Grainfather!!

[Dohboy]

Probably 1/2in bsp

 

[BobOki]

a computer screwing something up, you dont say.

Not a pc.. the app itself. I contacted Grainfather and they confirmed a new app is coming soon, that should fix this. But... to make sure it does not happen I went ahead and upgraded to the new controller and will use the already upgraded Connect app. Let's hope this works better!

 

[d-bone]

Anyone know the thread type on the check valve, where the re-circulation
tube and counter flow chiller attach? It is not 1/2" npt, although it's close. Is it metric?

i have no idea, but let us know when you find out. I would like to replace my valve with one that has a longer handle.

 

[dttk0009]

Brewed an IPA today but was off the mark for my set OG by quite a bit (1058 instead of 1065). This was assuming an efficiency of 75%. It's hard for me to pinpoint the reason since if I'm off the mark it's usually only by a couple points and to be honest, the mash seemed to go great. With today's results, my efficiency was in the 60's, which is something I want to avoid in the future.

I've read that sparging with the Grainfather using the suggested method (pouring sparge water over the grate) can cause lower efficiency. I also made sure the sparge water was at 75C (167F) and I crush my malt to make sure that it's not too coarse.

Anyone have experience with this? Any tips for sparging with the Grainfather or reasons efficiency might be lower?

 

[WesM63]

Brewed an IPA today but was off the mark for my set OG by quite a bit (1058 instead of 1065). This was assuming an efficiency of 75%. It's hard for me to pinpoint the reason since if I'm off the mark it's usually only by a couple points and to be honest, the mash seemed to go great. With today's results, my efficiency was in the 60's, which is something I want to avoid in the future.

I've read that sparging with the Grainfather using the suggested method (pouring sparge water over the grate) can cause lower efficiency. I also made sure the sparge water was at 75C (167F) and I crush my malt to make sure that it's not too coarse.

Anyone have experience with this? Any tips for sparging with the Grainfather or reasons efficiency might be lower?

I've had this problem with anything over OG of 1.060. I haven't found a solution, but i was told repeatedly and with conviction that it was due to the coarse LHBS crush. I went out and picked up a mill and everything. (I hope that solves some of the problems, but i remain skeptical)

The other things I've seen mention were to stop the recirc and manually stir the mash every 20min or so.

 

[bmorosco]

I was having this problem in the beginning and the mill solved the trick for me..

 

[Syke]

Any tips for sparging with the Grainfather or reasons efficiency might be lower?

Take it slow. Add a little water and let it drain. Then add a little more and let it drain. Spend a good 30 minutes or more sparging while the wort is heating to a boil.

 

[Jettison]

Take it slow. Add a little water and let it drain. Then add a little more and let it drain. Spend a good 30 minutes or more sparging while the wort is heating to a boil.

Second this. My LHBS grain crush is perfect for GF. Hitting 90% mash efficiency consistently. Had to adjust for this ion the recipe creator to obtain accurate OG forecasts, as I was hitting 5 points over at times

 

[dttk0009]

Hmm, alright. I'll keep the mentioned points in mind. Next beer is gonna be a big one again (Delirium Tremens clone), so I'll adjust my efficiency downward to make sure, maybe 70%.

 

[dttk0009]

By the way, anyone have a reliable 5 Gallon Beersmith 2 profile for the Grainfather they can share? I've seen a few variations but they're all based on 28 Liter boil volumes (or is this intentional?)

 

[JGlav]

i have no idea, but let us know when you find out. I would like to replace my valve with one that has a longer handle.

Looks like it's 1/2 British pipe thread

 

[BrewinSoldier]

By the way, anyone have a reliable 5 Gallon Beersmith 2 profile for the Grainfather they can share? I've seen a few variations but they're all based on 28 Liter boil volumes (or is this intentional?)

That is because you lose 1.4 gallons to Trub and boiloff that stays in the bottom. That's where the filter cuts off and stops pumping(which is intentional and you want to leave that in the Grainfather). That's figuring a 6 gallon finished batch into the fermenter. If you want 5.5 into the fermenter, then it's 6.9 gallons. Just depends on what size batches you are making. I change mine based on what I'm making, (for example IPAs I always get 6 into the fermenter, the pilsner I just made doesn't have any dry hops, but I'm adding cucumber so I did 5.5 into the fermenter.

