Grainfather!!

[nepatsfan1]

So I fixed my top plate for 1.50. Stainless nut and bolt.

 

[hedgie57]

Keep an eye on Northern Brewer. They frequently have 20% discounts with free shipping.

Got mine from AIH, they matched northerns price when it was 20% off awhile back.If you call, most of the vendors will price match

 

[Jag75]

So I fixed my top plate for 1.50. Stainless nut and bolt.

Good deal , should be fine

 

[2LiveBrewCrew]

I just noticed that Wal-Mart sells Grainfather on their web site.. Also the hot water heater.

 

[nepatsfan1]

Well it is currently 6:13am. My first Grainfather brewery has started. Doing my Northern English Brown aka Touchdown Brown. I just noticed that the spare readings on the app on two different devices is different. I think I saw a post about 50 pages ago with someone saying it is not syncing the same numbers across multiple devices. I just went by what the recipe calculated when I imported it.

 

[skleice]

My pump has failed. It was struggling on the last brew. Making noise but flowing well. Would not pump for cleaning cycle. I've done multiple pbw soaks, but it won't kick on. Seems like the center cylinder won't spin freely. Sounds like a car with a bad starter. Just can't kick on fully.

I've sent my email, we'll see what happens...

 

[gotbeer74]

This setup finally gives me some room to move around the Grainfather while chilling.

 

[singybrue]

Got mine from AIH, they matched northerns price when it was 20% off awhile back.If you call, most of the vendors will price match

It would also be worth checking with Bobby at Brewhardware.

 

[mwayne112]

My pump has failed. It was struggling on the last brew. Making noise but flowing well. Would not pump for cleaning cycle. I've done multiple pbw soaks, but it won't kick on. Seems like the center cylinder won't spin freely. Sounds like a car with a bad starter. Just can't kick on fully.

I've sent my email, we'll see what happens...

If grainfather gives you a no, I’ve got a spare pump off a warranty grainfather I’ll give you for postage.

 

[skleice]

If grainfather gives you a no, I’ve got a spare pump off a warranty grainfather I’ll give you for postage.

Thanks, that's very nice of you. It should be ok. I've got 1 year+ on my warranty. I don't anticipate any big headache, just bummed it died so soon. Makes me worried for the future.

 

[mwayne112]

Thanks, that's very nice of you. It should be ok. I've got 1 year+ on my warranty. I don't anticipate any big headache, just bummed it died so soon. Makes me worried for the future.

If it’s any consolation I think the pump is pretty rock solid. Think yours might have been a fluke .

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Thanks, that's very nice of you. It should be ok. I've got 1 year+ on my warranty. I don't anticipate any big headache, just bummed it died so soon. Makes me worried for the future.

Did you try taking it apart, you may just have a grain husk jamming the gear. I had a brew day when my pump ran like crap. I took it apart to find a rice hull or 2 in the impeller housing. After cleaning and reassembling it runs like a champ again.

 

[gotbeer74]

I try to take the pump apart every 5 brews. Some nasty stuff builds up in there no matter how long you run PBW.

 

[skleice]

Yeah, I take it apart every 3-4 brews. After the failure I took it apart, soaked it and assembled, then did it again after it did not fix it. Still no love.

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Yeah, I take it apart every 3-4 brews. After the failure I took it apart, soaked it and assembled, then did it again after it did not fix it. Still no love.

That sucks, sorry man. I have a spare too if you need it.

 

[jack13]

Everything seemed fine for my first use, which was to clean my GF. But cleaning up after my first brew day, the pump kept not pumping (it was making noise as if 'trying', though). It did this 3 times and all 3 the only thing that worked in getting it restarted was to unplug the whole unit and plug it back in again.

Anyone have this happen, or know anything about the cause or solution?

