Grainfather!!

[seabrew8]

the cord is like 5' long

Do you know if anyone has just extended the power plug with the proper wire gage? Duh! i guess the warranty would be void.

 

[Kampenken]

​

I'm confused: Are you saying theres a garbage disposal, one outlet and a microwave on the same circuit has you GF? Dedicated?

Can anyone tell me the length of the power cord for the GF? I have a 20a outlet just off the panel but its probably 5 feet above the floor. Rather not have to mess with it. I guess i could just lay the GF on something higher...but then comes the sparging and lifting the basket issue...

Yes, I found a 20A line that feeds the micro (and hood I guess), the garbage disposal and an outlet, that's it. The panel is directly below the sink and feeds right to the disposal. I added a GFCI and the switch (for disposal only, outlet is not switched) back in to a 2 gang box. I will not run the micro (or disposal!) when brewing.

The GF cord I am told is 5' long, so I will now be about 1.5' from it, or less. Should be good to go. Its now 630pm here, still no delivery, due by end of day still according to FedEx. I'm due to leave in an hour for a dinner party. Damn, it better get here soon I hope, really wish to brew tomorrow.

 

[Kampenken]

Do you know if anyone has just extended the power plug with the proper wire gage? Duh! i guess the warranty would be void.

Exactly my concern and why I added an outlet close enough to direct plug in the GF.

 

[Kampenken]

Regarding #4. After mash is complete, switch to boil and begin your sparge. Lift your basket to drain wort. It will take you 30 mins maybe more to sparge. It will take this amount.of time to bring to a boil...maybe longer.

Right, I get that, which is what I meant by leave it on until the boil. Though was wondering if at end of sparge (30 min or so) maybe remove and cover if not at boil. Have you done that? Others? Seems quite logical, I leave my kettle cover on when I'm bringing my propane fired kettle up to boil.

 

[TBC]

Once I'm done sparging I place the lid on and cover the hole to help speed up the ramp time. Once it starts to boil I remove the lid.

 

[blkandrust]

When chilling the wort,are you guys running the cooled wort into fermenter after one pass,or are you recirculating it a couple of times?

 

[DarkUncle]

When chilling the wort,are you guys running the cooled wort into fermenter after one pass,or are you recirculating it a couple of times?

Do not recirc the wort from the chiller back into the kettle. Complete waste of time and will end up taking longer to cool the wort. After the boil ends, recirc the wort for about 5 to 10 minutes without turning on the cooling water. This sanitizes the inside copper tubing of the chiller. Once that is done turn the cooling water on while the wort out hose is still in the pot. Restrict the red valve a 1/4 of the way. Put your hand on the wort out hose. Once it starts feeling cool to the touch it's ready to be placed into the fermenter. Close the red valve. Place the wort out hose into the fermenter and then open the valve slowly. Again, do not open it fully. This accomplishes two things. It allows the wort to cool more efficiently and also prevents the pump filter from getting a compacted hops cake which could lead to a clog.

 

[DarkUncle]

I also do not use any form of hop filter. I just throw it all right into the kettle. And notice how clear this beer is....

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1451443073.021610.jpg

 

[scallopking]

Your time to strike was similar to mine at 1.76º per minute but from there to the boil was only .85º per minute whereas I was getting about 1.11º/minute.

Did you adjust the red valve during the chilling period? you can raise and lower the temp of the wort coming out of the chiller by opening up or closing off some on the red handle. I've seen several folks get the wort to the temp they want (coming out of the chiller) and then move the hose to fill the fermenter.

This practice will drastically cut down on your chill time since you are not trying to chill the entire 5-6 gallons of wort at one time.

Thanks no I wasn't, i feel kind of stupid now trying to cool all the wort.

 

[scallopking]

Do not recirc the wort from the chiller back into the kettle. Complete waste of time and will end up taking longer to cool the wort. After the boil ends, recirc the wort for about 5 to 10 minutes without turning on the cooling water. This sanitizes the inside copper tubing of the chiller. Once that is done turn the cooling water on while the wort out hose is still in the pot. Restrict the red valve a 1/4 of the way. Put your hand on the wort out hose. Once it starts feeling cool to the touch it's ready to be placed into the fermenter. Close the red valve. Place the wort out hose into the fermenter and then open the valve slowly. Again, do not open it fully. This accomplishes two things. It allows the wort to cool more efficiently and also prevents the pump filter from getting a compacted hops cake which could lead to a clog.

