Grainfather!!

[DarkUncle]

I'm going to try to do just a simple water boil tonight to test the system but won't be able to do an actual brew until the weekend.

 

[scallopking]

thanks for sharing the pic, I haven't seen one with the coat on yet - looks better but does it function better. I sooo want to buy one too!! interested on your feedback as well.

 

[jdubdvdt]

I'll probably buy the jacket if you notice a major difference!

 

[bford]

And here we are.....[emoji481][emoji481][emoji481]View attachment 316797

That is a pretty sexy and compact brew rig. I needs one.

 

[normonster]

There are lots of variables that affect the time....volumes and temperatures to begin with. So take what I say with an allowance....."Your results may vary."

Saturday we demo'd this device at Learn to Homebrew day. We followed the GF water calculations (I have the Beersmith settings that a guy in England came up with but it's just as easy to use the GF guidelines) and heated 5.2 gallons of RO water that was 82F to begin with to 152F. We set it on BOIL and NORMAL and wandered off.....came back in 20 minutes and it was at 164F!!!! Yikes....no sweat, add some ice, turn it to MASH and pump out a bit of water to maintain the proper volume. Added 13.5 lbs of grain, mostly pilsen. Temp dropped a degree and then bounced back and forth between 151 and 152 for sixty minutes. Had 3.x (can't remember exactly) gallons of 168F sparge water in an elevated pot ready for sparge. Raised the GF basket, set the GF to BOIL/NORMAL, put the recirc arm in and turned on pump while dribbling sparge water on the upper plate. Left for 30 minutes (recommended sparge time by Grainfather) and came back to boiling wort!
A nice gentle roll...and if you put the lid on and turn on the pump during the boil you can get a boil over! (We were brewing very close to the road and I wanted to keep crap out so I put the lid on but ended up cocking it about 1/3 open to prevent a boil over.)

So that gives you some indication of time....

Another batch with the same recipe was done but the pump was not utilized during the sparge....we had not hit boil in 30 minutes but were at 198F. I popped in my heat stick and wham...within 5 minutes we were boiling and the heat stick came out and we lost boil for about a minute while the GF built back up.

I have brewed over 10 batches now since July....I am learning to trust it and getting a better sense of time needed to get to temp. I like it!!!

A cleanup tip....the Craftmeister Tablets do wonders on this thing. Add 2-3 gallons, heat to 135 and drop in a tablet and turn on the pump. Anything on the bottom gets removed without any scrubbing.

Visit your LHBS and buy one!

That sounds like a nightmare. Buy one? Maybe when they figure it out. [emoji16]

 

[DarkUncle]

Well, here's a boil with plain water at the 7 gallon mark which is probably more than I will actually be boiling with wort. It'll surely do especially considering the convenience factors. I look forward to a first brew.

View attachment Boil.MOV

 

[Jkane101]

Yup thats a boil for sure, and all you need!

 

[Knkbrand]

Yes sir, looks like a boil to me. How long did shipping take? I ordered mine on Monday, and this is definitely exercising my patience

 

[DarkUncle]

I'm quite happy. An all in one unit that boils like that on a 110v line is sweet. Both pump and heater actually working on a single line. I can brew right in my kitchen next to the sink for quick cleanup. Heat the sparge water up right there next to me on the stove. Doesn't get any more convenient. No more cold garage brewing for me in the winter. [emoji1]

 

[DarkUncle]

I ordered 11:00pm on the 10th and received it on the 17th.

 

[jbb3]

Well, here's a boil with plain water at the 7 gallon mark which is probably more than I will actually be boiling with wort. It'll surely do especially considering the convenience factors. I look forward to a first brew.

That's a boil but barely. I see why others are supplementing with heat sticks. How long did it take to go from switch on to that level of boil?

 

[DarkUncle]

That boil is all you need. My stove doesn't boil any bigger than that with a small pot of boiling eggs. I certainly didn't expect it to rival my propane system but I wouldn't want it to. That could get messy really quick. And what's the need really? Boil bragging rights? [emoji1]If it makes good beer, and from all accounts I have read it does, than I'm completely satisfied.

I have to look back at my times. Rough estimate if I remember correctly it took me about 40 minutes or so to go from 58 degrees to 157. Not bad. Then another 36-40 to get to 212. I sat in the next room watching tv so it's not like I had to babysit it like my propane system.

 

[TwistedLiquidBrew]

Here's what my boil looked like; total volume was a little over 7 gallons.

View attachment IMG_2148.MOV

 

[chezhed]

That sounds like a nightmare. Buy one? Maybe when they figure it out. [emoji16]

You have to keep in mind, I was doing all this while also supervising 5 others brewing and minding a store and answering visitor questions.....no way I could even have come close to a brew session using traditional equipment and having to tend it.....
The point was about times and boils....time is not bad and you can boil over!

 

[gwapogorilla]

Here's what my boil looked like; total volume was a little over 7 gallons.

Yep, that's all you need.
I think people are used to their "volcanic" boils achieved with LP, and are also concerned about boiling off DMS. That boil is good enough......GF is on my wish list!

 

[pretzelb]

Yep, that's all you need.
I think people are used to their "volcanic" boils achieved with LP, and are also concerned about boiling off DMS. That boil is good enough......GF is on my wish list!

FWIW there are those who think a strong boil is important. I'm not one of them but I think Kal (who I respect) is such a person.

 

[xandersaml]

If I'm not mistaken, the Picobrew Zymatic doesn't boil at all. And apparently, many brewers are making quite acceptable brews with them. I use a rolling, but not violent, boil.
I plan to get a Grainfather when I can.

