Grainfather!!

[TBC]

How long do you let your grain drain into the boil?

Until it’s done draining or I reach my boil.
Leaving it there draining also helps to keep a little heat in there. No need to move it until you have to add your hops.

 

[skraeling]

Good call. I don’t get home at a normal time though. But I will definitely start using for weekend brews.

Its by far one of my favorite features... second being no variation switch heh.

 

[scallopking]

Hey everyone, long time no post. Well, my GF pump stopped pumping with the CFC chiller two brews ago. I had a really old CFC when I bought my GF so got a new one and that didn't fix it, just wasn't making it through. So I got a new pump on Aliexpress delivered today and plugged it in. I didn't have any stainless fittings, hope these lead-free brass are okay. Mash is going right now, so far so good. I like having the extra power, still to be seen after the boil. The pump is pretty quiet and the temperature hasn't been fluctuating as much from before. I'll let you all know how the rest goes soon.

 

[couchsending]

I apologize if this has been discussed but was wondering what everyone is setting their grain crush at for the GF. I’ve got a MM3 and just started conditioning my malt. Wow what a visual difference! However my efficiency went to **** even with the gap on my mill to .032ish. Sparge was incredibly fast (clearly too fast) which I would think was a big part of the issue. Is it possible I was getting some channeling or was the grain bed just too porous? I feel like if I go less than .050 non conditioned I get fine efficiency but there is way too much material that makes it through the bottom filter plate into the boil. I purchased a fine mesh SS screen that I cut to fit on top of the bottom plate to try to keep more particulate out but I got some weird efficiency issues with that as well (although I couldn’t quite figure that out)

 

[Knkbrand]

I apologize if this has been discussed but was wondering what everyone is setting their grain crush at for the GF. I’ve got a MM3 and just started conditioning my malt. Wow what a visual difference! However my efficiency went to badword even with the gap on my mill to .032ish. Sparge was incredibly fast (clearly too fast) which I would think was a big part of the issue. Is it possible I was getting some channeling or was the grain bed just too porous? I feel like if I go less than .050 non conditioned I get fine efficiency but there is way too much material that makes it through the bottom filter plate into the boil. I purchased a fine mesh SS screen that I cut to fit on top of the bottom plate to try to keep more particulate out but I got some weird efficiency issues with that as well (although I couldn’t quite figure that out)

I use a paint straining bag around the bottom plate, and it works great, no more crud floating around after mashing

 

[couchsending]

I use a paint straining bag around the bottom plate, and it works great, no more crud floating around after mashing

What do you mill at? What are your efficiency numbers usually? Still get good recirc and the wort clears by the end of the Mash?

 

[Knkbrand]

What do you mill at? What are your efficiency numbers usually? Still get good recirc and the wort clears by the end of the Mash?

My Barely crusher is set at about .050, my last brew was an Oatmeal stout (Yooper's) efficiency was 82% according to Beersmith, wort is always clear at the end of the mash. was hard to tell on this last one, due to it being a stout, but it turned out great. I was adjusting the flow so that no wort went down the overflow port, but I have recently started using a strainer over the overflow to keep stuff from going down it , and this with the paint straining bag over the bottom plate works for me.

 

[couchsending]

My Barely crusher is set at about .050, my last brew was an Oatmeal stout (Yooper's) efficiency was 82% according to Beersmith, wort is always clear at the end of the mash. was hard to tell on this last one, due to it being a stout, but it turned out great. I was adjusting the flow so that no wort went down the overflow port, but I have recently started using a strainer over the overflow to keep stuff from going down it , and this with the paint straining bag over the bottom plate works for me.

So you just wrap the strainer around the plate? And it all fits with the gasket?

 

[Knkbrand]

So you just wrap the strainer around the plate? And it all fits with the gasket?

