that the GF management team promote the app towards non-GF owners, making it the ultimate brew calculator. Over time, it can also increase the sales of the equipment (G30 and G70) once users perceive the advantage of owning a GF system (high integration, automation, unlimited cloud space for recipes, etc.).
Many thanks, your message is much appreciated. Yes, GF is certainly in a different position in recent times and like you this is disappointing for me. The G70 was clearly rushed out too fast, just like the app before it. Bad decisions like these are a great shame to see and I hope GF can improve their thinking in the future. What makes this far worse is other market players have been improving and innovating around them. Lets hope that they go back on path moving forward.
As far as my wife is concerned, The brewtools machine is only £550, shhhh.
Hahah, sounds like a fair strategy :P
I missed the Speidel Braumeister 50 or 50 plus in this comparison and on your channal. You tested the 10l verison 4 years ago, but for that it was the first "maltpipe" system ever invented and has all the smart features like bluetooth, wifi and app connectivity, I wish you would test this device as well as you did with all the orthers.
Yes, the trouble is these have lost ground pretty hard in recent years and my only route to getting one would be to actually buy one.
Good video David and a very non bias review.
I have a B80pro and went for it because of the expandability.
After using it for 4 months now, you can see where the cost is, which is in the build quality and user friendly.
Many thanks Adam, much appreciated :) Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Great comparison video David. I think it was spot on! Brewtools is by far the superior system, but as you said it is more expensive. I will be buying the B80, not the G70. Its a real shame as my first brew system was a grainfather.
Many thanks Jennifer, I am glad that you liked it and that it helped you come to your own conclusion :)
Same here Jennifer, i started my brewing journey on the G30, have got a Brewtools B40pro now, it is more expensive but when you get your new baby you can certainly see where the money goes in comparison to the GF, the difference is startling, i'd brew 3 times a week if i could get away with it...
Hey David, Ever thought about doing a Brewtools vs Braumeister comparison? I would love to see what you think of the differences, excluding cost.
Jamy I did think about it. Trouble is it would be very one sided in the favour of Brewtools.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew What are the positives and negatives overall? Thanks
I will break it down in short for you :) Both systems have 100% replaceable parts. BM is an older design at heart with a much more basic controller. BT is a little higher in build quality. Design wise BT scores much better than the BM in various areas, one of the key benefits being how the cleaning works. The BT heating elements are offering more power and you have the option to set the amps. The BT is much more feature rich, it is customisable in terms of its pipework and has a valve system. The BM is much more basic in many areas including its controller which is LCD vs the touch screen panel with lots of added functions. The BM has lost much of its market share to cheaper systems but when the BT came along this increased. Really for BM to compete I feel they need a large redesign.
I don't mind the Grainfather app that much anymore. The GUI is a bit quirky in places but it does work except if you move out of range of bluetooth, then it will have problems reconnecting to the controller. In that case however the controller will just go on as normal anyway so there is not much lost.
I don't create recipes with the app as I use Brewfather and then move it to GF on the website, maybe that part of the app is bad?
Good to hear. Different people have different experiences with different parts of the app.
Hi Thanks for this, could not come in a better time for me. Looking to upgrade my Grainfather 30 to something bigger. Got my eyes on the Brewzilla for sometime now and this made me take the final decision.
Great to hear, thank you. Glad that this helped you.
Hi David, another informative video, great work. I've been ising the brewzilla 60 for a while and into my 20th+ brew with it, and so far very happy with it. I would say that the 60l capacity is to the brim, and that a safe working size would be 55l maximum pre-boil. I've found the mashing temperature needs a little nursing to maintain the right temperature, but no massive under/over shooting. Lately I've been using the extra capacity to brew 20l batches using the full volume method, no sparging, and the system works very well for that. Would you consider doing a full volume brew day video in the future? Cheers David!
Thanks Baz Great to hear. It is unusual for me to have the space to brew a larger batch but lets see what happens!
Fantastic comparison, confirmed my impressions, Brew tools would be amazing but Brewzilla > value than the GF70.