 

[jczippy]

I recently got an email about this product and was very interested in getting one. I am interested to hear what you think. I was considering the thrumometer as well

Got the wortometer hooked up and one brew down with it. Definitely a fan. No more having to spot check and adjust flow to keep my temp dialed in to the temp I want. Only feedback I have is that the wire to the thermometer isn’t very long. I already extended the hose to the chiller so that I could keep it on my counter, so the hose has to go back down near the controller for the thermometer section. Have to pay a little more attention with the longer hose and basically a weight in the middle of it too. Will find a way to hang it from one of the kid clamps for next time. Overall happy with it though.

 

[jczippy]

Everything seemed fine for my first use, which was to clean my GF. But cleaning up after my first brew day, the pump kept not pumping (it was making noise as if 'trying', though). It did this 3 times and all 3 the only thing that worked in getting it restarted was to unplug the whole unit and plug it back in again.

Anyone have this happen, or know anything about the cause or solution?

You already tried turning the pump off, giving it a few seconds and turning it back on? Occasionally I get an air bubble in the pump and need to do this to get it flowing again. Very easy to have happen while cleaning. Can’t tell, based on your post, if that is something you already tried before unplugging. If you did, then having it work after removing and adding power definitely seems strange.

 

[jlinz]

You already tried turning the pump off, giving it a few seconds and turning it back on? Occasionally I get an air bubble in the pump and need to do this to get it flowing again. Very easy to have happen while cleaning. Can’t tell, based on your post, if that is something you already tried before unplugging. If you did, then having it work after removing and adding power definitely seems strange.

You could also try bicycle pumping air back through it in case it is clogged.

 

[jack13]

You could also try bicycle pumping air back through it in case it is clogged.

You already tried turning the pump off, giving it a few seconds and turning it back on? Occasionally I get an air bubble in the pump and need to do this to get it flowing again. Very easy to have happen while cleaning. Can’t tell, based on your post, if that is something you already tried before unplugging. If you did, then having it work after removing and adding power definitely seems strange.

Yes, I had tried that. I also tried turning it on with the flow control closed for a few seconds, then opening the flow. Neither did anything.

Related question: I was a bit paranoid about leaving the pump going without any fluid actually going through it. Is that bad for this type of pump? Obviously the liquid isn't required as a cooling agent, but still...

 

[skleice]

Dry is no bueno. I think it actually says not to run it dry on the pump itself (but that's covered by the housing).

 

[jack13]

Dry is no bueno. I think it actually says not to run it dry on the pump itself (but that's covered by the housing).

Dang, but good to know for sure that's the case for future reference. Good thing I was paranoid about it, and obviously I only did that AFTER the problem started!

I'll see how it performs next time, then contact GF support if there's a problem. Annoying, but this is one of the main reasons I chose the GF over Robobrew. Based on reviews it seemed the GF has much better support for fixes and returns and such.

 

[jack13]

Got the wortometer hooked up and one brew down with it. Definitely a fan. No more having to spot check and adjust flow to keep my temp dialed in to the temp I want. Only feedback I have is that the wire to the thermometer isn’t very long. I already extended the hose to the chiller so that I could keep it on my counter, so the hose has to go back down near the controller for the thermometer section. Have to pay a little more attention with the longer hose and basically a weight in the middle of it too. Will find a way to hang it from one of the kid clamps for next time. Overall happy with it though.
View attachment 597432

I also find this to be a very useful doohicky. Actually, it seemed so convenient and was pretty inexpensive, so I ordered it along with the GF itself. I just snipped the existing hose and stuck it on and was in business for my first brew.

It was easy to play around with the water and wort flow rates and see the result right there on the screen. They should consider just making this thing part of the deal in future versions of the GF. Sure, they'll miss out on the $20, but I'd think the free (sort of) inclusion of this feature would help distinguish it from other options.

 

[nepatsfan1]

So I got an email from the manufactures of the Grainfather. After bitching and stomping my feet (which I never do) they are replacing the top plate under warranty.

On a side note my first brew was off by a half a gallon.... what is the actual boil off and bottom loss everyone is getting and what numbers are you using to calculate a 5 gal finished batch?