 

[newfiebrew]

My two most recent GF brews are ready for kegging! Ones a citrus wit and the other Gavins Mighty Helles. Not hard to tell which one had gelatin added eh? Looking forward to tasting these very soon.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1495459507.795430.jpg

 

[RockyMountainCraftBrewing]

My two most recent GF brews are ready for kegging! Ones a citrus wit and the other Gavins Mighty Helles. Not hard to tell which one had gelatin added eh? Looking forward to tasting these very soon.View attachment 401457

I suggest you get rid of the glass carboys and ferment in corny kegs since you keg your beer.The gas post makes for a perfect blow off and all you need to do is cut the liquid tube by about 4 inches.No worry about sunlight and the yeast drops right to the bottom.Simply cold crash and hook up the CO2 and force transfer into a serving keg.Never will you worry about a broken glass carboy again.

RMCB

 

[benner_28]

Hmm, alright. I'll keep the mentioned points in mind. Next beer is gonna be a big one again (Delirium Tremens clone), so I'll adjust my efficiency downward to make sure, maybe 70%.

Mind sharing your clone recipe? I love that beer!

 

[dttk0009]

Mind sharing your clone recipe? I love that beer!

Sure thing! I'll actually be going with the clone recipe from the forum here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=112957

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Just curious but is anyone consistently getting over attenuating beers with their Grainfather? For the life of me ever since I stopped using my 3 vessel and only using my Grainfather, my beers are finishing way low and making my IPAs very bitter and dry with no malt sweetness to back it up. I mash at 153-154 but I'm starting to think I need to bump it up to 158 range.

 

[BrewBrains]

Just curious but is anyone consistently getting over attenuating beers with their Grainfather? For the life of me ever since I stopped using my 3 vessel and only using my Grainfather, my beers are finishing way low and making my IPAs very bitter and dry with no malt sweetness to back it up. I mash at 153-154 but I'm starting to think I need to bump it up to 158 range.

I was just thinking along similar lines, as I had noticed I didn't seem to get a fuller body on my last hefeweizen than the previous batch by doing the sach rest at 154 as opposed to 149. I think the problem might be doing step mashes via the temperature mash in the GF as opposed to the infusion method? BrewinSoldier, did you do a lower temp rest 1st, like a protein or ferrulic acid rest that I did for my beer? Does anyone else find this is an issue because you're taking the mash thru the beta amylase range on the ramp up to the alpha range? I'm thinking you need to dump the grains in when the mash water is already at the sacharification rest temp in order to hit the body you want for that beer. Is anyone actually adding hotter water to do a step mash?

 

[BrewinSoldier]

I was just thinking along similar lines, as I had noticed I didn't seem to get a fuller body on my last hefeweizen than the previous batch by doing the sach rest at 154 as opposed to 149. I think the problem might be doing step mashes via the temperature mash in the GF as opposed to the infusion method? BrewinSoldier, did you do a lower temp rest 1st, like a protein or ferrulic acid rest that I did for my beer? Does anyone else find this is an issue because you're taking the mash thru the beta amylase range on the ramp up to the alpha range? I'm thinking you need to dump the grains in when the mash water is already at the sacharification rest temp in order to hit the body you want for that beer. Is anyone actually adding hotter water to do a step mash?

I don't ever usually do a step mash. I get my mash water usually 6° or so above where I want to mash, and the grain when I dough in brings it to 153-154. In winter when the grain is colder, I'll go 10° or so above to hit my target mash temp. The only beer I've done a step mash with was for a Cucumber Pilsner I just brewed using 100% floor malted bohemian pilsner malt. I held it at 130 or so for 20 mins I think, then bumped it to 152ish for the rest. Sometimes I'll do a mashout at 170 for 10mins but I think I'm just going to start doing that from now on to prevent any further conversion. I also read on a forum that some people who were having problems with thin or dry over attenuating beers, then changed to a shorter mash time of like 40 mins and it solved their problems. I just made and brewed a recipe up for a Focal Banger Clone so I want to see how it finishes. I used 1318 yeast and that specific yeast isn't a very high attenuating strain, so we shall see what happens. Next IPA I make will be mashed at 158-160 and I'm going to keep taking temps at the top and in the actual grain bed with my thermapen to compare to the bottom reading temp probe. I'm wondering if the flucuation of temp is what might be throwing it off if they are at actual different temps(so might be mashing lower than what the controller is reading). One problem I have on every batch with the grainfather​ is that I feel like the wort isn't circulating through the grain very well, even with 1/2lb of rice hulls. It ALWAYS puts a ton down the overflow pipe instead of through the grain where it should be going. I keep playing with my grain crush size as well opening it up hoping it will improve the flow as well as my efficiency (currently around 70%).

 

[Teesquar]

One problem I have on every batch with the grainfather​ is that I feel like the wort isn't circulating through the grain very well, even with 1/2lb of rice hulls. It ALWAYS puts a ton down the overflow pipe instead of through the grain where it should be going. I keep playing with my grain crush size as well opening it up hoping it will improve the flow as well as my efficiency (currently around 70%).

