Grainfather!!

[Diamonddave74]

David Heath is a great ambassador for the grainfather. Lots of good nuggets

 

[shortyz]

thanks tang.

 

[mwayne112]

Thinking about doing this to the main unit, got it real pretty on the HLT.

 

[d-bone]

Thinking about doing this to the main unit, got it real pretty on the HLT.

I have been planning on doing this for a while, except with a needle valve, but have been waiting for my warranty to expire first, which should be soon. what size is you valve there?

 

[mwayne112]

I have been planning on doing this for a while, except with a needle valve, but have been waiting for my warranty to expire first, which should be soon. what size is you valve there?

1/2" valve

 

[elreplica]

I have been planning on doing this for a while, except with a needle valve, but have been waiting for my warranty to expire first, which should be soon. what size is you valve there?

Food for thought: I use a piece of 1/2" silicone tubing and a butterfly clamp to hold tubing on to the GF sparge tank spigot. The 1/2" valve is on the end of the hose...haven't used it yet and if it doesn't work efficiently, I can try the valve on the tank and reverse it. I'll post a pic later when I can dig out my stuff.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Food for thought: I use a piece of 1/2" silicone tubing and a butterfly clamp to hold tubing on to the GF sparge tank spigot. The 1/2" valve is on the end of the hose...haven't used it yet and if it doesn't work efficiently, I can try the valve on the tank and reverse it. I'll post a pic later when I can dig out my stuff.

I have tried that the past few times brewing. No matter how tight you put the clamp, because of the conical shape of the grainfather spigot, it slips off all the time. I'm just going to do what the others have done and throw a 1/2 valve onto the body of the GF Sparge body and call it a day.

 

[BigCatBrewery]

Can someone tell me what the electric frequency (hz) is of the pump on the US (110v) version. I live in Europe but will be back in the states in a couple of years and converters are great at converting voltage... not frequency.

I've seen a picture of pump on the 220v version that is 50/60hz, but nothing of the 110v.

 

[elreplica]

I have tried that the past few times brewing. No matter how tight you put the clamp, because of the conical shape of the grainfather spigot, it slips off all the time. I'm just going to do what the others have done and throw a 1/2 valve onto the body of the GF Sparge body and call it a day.

Good to know...but a tap shim/splice might work. Likely it's easier to go your route though. We shall see.

 

[ratbastrd05]

How hard is that to do? I've been looking to buy the GF Sparge water heater but agree that a ball valve would be a lot better than what they have on there... already have an extra one lying around too.

I have tried that the past few times brewing. No matter how tight you put the clamp, because of the conical shape of the grainfather spigot, it slips off all the time. I'm just going to do what the others have done and throw a 1/2 valve onto the body of the GF Sparge body and call it a day.

 

[pepper60]

Electricity in US is 110/60, but in actuality it is240/60. But here we split into two 110's. I actually have an electric dryer that is 240. Have to run it on a separate larger breaker and specific style of plug. When u get here u should be able to run your 240 as long as u run it in the correct manner to the outlet.

 

[renderit]

Yo y'all! New to this GF bidness here. Did my first batch yesterday. A Bavarian Dunkelweizen. The machine worked great. I put the AHS recipe in the GF app on my iPhone.

But I have a question. (I am up to page 77 here so forgive me if this has been answered.)

Mashout.

Popped up on my phone. I see in the vids one guy used the mashout to turn his temp up to what I assume is the sparge temp then lifted the grain basket and did the sparge. I saw other videos where various people called what was clearly a "sparge" a "mashout". What?!

What do I put in for timing and what would you do? I have another I wish to do today or tomorrow and I'm needin' me some knowledge! I'm a newby pretty much on all grain and I have been away for 5 years.

 

[gskbrew]

I used 10 minutes for the mashout per the GF instructions. After the mash I set the temp for 167F and once it reached that temp I held it for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes I sparged. Efficiency has been great so far.

 

[renderit]

Most excellent! Thank you.

 

[d-bone]

I'm totally putting a mesh bottom on! But one question, the #20 Mesh (1mm gap for the metric folk) seems to be the default.

Is there any reason not to go down to the next size at #30 and get a gap size nearly half as large? I feel like the wort shouldn't be restricted any more, and you could reduce grains and grain bits to literally zero with that size. Thoughts?

I dont think this would work and Ill tell you why: I bout a #20 mesh from another vendor, and turns out it was a smaller gauge wire than the one people have been posting. This did not work out for me at all. It was so flimsy that when I was stirring my mash, it easily got pushed up and a bunch of mash pushed underneath it. I think the #30 is probably going to be a smaller diameter wire and I would not suggest it. If not, then go for it.

 

[d-bone]

Ok just got the ebay mesh screen that showed up in the mail today. Im impressed. Very fine holes and this sucker has some weight to it. Should remain functional for quite some time. Excited to give this a try next batch.

if you dont mind my asking, what did you use to cut the inner circle out? I was thinking a jewelry cutter, but dont know if the mesh is too hard.