Many thanks Jason. Glad you found it useful.
Thanks David, great comparison. I have 2 grainfather 30l's, that I like to use simultaneously to save time during brew days. With the new update to the app, this has been made impossible because it's impossible to switch between kettles without deleting the recipe from the first kettle. This is a cause of great frustration to me. I might consider the BrewTools as a next kettle now!
Thanks Yorick. Yes that must be annoying. There is a solution though that I am yet to try but if you already have a Raspberry PI with Bluetooth then check this out:- www.norgesvej12a.dk/husbryg/gf-connect-v0-9-released/?fbclid=IwAR2J40Kx7Ge1cQr2Y9iuDFaqxZVZmTfYJ2NfOUjZjVhEsML_cIN5EajzLHM
Grainfather should just open up their communication protocol to let people write third party apps for it. Keeping it closed gives them no advantage, they have to pay people to maintain it but they don't get any income from it.
Thanks for the link though, David! I'm glad to see someone has managed to reverse engineer it anyway. Loading recipes directly from Brewfather and keeping brew sessions there sounds excellent! Time to buy a Raspberry Pi I think!
Tank you. I m wondering about what kind of fermenter use with those brewing system
There are larger fermenters out there. Trouble is the weight is going to be pretty high if you need to move them around. My solution would be to use more than one smaller fermenter, you also then are able to brew one wort and have various different styles. I have a video on the channel about this.
Been waiting for this one :) Thank you David!
Many thanks Gunnar, hope you find it useful :)
Great video David as always
Many thanks Henry :)
Love your content David. You commented on clean up. Have you or would you consider doing a video showing how you clean up an all in one system? I have a 35L brewzilla, and still feel I’m making the clean up more time consuming then it should be. I’ve only been brewing for a year and it’s gotten better but additional time saving tips would definitely be useful. Thanks again for your videos. Carl
Many thanks Carl. I have a guide for cleaning the GF. Much of this will transfer to other brewing systems also:- th-cam.com/video/PJT9XiSezZE/w-d-xo.html
Thank you David for this, will be most helpful to decide on my 'Hopcat equivalent' replacement, when thime comes.
Great, glad you found it helpful Mike.
I use the BZ35 and find it adequate. It makes good beer and plumped for this over the Grainfather then...Agree with what you say and Grainfather do seem to incorporate some learning from feedback and other systems but usually way after others have already be using it for a year or so. Would like to step up the batch size and would love the B80 but I doubt the funds would stretch. The Grainfather looks like its trying to catch the middle ground but seems to fail on all fronts and from what i've seen I couldn't justify the cost difference from the BZ again. (I actually like immersion chillers by the way). Can't seem to get the BZ65 in the UK anymore though.
Thanks Phil, yes a think not so big systems suit many, its pros and cons. Hmm I think Brewkegtap have the BZ65 dont they?
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Johnny has sold out and 15Amp systems seem to have died out in the uk. I know the the BZ65 is twice the size but don't understand why its twice the price...so many components the same and a bit more stainless with an extra heater. love the vids, keep them comming
Well it has a much more powerful pump and heating system and more stainless steel, which is also thicker. Good value I would say compared to the rest of the market. They are very popular and since Covid times more in demand than ever.
Hey David, Ive been extract brewing for last 7 years using a WilliamsWarn Brewmaster and looking to get into all grain for the first time. I like the look of the Brewtools and was wondering if in your opinion would this be to complicated for me to use with my lack of experience in all grain?
Hi Mitch. I don't think it's relative to brewing experience really. More the use of valves and learning how it all comes together. It's a learning curve relative to the system itself. It's not rocket science. I would recommend experimenting with just water first and understanding it fully before using it. Some will learn this faster than others.
Very good video David I'm not saying that just because we are of a similar opinion. I really enjoyed all of your comparisons. I think they were quite insightful. I especially enjoyed the final value comparison. I've never brewed on a g70 is it bad that now I kind of want to just to see ?