 

[bobbytuck]

If I'm not mistaken, the Picobrew Zymatic doesn't boil at all. And apparently, many brewers are making quite acceptable brews with them. I use a rolling, but not violent, boil.
I plan to get a Grainfather when I can.

Yep -- no need for a vigorous boil -- and (most likely) no need for a full on 212F boil (or whatever the temp for boiling is at any given location).

My Pico recirculates during the 207F 60-minute "boil" phase. And it's this re circulation @ 207F that works fine to drive off the DMS. In fact, I've had a truncated Pico session due to an issue with the Pico's PID -- and I made a pumpkin ale with a 25 minute boil -- and it turned out fine, no issues. The finished beer -- after 2 weeks in the fermenter w/Safale-05 -- clocked in at a 4.2 pH -- which is normal for an ale post-ferment and finished. Taste-wise is was perfectly fine. I had the mash at a 5.3 pH, added fairly equal amounts of gypsum and calcium chloride for the mash, and hopped with magnum for bittering. After I realized the boil was cut short, I added 1oz of Citra at flameout for 15 minute stand. Finished beer is fantastic -- no off-flavors whatsoever.

Some folks -- myself included -- are coming around to the fact that the "vigorous boil" thing is a myth. In fact, the 60 minute boil is (probably) a myth as well. See the recent Brulosophy entries on the short boils (http://brulosophy.com/2015/09/14/boil-length-pt-2-pilsner-malt-exbeeriment-results/). (Hop utilization is obviously another issue with short boils -- so a long boil is necessary for hop levels -- but it's not *necessarily* necessary for all the stuff you're warned about -- especially DMS.)

My 120V Blichmann BoilCoil in my BIAB system does a perfectly fine boil -- a calm boil, but a full-on boil nonetheless -- and I've been saving 30min or so from my brewday by doing 30 minute boils for more malt-forward beers.

On the flip side, a vigorous boil probably doesn't hurt anything -- and if you can do it, great. But after 65+ batches with my Pico -- and always having the "boil" at 207F -- I'm churning out great beers. Not a hint of DMS -- ever. I suspect all current -- and all future -- 120V systems with 2250W heating elements will have calm and not vigorous boils. Hopefully, this doesn't dissuade potential brewers. The convenience of a 20A 120V system is fantastic -- especially for those of us who (for many years) fussed with propane tanks or fretted over 240V outlet installs.

One downside to the Pico's 207F boil is that I've noticed that hop extract (HopShot, for example) doesn't work quite like it does in a regular boil kettle. It seems that the extract (for super hoppy beers) needs the full boil (vigorous or calm) to do its thing. I say this because I've noticed big globs of hopshot in the bottom of my Pico's kegs after I bottle. I've never noticed this in a regular boil kettle.

YMMV for this, though -- but it would be an interesting experiment.

Also, see:

http://brulosophy.com/2015/11/12/short-shoddy-my-1-hour-all-grain-brew-day/

The other issue I've noticed -- and it's something that actually moved me to purchase a BIAB system in addition to my Pico -- is that for the life of me I cannot make a super hoppy beer with my Pico -- at least not by relying on the hop compartments and the Pico's automation. I can dangle hop bags in the boil kettle -- and this seems to work -- but it's not as automatic or hands-off as I'd like. This is the main reason I purchased a relatively low cost BIAB 120V system -- hoppy beers. The Pico makes great malt-forward beers -- superb, actually -- but I can't figure out how to bring the hops front and center with the Zymatic.

I'm guessing that the Grainfather -- because it doesn't rely on recirculating wort through adjunct compartments -- doesn't have this problem?

 

[BrewMeister49]

Nope. Grainfather is a normal boil kettle once you sparge.

 

[mattrox]

DMS has a boiling point of 34 deg C or so, about 95 F.

I haven't looked up the precursors, though.

 

[BrewMeister49]

Well, brew number 2 is taking place now! I realized something on the mash. Make sure your tube is up high enough before placing on the top screen. I pulled the plug and it was a smidge too low but the water lever was high and I pressed a bit on the grain bed to get to the top of the tube. Hopefully it doesn't effect the efficiency!

 

[DarkUncle]

Going to try to get my first brew in this weekend. I'll keep that in mind.

What are you brewing?

 

[BrewMeister49]

Wowza! I was anticipating 1.053 pre boil OG and hit 1.063! haha I had to adjust my hop schedules! lol At this rate, I will hit 1.078-1.080!

 

[BrewMeister49]

I am making an IPA! I made a recipe up. 12 pounds MO, 1/2 pound Crystal 120, 1/2 pound Munich 20. 1 ounce each of simcoe and amarillo at 30 minutes and 1 each at 5 minutes.

 

[Jkane101]

Okay time for some Grainfather beer porn:

Grainfather in action with my initial brew, SS Brewbucket with FTSs doing its thing. And about an hour ago the first pour! @OldSock recipe: Softer & Jucier APA which turned out unreal. Best homebrew I've ever made...hands down.

 

[BrewMeister49]

Today!

 

[Renegade21]

What brewing software are you guys using?

 

[Jkane101]

What brewing software are you guys using?

Beersmith2 & bru'n water

 

[Dave83]

Beersmith2 & bru'n water

Do you use Beersmith to calculate mash volumes and sparge volumes?

 

[Renegade21]

Cool thanks! I Just moved into an apartment and have been brewing over carpet, which is not fun. I am currently using a ss brew tech mash tun, 1500 what HLT and a 10 gallon mega pot with an induction hot plate. It works great and love it. I Just think I would be better off selling it and getting a grain father so I can brew in my small kitchen which is tile haha. Also having to carry the boil kettle to the kitchen to cool and clean everything is a bear. All of these post are really making me want to get the GrainFather!