. Awesome, now I want to brew aging and try that out. This is going to save me some time.

 

[Michigan_Wolfman]

Alright, this does it! I was originally intending to put together a BIAB system for all grain brewing, but now I'm leaning more towards the GrainFather after seeing all the post from people who are already using the system.

 

[scallopking]

I also do not use any form of hop filter. I just throw it all right into the kettle. And notice how clear this beer is....

View attachment 326159

Nice! I did that at first then ran into clogs. Now I wonder if it was how I was running the chiller and cooling the wort full throttle like I was. What's the most amount of hops that you've used in this practice? Thanks.

 

[DarkUncle]

The most I've used was just shy of 3oz. I'm not particularly keen on IPA's so I don't anticipate using much more than that. [emoji6]

 

[erschwenk]

Hops straight in for me. I have done three batches so far and havent had any clogging issues. I did remove the spring valve before my first brew.

 

[gspot]

Alright, this does it! I was originally intending to put together a BIAB system for all grain brewing, but now I'm leaning more towards the GrainFather after seeing all the post from people who are already using the system.

Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!

 

[Kampenken]

Whoo Hoo!! GF arrived finally, right before leaving for dinner party, and not damaged this time! I will stop in am at Lowes for reflectix, never left house today while waiting for delivery, then brew. A simple smash I've had thoughts of for some time now. Then onto a Vanilla Stout. No plans for a test run with water. I will post times and how things went.

 

[Lazer Wolf Brewing]

Whoo Hoo!! GF arrived finally, right before leaving for dinner party, and not damaged this time! I will stop in am at Lowes for reflectix, never left house today while waiting for delivery, then brew. A simple smash I've had thoughts of for some time now. Then onto a Vanilla Stout. No plans for a test run with water. I will post times and how things went.

Just make sure you run PBW through it as directed and then the fresh water rinse! Good luck with your first brew and take some pictures for us!

 

[tarcrarc]

I have completed about 5-6 brews using the GF. Can't tell you exactly why----they just taste better than before. Personally, I can say that I have made some of my best brews with it. Over the years I've made somewhere around 50+ batches so I have something to compare it to. However, I will say that it doesn't save me any time on my brew day. It doesn't take any longer though.

 

[Yambor44]

Nice! I did that at first then ran into clogs. Now I wonder if it was how I was running the chiller and cooling the wort full throttle like I was. What's the most amount of hops that you've used in this practice? Thanks.

This guy has some good videos about a lot of topics we've discussed here regarding the GF.

Here's one regarding hop blockage (or not blocking) with 8 ounces of pellet hops.

[ame="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GZYdocV_FF4"]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GZYdocV_FF4[/ame]

As Darkuncle mentioned, slowing the rate of your wort out line will help the hops to settle against the filter to form a "hop filter" without clogging.

 

[Cutterman]

Quick 45 min of work and I now have a dedicated 20amp GFCI outlet next to my garage door. Only 20amp outlet I had before in garage was far back corner and was ran off kitchen reefer circuit. This didn't occur to me until this morning when I was going to brew that I would not be able to hook garden hose up to chiller because discharge lines wouldn't reach out of garage. I run well water pump from outside spicket for chiller water as city water is expensive for wort cooling. I ran about a six foot leg from breaker panel, so I'm curious if this will speed heating up as there will be no drop in volts/Amps with only six feet of 12/2 wire. Total cost was only 40 bucks for wire, Breaker and GFCI outlet.

 

[Kampenken]

Just make sure you run PBW through it as directed and then the fresh water rinse! Good luck with your first brew and take some pictures for us!

Thanks! I will post some pics later. I have yet another dinner party to attend tonight and need to leave around 4pm, so will brew tomorrow but will run the cleaning and rinse cycles and just familiarize myself with this. The kitchen faucet is not conducive to a hose attachment, so I will run a short hose out kitchen window to spout below with a shut off on inside (don't want a hose running up from basement)- I've had a nice setup with quick disconnects that I am planning to use. I'm actually glad to take the test here slow and brew tomorrow.