 

[RedlegEd]

if you dont mind my asking, what did you use to cut the inner circle out? I was thinking a jewelry cutter, but dont know if the mesh is too hard.

Hi. I used the tips of my kitchen shears and it worked fine. Just go slow and take a little at a time. Ed

 

[skraeling]

if you dont mind my asking, what did you use to cut the inner circle out? I was thinking a jewelry cutter, but dont know if the mesh is too hard.

I punched a starter hole with a screwdriver. Then just worked the hole just wide enough to fit the pipework through (taken out of context this sentence is hilarious). Screwed it together and called it a day.

I used some REALLY beefy Tin snips to do all the work.

 

[riisefrutti]

What kind of gap do you guys use on your 3-roller mills? I have a monster mill mm3 and a gap of 0.055" and get insanely slow sparge time(2 hours +). I have read about crush grades to 0.9mm, but that is a rater fine crush?

 

[TexasWine]

What kind of gap do you guys use on your 3-roller mills? I have a monster mill mm3 and a gap of 0.055" and get insanely slow sparge time(2 hours +). I have read about crush grades to 0.9mm, but that is a rater fine crush?

Try conditioning your malt with 1-2% by weight water. It should leave more of the husk in tact, thus creating a more free flowing sparge.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Malt_Conditioning

 

[gamerc]

Well, I went ahead and purchased a GF connect from Midwestsupplies using a 20% off coupon. I am coming from an extract brewer (started last summer), and this is my first step into all grain. It should be here next week, so I'll go ahead and put it through it's paces that weekend.

I have read through the entire thread over the last few days. Interesting personalities in here for sure...

 

[PCL]

Have either of you seen the Grainfather Videos by David Heath? They're very good and contain a couple tips & tricks vid's as well as several brew day vids. I found they are almost essential to get the most out of using the Grainfather.

Great call on that! Thanks!

 

[PCL]

Error

 

[riisefrutti]

Try conditioning your malt with 1-2% by weight water. It should leave more of the husk in tact, thus creating a more free flowing sparge.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Malt_Conditioning

Ill give it a go! I`m a bit curious about the crush I have used since I see a lot of recommendations a lot lower than 0.055". I feel that the crush I have used is a bit to fine.

 

[d-bone]

Ill give it a go! I`m a bit curious about the crush I have used since I see a lot of recommendations a lot lower than 0.055". I feel that the crush I have used is a bit to fine.

I am milling at .038" and been doing fine, using rice hulls with grain bills <10lbs.

 

[elreplica]

GF Connects finally arrive in Canada - and we get them first for a change. Going to beat my way to the warehouse Monday before they start shipping out to the rest of Canada. Possibly first on the list....I sense a rather large Maple Wheat Ale coming my way...

 

[elreplica]

Well, I went ahead and purchased a GF connect from Midwestsupplies using a 20% off coupon. I am coming from an extract brewer (started last summer), and this is my first step into all grain. It should be here next week, so I'll go ahead and put it through it's paces that weekend.

I have read through the entire thread over the last few days. Interesting personalities in here for sure...

Congrats and a great deal! Our local vendors give us a 10% discount on things but 20% coupon...excellent! Apparently, AIH Michigan stopped honouring discounts on GF, Blichmann and other gear.

 

[gamerc]

Shipping was also pretty fast... it arrived today bright and early. It was well packed and upon initial inspection, all items seem to be in order and accounted for. I went ahead and plugged in the controller and it immediately paired with my phone. I changed a few settings (240>120v, c>f, US units, etc) all very quickly. I unplugged it and replugged it, all settings remained. I took a few pictures, but it's nothing you all haven't seen already. I'll do a test boil this weekend and make sure everything is clean and in working order, and likely do my first all grain brew next weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Minky]

Ill give it a go! I`m a bit curious about the crush I have used since I see a lot of recommendations a lot lower than 0.055". I feel that the crush I have used is a bit to fine.

I think it's safe to say that, due to differences in construction, there isn't one gap that works for all mills. Probably the biggest difference is in the configuration and depth of the knurling on the rollers, but I think even the RPM that the mill turns at has an effect on the crush.

I'm using a Phil-Mill II with a gear-reduction motor that runs at 85 RPM. I'm getting the best results around .050".

 

[skraeling]

Shipping was also pretty fast... it arrived today bright and early. It was well packed and upon initial inspection, all items seem to be in order and accounted for. I went ahead and plugged in the controller and it immediately paired with my phone. I changed a few settings (240>120v, c>f, US units, etc) all very quickly. I unplugged it and replugged it, all settings remained. I took a few pictures, but it's nothing you all haven't seen already. I'll do a test boil this weekend and make sure everything is clean and in working order, and likely do my first all grain brew next weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

my Jelousy is ugly. Ive had my connect upgrade pre ordered since febuary 1st :\

still waiting on it.