Have you tried conditioning the grains before running them through the mill? It adds about 20 minutes to the prebrew process but it allows the grain hulls to create their own filter media.

My Barley Crusher is set at .039" and my current batch of Festbier looks like it'll be coming in at around 85% efficiency, a few points higher than the anticipated 82%. The wort ran clear around 45 minutes in and the sparge was perfect. The overflow seemed a little quick at first, but settled down later in the mash.

https://www.brewstat.us/share/958/festbier

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Have you tried conditioning the grains before running them through the mill? It adds about 20 minutes to the prebrew process but it allows the grain hulls to create their own filter media.

My Barley Crusher is set at .039" and my current batch of Festbier looks like it'll be coming in at around 85% efficiency, a few points higher than the anticipated 82%. The wort ran clear around 45 minutes in and the sparge was perfect. The overflow seemed a little quick at first, but settled down later in the mash.

https://www.brewstat.us/share/958/festbier

What temp were you mashing at?

 

[Teesquar]

150 with approx 75% pilsner and 25% vienna. Other variables ... I use BruinWater and had a Munich profile. Mash pH was measured at 5.4.

 

[Kampenken]

That is because you lose 1.4 gallons to Trub and boiloff that stays in the bottom. That's where the filter cuts off and stops pumping(which is intentional and you want to leave that in the Grainfather). ..

Why would you say that? I think it's location is solely manufacturing fitting. I tip the GF towards the pump and capture more than leaving it flat (as do many others here). No reason to leave that fine wort behind!

... One problem I have on every batch with the grainfather​ is that I feel like the wort isn't circulating through the grain very well, even with 1/2lb of rice hulls. It ALWAYS puts a ton down the overflow pipe instead of through the grain where it should be going. I keep playing with my grain crush size as well opening it up hoping it will improve the flow as well as my efficiency (currently around 70%).

Slow down your recirc so it doesn't go over the overflow pipe and you'll solve that issue.
Assuming brew house eff, you're fine, I wouldn't get too hung up on it, rather aim for consistency. By tipping when you transfer this figure will increase.

 

[nicknicknick]

I want to buy the grainfather but have been waiting for them to release the updated android app that connects reliably to the bluetooth controller.

It looks like they just released the new android app on 5/30. Has anyone used it? If so, should I make the plunge?

 

[skraeling]

I want to buy the grainfather but have been waiting for them to release the updated android app that connects reliably to the bluetooth controller.

It looks like they just released the new android app on 5/30. Has anyone used it? If so, should I make the plunge?

even without the app the controller works great in manual mode and is pretty easy to program.

 

[bmorosco]

Why would you say that? I think it's location is solely manufacturing fitting. I tip the GF towards the pump and capture more than leaving it flat (as do many others here). No reason to leave that fine wort behind!



Slow down your recirc so it doesn't go over the overflow pipe and you'll solve that issue.
Assuming brew house eff, you're fine, I wouldn't get too hung up on it, rather aim for consistency. By tipping when you transfer this figure will increase.

Agree 100% USE THE RED lever to control the recirculation!

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Why would you say that? I think it's location is solely manufacturing fitting. I tip the GF towards the pump and capture more than leaving it flat (as do many others here). No reason to leave that fine wort behind!

Because that's what the manual tells you when calculating out your water for Sparge and mash. It's the way the Grainfather is made by where they located the pump so you purposely leave behind all the Trub and junk at the bottom. So when you want 6 gallons into the fermenter, you should start with 7.4 gallons. Between boiloff and what is supposed to stay at the bottom, I always end up with 6 gallons into the fermenter without having to tip and put all that hop debris into my fermenter.



Slow down your recirc so it doesn't go over the overflow pipe and you'll solve that issue.
Assuming brew house eff, you're fine, I wouldn't get too hung up on it, rather aim for consistency. By tipping when you transfer this figure will increase.

I tried that once and had a bunch of problems with keeping a consistent temp and also got scorching on the element. Hopefully it doesn't ruin the pilsner I made since you can taste every little flaw with those.

 

[d-bone]

Sure thing! I'll actually be going with the clone recipe from the forum here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=112957

i brewed this a while back. one of my best to date. remember to warm condition.

 

[seabrew8]

Hey folks, i just mashed in at 67c with the grainfather. But i used a thermometer to check the temp of the mash and it read 57c.

Have anyone else noticed such a difference?

 

[pocketmon]

Hey folks, i just mashed in at 67c with the grainfather. But i used a thermometer to check the temp of the mash and it read 57c.

Have anyone else noticed such a difference?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7904284&postcount=19

I posted it here in this thread, too. Not many people care about it, though.