Grainfather water volumes

[seabrew8]

Heys HBTers! I figured i would open a new thread. The main GF thread is getting a bit long..

For the folks that are using the GF have you dialed in your water volumes? I watched a few vids now and of course they don't get a big boil off rate.

I also read a few people are using the GF mash calculations but not the sparge water cals.

It would be nice to get this one issue on one thread!

 

[Yambor44]

Mine boil off rate on my first and so far only brew was .5 gallon per hour.

 

[kellynm]

I used the calculators on the gf website and the gf app... my volumes came out correctly for the size of my batch. I boiled for 90 mins...

 

[Cutterman]

I also use the water and sparg calcs from GF and they are really close. First time I was off because I didn't realize their calcs were for 90 min boil and not 60, so I just reduce my sparge water by .6 gal and I'm spot on.

 

[seabrew8]

I also use the water and sparg calcs from GF and they are really close. First time I was off because I didn't realize their calcs were for 90 min boil and not 60, so I just reduce my sparge water by .6 gal and I'm spot on.

Nice i didn't know that!

I'm waiting on some grains now to do my first batch. I had everything wrote down using the GF cals but i was going to boil for 60min.

Edit: Was your target fermenter volume 6.1 gallons?

 

[Cutterman]

I always shoot for 5.5 gal fermenter. For sparg water calc I use 6.4-mash water + (grain bill in lb x 0.1)=

This gives me 5.5 in fermenter with 60 min boil.

 

[seabrew8]

I always shoot for 5.5 gal fermenter. For sparg water calc I use 6.4-mash water + (grain bill in lb x 0.1)=

This gives me 5.5 in fermenter with 60 min boil.

Thanks, this is why i started this thread!

When i finally get my kegs going again - need to refill tank - i want to make 5.5gal batches. Right now i'll just use the GF numbers.

 

[gotbeer74]

The GF app asks for boil time and adjusts the water needed during the session portion when you brew. Here is a screenshot from the app
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1452034149.982773.jpg

 

[seabrew8]

The GF app asks for boil time and adjusts the water needed during the session portion when you brew.

I guess i will have to downlaod it then, thanks. Thread closed. I take that back haha i just wanted the water volumes i'm not interested in all that mumbo jumbo.

 

[Yambor44]

I always shoot for 5.5 gal fermenter. For sparg water calc I use 6.4-mash water + (grain bill in lb x 0.1)=

This gives me 5.5 in fermenter with 60 min boil.

So if you grain bill was 15 pounds, you'd start with 7.9 gallons at the start of your boil??

With my boil of rate I'd have right at 7.5 gallons left after a 60 min boil.

 

[Cutterman]

So if you grain bill was 15 pounds, you'd start with 7.9 gallons at the start of your boil??

With my boil of rate I'd have right at 7.5 gallons left after a 60 min boil.

My mash water would be 6gal with 15 lb grain. This would give a sparge water calc of 1.9 gal. Final fermenter would be 5.5. You are not accounting for the water exorbed in your grain.

 

[Cutterman]

Absorbed....dang auto correct.

 

[Yambor44]

I was actually. I thought the 6 was the start then I was adding the 1.9 absorbed by 15 pounds (I actually used 0.125 as my absorption rate I see now - habit). I just misunderstood what you were saying.

So you'd start with 6 gallons of mash, lose 1.5 to absorption then add 1.9 to sparge for a total of 6.4 pre boil. Still - you're boiling off .9 gallon in an hour? Are you using the US version?

 

[Cutterman]

Using U.S. I also loose about .5 to equipment/trub. I get 5.5 into fermenter. Not 5.5 in boil kettle after boil.

 

[Yambor44]

Gotcha. Sorry, misunderstood again. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[TKH]

Cutterman and Yambor, thanks for the discussion. It helped me as well.