I've just put this all together now, this "version" of the GF is slightly different than the GF assembly (possibly due to US version or just some improvements?), so I began with the video assembly alongside the instructions and found the video helpful, the instructions perfect. Some comments from my assembly:

1) Wet the seal on the bottom perforated plate, turned basket upside down to get it to seat and watch the silicone seal seats well.
2) Video showed a hose clamp for fitting the discharge pipe, this was changed to a small plastic ring. Not sure how I like this, as I'm not entirely sure I have been able to fit the ring over the top roll of the silicone tube. Anyone else have issues on this part?
3) Surprised how the pump filter fits in. I'm sure it works, just a bit surprising as it seemed to fit easily over the pump inlet.
4) I put a hose clamp on the cold water inlet tube from the chiller over the hose barb.

Onto clean and rinse!

 

[gotbeer74]

I didn't put hose clamp on and had a blow out right at the end of chilling. Thank god I was in the laundry room.

 

[Lazer Wolf Brewing]

I'm with you on #2 and #3. I had to dip the rod in boiling water to get it in the rubber pump outlet, and the black plastic ring was tough to get up to the top. I too am sort of just guessing that I got all that setup correctly.

As far as the pump filter, I've never heard of anyone complain about it coming off, but yeah, it was weird to me how it just easily slid onto that black rubber piece. I haven't run the system yet as I'm waiting for a replacement basket to be sent, but I expect it will work fine.

 

[gspot]

2) Video showed a hose clamp for fitting the discharge pipe, this was changed to a small plastic ring. Not sure how I like this, as I'm not entirely sure I have been able to fit the ring over the top roll of the silicone tube. Anyone else have issues on this part?

Ok, I'm out in the garage putting mine together at the moment, and I've figured out what the problem is with the black plastic ring that is supposed to create a water-tight seal on the pump discharge. The plastic ring has two different sides: a thicker side and a thinner side. The thinner side has to face outward (towards the stainless pipe). If it's the other way, it's next to impossible to fit over the outer top role of the silicone tube.

 

[gspot]

Here she is with two wraps of insulation. Don't think three would fit very easily. Getting ready to run the first cleaning cycle after dinner.

View attachment 1451518264044.jpg

 

[Lazer Wolf Brewing]

Lookin good with the reflectix. I got the Graincoat, somehow I have a feeling reflectix will be more efficient but who knows. Just did my first heating test. I had recirc and lid on for the first 75% of the test. Graincoat on for entire test:

My tap water came out of kitchen sink at 136F (I am at sea level). Nice.

136 - 155F: 12 minutes
155 - 200F: 27 minutes
200 - 210F: 10 minutes
210 - 212F: 10 minutes

From tap to mash temps: approx 15 mins
From mash out to boil: approx 40 mins

I'll be honest, I didn't think this thing was gonna boil. I was at 211 for about 10 minutes and was getting more bitter by the second. When it hit 212 and started a mellow boil, it didn't beep or flash HH, maybe it could have gone up another degree? I turned it off, satisfied with the boil I saw. I highly doubt it would have boiled without the Graincoat. Anyways, those ramp up numbers aren't bad at all but I'm a bit lucky with the hot water out of the tap. I guess this test was successful.

 

[blkandrust]

My GF came in yesterday. Got her put together and cleaned. Planning a Pale ale tomorrow or fri. I'm off work until Mon so chances are that i will have 2 or 4 brews on the GF by then.

 

[gspot]

Went to the lhbs today. My inaugural brew with the GF will be on New Year's Day and will be my first ever Saison and my first ever Belgian beer.

 

[Kampenken]

Ok, I'm out in the garage putting mine together at the moment, and I've figured out what the problem is with the black plastic ring that is supposed to create a water-tight seal on the pump discharge. The plastic ring has two different sides: a thicker side and a thinner side. The thinner side has to face outward (towards the stainless pipe). If it's the other way, it's next to impossible to fit over the outer top role of the silicone tube.

Brilliant! I didn't think of, or see that, I will have to check mine tomorrow morning. Yeah I too put the discharge pipe in boiling water due to the tight fit.

My latest (overkill) thought... Seems many are putting the reflectix onto the GF. Reflectix rates to 180 degrees. Concern? I may use pipe insulation as a barrier. All removable, air space will incr R rating and pipe insulation temp rating should be fine. If this works I will post pics.

Brew day is coming tomorrow!

 

[BrewMeister49]

I wouldn't be concerned about reflectix. It's not touching the food and not melting. No issues