Grainfather!!

[Kampenken]

You sold me. My only concern is I wont reach my outlet in the counter. One way to find out I guess.

Glad I could help. Tape measure. If not, you can either try to find a 12 gauge extension cord wire (why even at 15' they rate it for 15A is beyond me) or build one for the length you need. I assume your kitchen has a 20A outlet? Find out what else is on it, for me the microwave is on it so I don't let that run while brewing.

 

[seabrew8]

You sold me. My only concern is I wont reach my outlet in the counter. One way to find out I guess.

I use an industrial grade extension cord my father made up - he's an electrican - and use no insulation. My boil is fine.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Glad I could help. Tape measure. If not, you can either try to find a 12 gauge extension cord wire (why even at 15' they rate it for 15A is beyond me) or build one for the length you need. I assume your kitchen has a 20A outlet? Find out what else is on it, for me the microwave is on it so I don't let that run while brewing.

In my kitchen I have my fridge, toaster oven and microwave. Stove is gas. I don't really use anything while brewing.

 

[seabrew8]

Seabrew, agree on the chiller too. I'm interested in hearing how the high gravity brew goes (how many # of grain? to get to 1.090 for your recipe?). I'm not sure I'd want to "water" it down, but will be interested in what you think. I look forward to hearing your results. I am brewing this weekend, for my brother, and one of my next 3 brews I'm thinking of will be a barley wine. I was thinking in the 4g range if I needed to keep grain bill size down, though maybe 18-18.5# should be fine for 5, I haven't looked into it yet.

I had one of my Golden Promise Mosaic smash I made after one week in the bottle. One fine beer, and surprising given its age. Looking forward to it this weekend, as well as when my Black Out Vanilla Stout is done (will age on bourbon soaked vanilla beans, a first for me)

20lbs of grain, the max. I don't think i'll be going that route actually. But i will be making a 1.060 blonde or so and diluting it down to 1.050 to 28L(7.4 gal) so i can max out my fermenter. I'll let you know how it goes.

Apparently, diluting and/or blending is pretty popular in commerical breweries.

 

[gotbeer74]

My Baltic Porter I made had 17 lbs of grains with a 90 minute boil and I was around an inch below the holes for the handle. I think the SG was 1.087 at 5.25 gallons.

 

[seabrew8]

My Baltic Porter I made had 17 lbs of grains with a 90 minute boil and I was around an inch below the holes for the handle. I think the SG was 1.087 at 5.25 gallons.

The "suggested" max is 20lbs. Do you think you could of gotten another 3lbs in the grain basket?

 

[Kampenken]

...Apparently, diluting and/or blending is pretty popular in commerical breweries.

Sure, BMC guys can save a lot of energy expense that way! Wonder if the large craft brewers do that as well? Might just make cost sense if they can keep up the quality.

My Baltic Porter I made had 17 lbs of grains with a 90 minute boil and I was around an inch below the holes for the handle. I think the SG was 1.087 at 5.25 gallons.

Yeah I wondered just how high in the basket it would get. Hmmm, 1.087 & 5.25g. I guess if I want a 1.1 or higher barley wine, I'll be under 5g for sure. Ahh well, just as well I suppose. With the GF its so easy and enjoyable to brew again!

 

[Kampenken]

The "suggested" max is 20lbs. Do you think you could of gotten another 3lbs in the grain basket?

Is that Canadian pounds?! I thought it was closer to 18.

 

[seabrew8]

Is that Canadian pounds?! I thought it was closer to 18.

The max is actually 9kg - just looked it up. Which is 19.84lbs

 

[Kampenken]

The max is actually 9kg - just looked it up. Which is 19.84lbs

Excellent! Plugged 19.84# of 2 row into Brewer's Friend with 5 g and OG is 1.103. Plenty for a barley wine. (Certainly will be different grains, was just using all 2 row as a quick proxy).

 

[seabrew8]

^^ Go Team!

 

[gotbeer74]

If I went with a 60 minute boil I think it would fit. With a barley wine wouldn't you want to substitute some Turbinado sugar to raise the OG?

 

[mikeysab]

Someone suggested it to me earlier in the thread, but if younwanna do a high gravity beer, you can cut your grain bill by about 5 pounds and add a 3 lb bag of DME. excellent solution to the 20 lb grain limitation

 

[Kampenken]

If I went with a 60 minute boil I think it would fit. With a barley wine wouldn't you want to substitute some Turbinado sugar to raise the OG?

I don't know, haven't found a recipe yet I am interested in trying, need to research, but have any ones you suggest?

Someone suggested it to me earlier in the thread, but if younwanna do a high gravity beer, you can cut your grain bill by about 5 pounds and add a 3 lb bag of DME. excellent solution to the 20 lb grain limitation

Certainly, but not focused on high gravity per se (mostly I keep ABV <7.5%), but desire a really good tasting barley wine (it will age). So if that means adding DME that's fine, if it instead limits me to say 4 g, that's fine as well.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Is the best way to tell between 15A and 20A how the outlet looks? (20A has the little T shape?). What if I only have 15A?