Many thanks Bradley, much appreciated :) Yes, I simply write these scripts as to what I would want to see myself. They have made some improvements on the firmware, it now actually boils for example but its still not market ready even all these months later. Pity really because with some better design & quality overall it could have been a great middle market option.
Still, you already have a Brewtools :)
Thanks so much for putting your time into this David.
Very helpful and informative.
Many thanks Ben, glad you found it useful.
Very informative, still doing BIAB but will be upgrading eventually. Thanks again.
Nothing wrong with BIAB but systems like these can make the brew easier.
Hi David I see the Brewzilla 65L is the only one out of the 3 that has accessories to turn it into a still, do know how well the Brewzilla 65L works as a still as I would like to start making grain whiskey wash and whiskey as the Brewzilla can do both.
Hi Andrew, yes this is very true. Sadly this is a side of the product that I am unable to test due to the legal side.
Hey David,
Do you recommend this vessel for making bulk very strong beer? I figure if I can use huge amounts of grain then boil it down a lot I will get a much stronger beer.
Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this! That should work yes.
Thanks David, another honest and clear review/comparison.
Many thanks Andrew, much appreciated.
brew tools b40 has 2 elements i live in a domestic council house does that mean i have to plug each element into a separate room i live in scotland uk what for instance is the length of each cable and can i plug one element in the kitchen and plug the other in say the bedroom on an extension cable i have 240v domestic plugs on all house electric ie kettle eat
Hi Norman the 40 has just one power plug :) It is the 80 that has 2.
Typically a dual socket is rated at 20 amps (not 26 as you'd think). I'm considering the B80 and I would use it in my garage and would run two separate radial circuits for two 13A sockets to the fuse box. But I'd still limit the amps to 10 on each plug to be safe.
Depends where you live :)
Love the honesty! Great job David.
Many thanks Curt :)
Insane, is it still not possible to replace elements on the other two?
Correct, in fact it is the case for all other brewing systems that I know of. However, element failure is very rate, it has to be said.
Brewzilla has also the temperature calibration feature. Google it.
Yes, I mentioned this I think? Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
I've seen you mention that a failed heating element means it's 'game over' for most brewing systems in a few videos. Is there really no way to swap out the elements in the Brewzilla/Grainfather? Is this because of how its constructed or because they simply don't sell replacement parts? If it is the contruction, how exactly is the design preventing a repair/part swap? Thanks!
Yes. This is due to how they are constructed to keep costs down. The elements are welded.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Seems a shame!
Yes, though the alternative is more cost.
The other system which has exposed elements is the Spiedel system. But that's Brewtools pricing and I have just switched over from the Braumeister.
Yes, very true.
Great video! Now I have a klarstein brauheld 35L and I don't like it much, it has to much parts to clean, weak pump (not detachable), no drain bottom, its a pain to use (and clean) with the counter flow chiller... I think that I will go for the b40 in the near future.
Thank you :) Yes, that is not a system that I would recommend to be honest.
Excellent comparable review David, well laid out with all the pro's and con's evident, very pleased i could see the writing on the wall late last year, like you i had become fed up with all the niggles of my GF G30 and seeming ambivalence of the GF owners/management to remedy the many issues, thats in the past for me as i bought a Brewtools B40pro just before xmas last year, great system and after the first brewday [big learning curve] its been pretty plain sailing, love brewdays as if you follow the steps correctly issues are minimal to non existent tbh...stay safe bud...
Many thanks Gary :) Yes, sadly GF have put a lot of people off with how the handled the app last year and into this year. Pretty big mistake for sure.
Thanks David for putting this together!
Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Thanks, as always, for an informative and fair comparison.
I have for some time been thinking about buying a new brewery system and the idea has been G30. But because of all the discussions concerning problems I have been waiting. However, I feel that you mostly refer to real problems with the G70 and not the G30. Would you say you experience the same problem with the app when using the G30? Think mainly of problems with the temperature that suddenly drops, etc.
Yes, I have problems with the GF app in general sadly. However now Brewfather supports all the Bluetooth side this is a gamechanger. Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Thanks for yet another fantastic video and David, love your work!