 

[WBB]

Does anyone that has the grainfather wish they bought the robobrew? I’m trying to decide if the difference is worth it. It’s not that I can’t afford the difference, but could use it to buy another fermenter or two. I like that the robobrew has handles, but I think the cf chiller on the grainfather would be more efficient. Winter is coming. And brewing inside would be so choice. I’m just having a hard time deciding, robobrew or grainfather.

I guess it’s like buying a car. And you’re trying to decide between a Hyundai and a Honda. They both do the same thing, but one is more expensive than the other.

 

[Jag75]

So I got an email from the manufactures of the Grainfather. After bitching and stomping my feet (which I never do) they are replacing the top plate under warranty.

On a side note my first brew was off by a half a gallon.... what is the actual boil off and bottom loss everyone is getting and what numbers are you using to calculate a 5 gal finished batch?

Use the grainfather equations. It was spot on. Glad they're replacing the top

 

[skleice]

On a side note my first brew was off by a half a gallon.... what is the actual boil off and bottom loss everyone is getting and what numbers are you using to calculate a 5 gal finished batch?

I use the following:
Boil off: .5 gal/hr
Dead space: .25 gal
Misc loss: .25

I find the GF sparge numbers to be short. My calcs...

Target Fermentor Volume
+ 1 boil off, dead space, misc
+ Grain/Hop absorbtion
= Total water
- GF calculator mash water
= Sparge water

I would definitely recommend doing a boil off test to get accurate numbers.

 

[halucin8]

Brewed my first batch with the GF this past week. I've been brewing since 2004, but this was my first brew in about 5 years.
During the mash, I had considered throttling the valve to prevent wort from going through the overflow, but I decided to just let it do its thing and overflow. My mash eff. was 75% and brewhouse eff. was 68%. Final volume was off by 0.1 gallons and OG was 1.065 instead of 1.066. Very happy with the system.
Glad to be back homebrewing again and happy that the GF makes the brew day shorter and easier than it used to be.

 

[halucin8]

Oops. I forgot one problem I had. I added a pound of dextrose with 10 minutes left in the boil. After the addition, I no longer had a boil and it took about 10 minutes to regain any sort of boil at all. Next time, I will just pause the timer until my boil comes back, I guess.

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Oops. I forgot one problem I had. I added a pound of dextrose with 10 minutes left in the boil. After the addition, I no longer had a boil and it took about 10 minutes to regain any sort of boil at all. Next time, I will just pause the timer until my boil comes back, I guess.

You could also pull out a bit of wort and warm it on your stove with the dextrose. then, add it back in.

 

[skleice]

My pump has failed. It was struggling on the last brew. Making noise but flowing well. Would not pump for cleaning cycle. I've done multiple pbw soaks, but it won't kick on. Seems like the center cylinder won't spin freely. Sounds like a car with a bad starter. Just can't kick on fully.

I've sent my email, we'll see what happens...

Just to follow up...

Had to send pics and description. My new pump will be here tomorrow. EZPZ.

 

[Frilock]

Oops. I forgot one problem I had. I added a pound of dextrose with 10 minutes left in the boil. After the addition, I no longer had a boil and it took about 10 minutes to regain any sort of boil at all. Next time, I will just pause the timer until my boil comes back, I guess.

You could also pull out a bit of wort and warm it on your stove with the dextrose. then, add it back in.

Same if you have to add any extract. Especially liquid extra. Dilute, preheat, then mix in. I did an extract brew with the GF a few months ago, went fine til I added the liquid extract. It fell right to the bottom, stuck, and tripped the cutoff. Ended up having to pump out most of the wort then dump some boiling water from the stove in to break it up before it would let me reset the button on the bottom.

 

[JD17]

Thanks for sharing. Still on the fence between this and brew boss. The 110v is what's holding me back due to the boil issues some have reported. But because it's 110v I would be able to brew right in the kitchen like you appear to be doing. Very convenient! I only do 5 gallon batches because I like variety so the larger size of the brew boss is not an advantage for me.