 

[BrunDog]

Find the circuit breaker that feeds the outlet.

 

[Kampenken]

^^ Yup! Yes, 20a has the T shape, but check your breakers. Then you also know what else is on that circuit and can avoid using if a big draw (ex, a microwave).

With 1600w of power you are up against the 15a limit on the circuit. 20a clears that easily. Unless your kitchen is old or poorly wired for today's usage, you ought to have a 20a circuit in kitchen. Hopefully with a GFCI outlet!

 

[treacheroustexan]

Ah thanks guys. Like I said, electric idiot here. I just checked in the box and all of the switches that are on have 20 wrote on them, so I assume I'm good!

 

[seabrew8]

FYI i just cleaned my glass carboy by putting in a small bathroom rag in the carboy with hot water and detergent.

Then i whirlpooled the water! The cleanest my carboy has been in 5 years!

New found love for glass carboys.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I looked at a couple other options other than the grainfather.... and ended up coming back here. Placed my order last night. Should be here by Thursday!

 

[canehdianman]

I looked at a couple other options other than the grainfather.... and ended up coming back here. Placed my order last night. Should be here by Thursday!

Congrats, I'm still waiting on approval from the boss to order. Evidently I have too many hobbies and need to clear some out.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Congrats, I'm still waiting on approval from the boss to order. Evidently I have too many hobbies and need to clear some out.

I won the approval with: The stove will stay clean and I can get rid of my old equipment which would give her more closet space.

 

[seabrew8]

I finally got me grains!

I'm doing my first small batch and i noticed the overflow pipe which is a fixed length will not go down to the top perforated plate. I was just going to mash it without starting the pump because i was afriad i would of gotten a stuck "sparge". However, i decided to pump the wort very slow so it doesn't build up to high on top the grain bed. Problem solved!

 

[treacheroustexan]

Shipped! woohoo.

Quick question on mashing in with an electric system.. This is the only thing I'm concerned about. For example, if I want to mash at 152, would I set my controller to 152 and add the grain and just let it heat back up? or would I still set it at 165 ish and then add my grain, and then take the controller down to 152?

 

[Kampenken]

I looked at a couple other options other than the grainfather.... and ended up coming back here. Placed my order last night. Should be here by Thursday!

Congrats, and welcome to the GF family!

I finally got me grains!

I'm doing my first small batch and i noticed the overflow pipe which is a fixed length will not go down to the top perforated plate. I was just going to mash it without starting the pump because i was afriad i would of gotten a stuck "sparge". However, i decided to pump the wort very slow so it doesn't build up to high on top the grain bed. Problem solved!

Smart move, when I try a small batch I will remember this. Funny too, while I had been letting 'er rip on the large batch and not concerned about overflow, I did slow it down just a bit to keep overflow at bay. Hard to say how much overflow is "too" much- i.e. little going through grain bed...

Shipped! woohoo.

Quick question on mashing in with an electric system.. This is the only thing I'm concerned about. For example, if I want to mash at 152, would I set my controller to 152 and add the grain and just let it heat back up? or would I still set it at 165 ish and then add my grain, and then take the controller down to 152?

I am working on dialing the strike temp in, next brew will be +6. Depending on temps I used to be in the +10-14 range for my cooler mash tun. With the GF no need for that much differential. Happy Brewing!

 

[gspot]

I haven't found the need for any strike temp differential. I dough in about a pound at a time stirring between additions and that prob keeps temp up. YMMV

 

[gotbeer74]

^^ Yup! Yes, 20a has the T shape, but check your breakers. Then you also know what else is on that circuit and can avoid using if a big draw (ex, a microwave).

With 1600w of power you are up against the 15a limit on the circuit. 20a clears that easily. Unless your kitchen is old or poorly wired for today's usage, you ought to have a 20a circuit in kitchen. Hopefully with a GFCI outlet!

My 20A GFCIs do not have a T shape. I pulled two out just to be sure and they are 20A outlets. Is the T a newer standard?

 

[BrunDog]

No. Many electricians don't bother to keep different inventory for them and just use standard outlets which I assume are rated to handle 20A electrically.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I ordered not even 24 hours ago, and it will be at my door tomorrow. Thank you Morebeer.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Pretty easy to assemble I guess. A couple of the directions threw me off. Had a hard time getting the bottom plate into the grain basket, and I still don't have it in perfectly. Love it so far!

 

[seabrew8]

I have another FYI - make sure you get the little rubber fitting that goes into the pump filter all the way in. You will have to squeeze/force it a little to get the "lip" inside the filter.