I’ve been eye off the G30 connect for a few years now but seems the Brewzilla 35 is nearly just as good for half the price! If you we’re buying new now would love to know which route you would take.
Great that you enjoyed it :) Personally I would go for the BZ35, better value and it brews the same wort :) Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Do you know if you can ferment in the Brewzilla?
You could, though it is not ideal really.
Thanks
David, have you already tested the new brewster beacon 70l (about 600$, with jauge, 18kg grains) ? for me it's a better system than robobrew 65l 3.1
I have not tried this one but I am hoping to soon.
I am going to move to grain brewing and want some good advice on which system you would say is the best in terms of value for money on the current market
TIA
Hi Nick. Sure I can certainly assist with this. Some questions first, which country do you live in? What volume range are you looking to brew and what is your budget? Finally, Is there anything features wise that you are especially looking for?
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I live in the uk and I have 19 litre corny kegs that I use . Price range £6/700 but not set in stone
I would suggest a 35L Brewzilla. You could upgrade the chiller to something aftermarket and still have some spare cash. I know of two stores in England that sell these. Both are out of stock but it looks like that will change next month. Here are a couple of links:- www.angelhomebrew.co.uk/robobrew-brewzilla-microbrewery/402-robobrew-brewzilla-35l-all-in-one-microbrewery-system.html
And brewkegtap.co.uk/collections/best-sellers/products/brewzilla-robobrew-35l-gen3-1-1-bundle?variant=32402092326993
I hope this helps :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew really appreciate your help I will look into this . Once again thanks
No problem, I am always happy to advise.
Fantastic comparison!
I will go for the BrewTools, no more GF for me.
Many thanks Ferry, I would think you will be happy with that choice.
🍻
It took me a while to realise that "GF" meant grainfather here
Hehe yes. Its not his girlfriend :)
Top notch content as always! I've been researching replacing my GF-G30 with the Brewtools 80 for a little while, this may put it over the top. Side note: my wife is not to fond of you anymore lol
Many thanks Steve. Haha :)
Excellent comparison, thank you
Thank you 🍻🍻😎
has g70 fixed there bug issues with temperature controller yet
As of this video I no longer have a G70 to test as it went back to the supplier. I had it months longer than planned awaiting an update fix.Ive not heard of any fix personally.
Great comparison video! I'm thinking BrewTools will be my next system eventually. I'm mostly happy with my G30, minus a few quirks, but it is sad to see the path Grainfather is on ever since they were bought by BSG.
Thanks Andrew. Yes, it really is a huge shame. I just hope they realise before it is way too late.
Hi David. Thanks for the video (excellent as usual). Since the first time I saw this video last year, I have decided to go to the Brewzilla for my next equipment, because of the range between 20 and 60 litres batches (and price of course). Finally this time has come and I received last week my one. Now I wondering how do we get to do 60 litres batch in this equipment, do you have any tip? Maybe a Brewfather profile to share? Thank you in advance. ;)
Thanks Marcelo. The system is 60L in total so you need to have some space for the Brew. I have managed 55L but that is really pushing things. 50L is the easy amount to go for though I tend to go more for enough to fill 2 kegs.
David, I am currently brewing on a Brewtools B40Pro. It is a great system and has been great to learn on as you can brew many batches and do not accumulate a lot of beer. I am now looking to increase scale and upgrade to a one barrel system that may ultimately become a pilot system. I am at a cross roads of simply going to the B150Pro -OR- move to a three vessel system like the SS BrewTech or Spike system. From a technical brewing view, what do I gain or loose by staying with the single pot system like the B150 vs a three vessel system? There is quite a price difference so trying to decide what the value proposition is. Thx Kurt
Hi Kurt. I have brewed a lot with 3 vessels in the past and the results from a single system are very comparable. If you compare similar volume out put systems then for me the advantage of 3v is that there is no lifting, not that this is a big deal. With 1v you save money on equipment cost, have less cleaning (big for me!) and save space. I would never go back to 3v personally. To my mind the BT150 is a real bargain compared to the 3v offerings.
