Having issues with a stuck mash? One of the few shortcomings of the RoboBrew is its narrow, tall malt pipe that can cause the mash to compact and get stuck due to the weight of the grain and water.

The solution?

Add some rice hulls to your grain. Most homebrew shops sell this product. It adds no flavour to the finished beer, but spaces out the grain just enough that you won’t have any issues with recirculating the wort.

I’ve been brewing with one 450g packet of rice hulls — though I think could probably get away with half this — and the difference is night and day. It costs only a few bucks and you’ll boost efficiency and the clarity of your wort by recirculating either manually or continuously with a pump.