Any idea how high in gravity the Grainfather can go with a 5 gallon batch?

You can do up to a 20 lb grain bill, so you can calculate the gravity from that. I love my Grainfather.

 

[cheesebach]

Same if you have to add any extract. Especially liquid extra. Dilute, preheat, then mix in. I did an extract brew with the GF a few months ago, went fine til I added the liquid extract. It fell right to the bottom, stuck, and tripped the cutoff. Ended up having to pump out most of the wort then dump some boiling water from the stove in to break it up before it would let me reset the button on the bottom.

Why bother with diluting it? Any reason you couldn’t just cut the power for a minute while you add the extract and get it mixed in? Turning off the heat when adding extract is standard practice, so not sure why the grainfather (or electric in general) would change that.

 

[Jag75]

Does anyone that has the grainfather wish they bought the robobrew? I’m trying to decide if the difference is worth it. It’s not that I can’t afford the difference, but could use it to buy another fermenter or two. I like that the robobrew has handles, but I think the cf chiller on the grainfather would be more efficient. Winter is coming. And brewing inside would be so choice. I’m just having a hard time deciding, robobrew or grainfather.

I guess it’s like buying a car. And you’re trying to decide between a Hyundai and a Honda. They both do the same thing, but one is more expensive than the other.

I was in your shoes . Trying to decide . I went with the GF and couldnt be happier . I would have went RB but just to many issues people have with them for spending 500$

 

[jlinz]

I was in your shoes . Trying to decide . I went with the GF and couldnt be happier . I would have went RB but just to many issues people have with them for spending 500$

I’ve had both. The element failed in the RB, and I went to GF. Could have just beenna fluke with the RB, but I will say, it wasn’t as easy getting my money back as I would have liked. I hear GF customer service is a treat but haven’t had to use it yet.

The other thing is the GF chiller and connect alone make the price worth it in my opinion.

 

[thehaze]

I've brewed 55 batches with the Garinfather in almost 2 years and I have no regrets: the mash, the sparge, the boil, wort chilling, transfer, ease of use, etc. All make me believe I made a good choice. And the beers were not shabby either.

There was a question about batch size and boil off: I usually aim ( https://www.grainfather.com/brewing-calculators ) for 28 L batches / 7.4 gal. I do this as I want to end up with 6-6.4 gallons in the bottles. 6 gallons for moderately hopped beers and 6.4 gallons for Hefeweisens/low hopped beers. The boil off is around 2.5-3 L per hour.

 

[xandersaml]

Does anyone that has the grainfather wish they bought the robobrew? I’m trying to decide if the difference is worth it. It’s not that I can’t afford the difference, but could use it to buy another fermenter or two. I like that the robobrew has handles, but I think the cf chiller on the grainfather would be more efficient. Winter is coming. And brewing inside would be so choice. I’m just having a hard time deciding, robobrew or grainfather.

I guess it’s like buying a car. And you’re trying to decide between a Hyundai and a Honda. They both do the same thing, but one is more expensive than the other.

I have brewed on GF quite a bit with friend's machines. I went with Robobrew v 3 and could not be happier.

 

[Oh_Papi]

My grainfather connect suffered the infamous melted plug problem, 3 weeks before my 2 year warranty was up. Grainfather sent me an entire new unit, chiller and everything as a replacement. Good thing I kept my old controller, I now have two fully functioning GF's.

Great warranty, would like to see if Robobrew users get that.

Mine melted a couple days ago. It melted the heater plug inside the connect controller. I had to use a screwdriver to pry it out. I was able to finish 3 brews in 2 days but the plug is fried now.

 

[jlinz]

Mine melted a couple days ago. It melted the heater plug inside the connect controller. I had to use a screwdriver to pry it out. I was able to finish 3 brews in 2 days but the plug is fried now.

That sucks! Interested to see if they still just replace the unit. Fingers crossed.