Thank you David, very helpful comparison..top
Great to hear Marc :)
Well done speaking up about how bad the GF App is now, they have killed the best bit of GF brewing. Took a rest for a year and brewed recently and it's totally unusable on the same phone where I never had a problem a year ago. Had to go manual as the ap broke half way. Wake up GF!! I see no reason to buy your products at the moment.
Thanks David, yes someone had to do it :)
Thank you, very informative as usual.
Great to hear Tachi, hope it was not too long...this is my longest video yet but there was a lot to cover :)
David Heath Homebrew No, not too long, thorough is always better in such matters.
Not that I anything against BrewTools, quite the opposite...if I had the cash..., but you also neglected to mention that the "Recommended Accessory pack", which includes the counterflow chiller, and therefore is almost mandatory, is another $1000 (AUD) on top of the base cost for the brew tools itself. I'm with you on Grainfather though the app for G30 has ruined the experience and just does not seem to be improving and it seemed that the G70 has inherited that problem. Good comparison video.
@ 5min mark - clearly states that the price of the BT80 reflects the addition of the accessory pack.
Many thanks :) But yes that price includes the extras also. Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Pity the Brewtools 80 is more than double the price in OZ (G70) and as you said David none of them make better beers than the others.
Yes, agreed. Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
Great video, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
The B40 looks very complicated to use with 3 3-way valves and a center valve. If the B40 control panel should stopped working after warranty time, its gonna set you back almost €1000 euro. Thats scary. The price on the B40 with chiller package and 3rd 3way valve is €2500 euro. Extended controle cables for B40 another €200. I really hoped that Grainfather came up with a upgraded G30 in 40 Liters size. But they didn't. A G70 at €1700 full with errors and fails. So that leaves us to Brewzilla and the outdated G30. Under the pricerange €750. Too bad that Brewtools has a very expensive tft screen. If that B40 system had a Grainfather G30 control panel it would cost atleast €800 less. That would be a game changer. Oh well , we just have to wait another year. Im not willing to spend €2500 on a B40 with a sensitive tft screen. My phones, car Navigation, and Tablet screens dont live long either. Hot moist temps and a tft liquid crystals dont go very well together with my experience.
Some interesting thoughts. The Brewtools is not going to be for everyone. The valves are part of the learning curve of this system for sure. Most people take to this with some testing, it just takes longer than more basic designs. Like anything expensive, replacement parts out of warranty are going to be at a premium price also. I understand that the design does well protect the screen, so that should also be considered. The Brewzilla certainly is much more basic but at a far reduced price point and there is less worry if things go wrong for sure. The G70 still has ways to go for sure but we have to hope that this will come. Some are already having good experiences though, so hopefully it can be figured out more widely in time.
David....not expecting a Christmas card from Grainfather anytime soon???!!!!
Well.. The GF30 is still one of, if not the best 30 liter system out there. The same thing can also be said about their conical fermenter. It's just that the G70 is a complete flop, as none of the real improvements we expected was in place. Almost all of the flaws with the G70 could and should be found trough the beta testing. It looks like they rushed it onto the market.
I find it unlikely :) They cannot expect me to report anything but my findings though.
Yes, true enough Gunnar.
Useful video. It brings me closer to Brewtools, although I'm extremely horrified by the complexity of the system. From many tutorials I failed to fully understand how the 3-valve system works and how many are needed. I'm still studying ... 🙂🍺
But thank you anyways. 🍻
Thank you. Yes, its probably going to be something hard to explain well. Essentially though, I would say you can use just 2 but 3 is more useful.
I just bought the B40. Actually for me it was between the Braumeister and Brewtools. I used 1.5 clover stuff which is cheaper than the BT 34mm. The B40 is way more versatile than the Brau, allowing various batch sizes, whirlpool, hookup to counterflow/plate chillers, etc. Really, figuring out the valves seemed daunting to me at first, but quickly made sense. How they got everything so right on this machine is amazing to me. Only thing I'm not crazy about is the mash screen, but their new laser cut one coming out is killer. Just check out their Facebook page. People are crazy about their stuff for a good reason. It's like having your own micro-microbrewery.