This was the reason i was having slow pumping problems. Today my filter literally had an inch thick or more of hop debris caked around it but the pumped worked fine the whole session.

 

[seabrew8]

Pretty easy to assemble I guess. A couple of the directions threw me off. Had a hard time getting the bottom plate into the grain basket, and I still don't have it in perfectly. Love it so far!

You should try to get the outside tubing going to the pump deeper in the rubber tap/connector - i see its bunched up. I had the same problem. Run the tip of the tubing/piping under some water and then try to to push it in over an inch or so inside the rubber tap before you slide the black plastic 0-ring up.

And yeah the GF instructions are not the greatest.

 

[Kampenken]

Pretty easy to assemble I guess. A couple of the directions threw me off. Had a hard time getting the bottom plate into the grain basket, and I still don't have it in perfectly. Love it so far!

Hey, I've got the same thing!

That was a quick delivery! For us on the East coast, and during the holidays, we had to wait a week, so good for you, now enjoy and report back your process.

I too will add a tip, this on chilling in case you are unfamiliar with a CFC (as was I) and haven't read all the previous comments on the chilling. At end of boil recirc thru chiller back into the boiler for 10 min to sanitize without the cold water on. Then turn on your cold, close the red valve 1/2 way down and feel output until it turns cold (about 30 sec tops). Stop valve, move hose into fermenter and re-open to 1/2 way or so. I found that the water from the chiller out (red) runs about 8-10 degrees warmer than the chilled wort. So, for now, I measure the outlet water and adjust both the cold water supply and the red valve to get to my desired temp by taking temp measurements of the outlet water (I'll capture a cup's worth in the sink).

fyi- if you're used to an I/C, the CFC outlet water is way cooler, so I don't capture for cleaning. I will retain for landscape watering come Spring, and others I've read are putting it into their washers. I'm still brewing in my kitchen so won't save for the washer until I get my basement brew area setup. Would've begun that this weekend if it weren't for the snow!

Cheers!

 

[seabrew8]

IME don't even look at the temp readout when your using the chiller. I think it must be the pump that drives the temp up. Anyhow, i just put a floating thermometer in my bucket while i pumped the wort today. And just feel the outlet hose going to the bucket to get an idea if its cool.

One thing about the GF its not fool-proof.

 

[seabrew8]

The last FYI Get used to busting apart the ball valve and cleaning the spring, ball and housing - its a one-way/check valve. You just need 2 adjustable wrenchs. If you don't your pump will stall.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Thanks all!

 

[Kampenken]

IME don't even look at the temp readout when your using the chiller. I think it must be the pump that drives the temp up. Anyhow, i just put a floating thermometer in my bucket while i pumped the wort today. And just feel the outlet hose going to the bucket to get an idea if its cool.

One thing about the GF its not fool-proof.

I agree, the temp readout is meaningless, but it hasn't gotten old yet seeing it read 180 during the entire transfer while feeling the hot inlet into the chiller and the cold outlet at the same time into your fermenter! Yes, I'm new to a CFC.

Seabrew, your racking up the brews on that thing already aren't you? If that was a car lease you'd be over your mileage by now! Did you brew a batch and top up to fill your fermenter?

I'm looking forward to brew #4, an IPA, on Sunday with my brother at his house. He was here 2wks ago when I brewed, now I'll travel to his house with the GF (carefully!). Given his comments, it appears he's likely to join the GF family!

 

[erschwenk]

The last FYI Get used to busting apart the ball valve and cleaning the spring, ball and housing - its a one-way/check valve. You just need 2 adjustable wrenchs. If you don't your pump will stall.

Pulled that spring and ball out after my first brew. Hasn't been an issue since.

 

[scallopking]

I'm liking that idea of pulling the ball and spring out and trying it next time. I guess long as you close the valve all should be good.

I tried an IPA recipe without using the hop filter this last weekend and worked like a charm, no clogging once I learned to not turn on the pump all the way when chilling. This was 5.2 ounces of hop total with a 3 oz. hopstand. The hop smell was huge during the boil and hopstand which I didn't get from the filter. I wonder how this IPA is going to come out vs. ones that I used the filter. if anyone wants the recipe let me know. Anyway thought I would share. I want to do an even larger hop amount next one and see how it does (like the video has the guy with 8 oz).

 

[joyride75]

I did a Citra DIPA two weeks ago and added 3oz of bittering and 3oz at flameout and I was surprised as hell that it didn't block the filter or the pump didn't clog. I always used a hop sack before this batch--because I was afraid it would clog--and any hoppy beer I did would come out fairly dull and less bitter than I expected.

This may be the best IPA I've brewed since I started brewing 8 years ago. I've always thought you could carbonate urine and hop it with Citra and everybody would still absolutely love it, but...where was I going with this?

Oh, right, I'll probably never use a hop sack again in the GF