Great comparison David! Really disappointing about the G70 but I guess they don’t really care! I like the Brewtools and wish them well! As for the Brewzilla - well they are a good cheap product! Anyway like I said - great video mate!
Many thanks Ken. Yes, agree 100% :) It is a pity that GF could not turn this around or better still released it working!
I do understand the frustrtion but to talk about GF problems for half of the video is not what I dowloaded the video for.
I dont think it was half the video but you are right about frustration 🍻🍻🍻
Shoot a video of you brewing beer in these systems instead of pulling clips of others brewing.
What makes you think this?? All footage is my own
I have a 65L Digiboil and false bottom and a huge BBIAB and I just stir it like they did ages ago, adds to the fun doing it properly not with Apps and robots ,most of the time easier is not better ,it just puts the whole responsibility of the beer working out a whole lot of variables that an App tries its best at solving, I like a lot of brewer's have some hightech brew gear but it's really not needed, after all the best beers in the world never had WiFi Bluetooth and phone Apps Computer controlled connectivity Cloud based mashing and control ,There's a lot of Shit beers 🍻 these days because of laziness in brewing, 15 odd years ago you would go to say liquorland you might find 10 different beers now there's like 💯 s Dan Murphy's especially Shoe 👞 Beer I call it ,99% of it you wouldn't give it to your worst enemy it tastes that bad ....Faaark and when did mud Beer's become a thing Hazy IPA and what not ,isn't a good Beer a clear Beer not a Mudy one jezzzzus .
Some good points, thanks for sharing 🍻🍻🍻
@DavidHeathHomebrew .I watch your channel a far bit an it's really good. Just like . Home Brew Network.... his channel is imphormative as .any Beer 🍺 Brewer on TH-cam. There's some good beer out there...Simple Home Brewing.. 👍.. ..my new Fermentor looks like a God damn satellite. Got pill 💊 beacon LCD Presure Relief Srreen ...Hop Bong ...Dip Tube Transfer. Co2..3 PRv.s linked to a RAPT Temperature Controller..Phone link .P.C link ... when your Pill 💊 beacons for the first time you see it you'll spin out,..it's like an Allen Probe trying to make your Beer Better ...But Does it all work... 🥱
Great to hear. Yes, I watch various channels myself and have some spaceship like setups 🍻🍻🍻
It looks like three GF fanboys have watched the video
Haha, more than likely :) Sorry for the late reply, YT has some errors with message reporting recently so I only just got to see this!
What system is the easiest to clean? I like the wife comment 😂
I would say the Brewtools. Not that any are hard as such.
Do you have a chip on your shoulder for the perceived issues with the Grandfather? To spend approx 5 minutes reiterating these issues and throughout the video does make this feel you have a grudge and to me skews the testing. This is not a comparison more of a dig against one system
Thing is, he's not the only one blasting the g70. Had he been the only one in a sea of positive reviews, i would take it with a grain of salt. But he's not.
There are issues and David is honnest about them.
No BS or what so ever...
And yeah GF might want to take some actions making their stuff better... they have lost me as customer.
Thanks for your honest remark here Nic. When writing the script for a video I cannot assume that all viewers would have seen my previous videos or the other videos/sources out there that inform about the issues. This is not a grudge, it is simply honest reporting. With all 3 of these systems I went through the various aspects and they all have pros and cons of course that need to be mentioned.
I agree that GF has many issues, i am not disagreeing at all. I use one myself so very familiar some of them, however it is the over emphasis of this one products issues and then the repeating of it in the same section and again later in the video that suggests it has become personal and distracts from the impartiality too much for l my liking
I also found the review unbalanced. More time seems to have been spent criticising the GF software, which as you mentioned can be fixed.
For me the main problem would be siting the units, if 2 have to stand on something to enable the screen to be used sensibly how do you get the grain basket out without a pulley system and 15 foot ceilings or standing on steps?