I can't remember what size it is, but I got it at home depot. basically i slide the bottom plate into the bag and position it so the opening of the bag is below the plate. I then cut a hole for the overflow pipe. so to screw in the pipes, I reach in through the bottom of the bag with the nut, and the pipe goes in the hole I cut. When you screw it together, it holds it all in place. you know how sticky those plates can be when inserting them into the grainfather, the bag actually makes the plate slide in pretty effortlessly. I don't know if the bag is the issue, but I have had a couple of stuck sparges. I was using flaked oats and flaked corn, so that could have been the issue, but I use about a half pound of rice hulls now with every brew. They are cheap, impart no taste, so i figure why not.

 

[RedlegEd]

I apologize if this has been discussed but was wondering what everyone is setting their grain crush at for the GF. I’ve got a MM3 and just started conditioning my malt. Wow what a visual difference! However my efficiency went to badword even with the gap on my mill to .032ish. Sparge was incredibly fast (clearly too fast) which I would think was a big part of the issue. Is it possible I was getting some channeling or was the grain bed just too porous? I feel like if I go less than .050 non conditioned I get fine efficiency but there is way too much material that makes it through the bottom filter plate into the boil. I purchased a fine mesh SS screen that I cut to fit on top of the bottom plate to try to keep more particulate out but I got some weird efficiency issues with that as well (although I couldn’t quite figure that out)

Everything you've done sounds like it should not result in a lower efficiency. If anything, it should be better. My Schmidling Malt Mill is set to default 0.045," I always precondition my grain, and I also use a SS steel screen at the bottom. My BH efficiencies are usually in the 80s, and conversion in the high 90s. My sparges are also usually quick (<15 minutes.) You did not specify if the efficiency was Brewhouse or Conversion, or the size of the grain bill. If Conversion, you may not have stirred the wort thoroughly after sparging to make sure it was homogenous before pulling a sample. If it was Brewhouse, I'm thinking you may have channeled through your grain bed, or possibly, your grain wasn't as fresh as it could be. IMO, you are correct to meter the flow down the overflow pipe as you know it's going down through the grain bed. My recommendation is next time, make sure your MM3 is correctly set and adjustment screws tight, have a good crush, and make sure your mash is fully stirred before setting the top plate and starting. If this is a session beer, or the grain bill is <9 pounds, make sure you follow the GF instructions (unless you are using small pipework.) Chalk this one up to an anomaly and try again. RDWHAHB. Hope this helps. Ed

 

[couchsending]

Everything you've done sounds like it should not result in a lower efficiency. If anything, it should be better. My Schmidling Malt Mill is set to default 0.045," I always precondition my grain, and I also use a SS steel screen at the bottom. My BH efficiencies are usually in the 80s, and conversion in the high 90s. My sparges are also usually quick (<15 minutes.) You did not specify if the efficiency was Brewhouse or Conversion, or the size of the grain bill. If Conversion, you may not have stirred the wort thoroughly after sparging to make sure it was homogenous before pulling a sample. If it was Brewhouse, I'm thinking you may have channeled through your grain bed, or possibly, your grain wasn't as fresh as it could be. IMO, you are correct to meter the flow down the overflow pipe as you know it's going down through the grain bed. My recommendation is next time, make sure your MM3 is correctly set and adjustment screws tight, have a good crush, and make sure your mash is fully stirred before setting the top plate and starting. If this is a session beer, or the grain bill is <9 pounds, make sure you follow the GF instructions (unless you are using small pipework.) Chalk this one up to an anomaly and try again. RDWHAHB. Hope this helps. Ed

It’s gotta be channeling. Definitely stir well before checking PBG, I monitor the valve so as to only get a very small amount of wort flowing over the overflow. I put markings on my MM3 at exact measurements with a feeler gauge, PH is always 5.2-5.3, etc. I’ve got the micro pipe work for small batches/grain bills. I’ve never done an iodine test so maybe I’m not getting full conversion but I highly doubt it. Mashes are usually a minimum of 45 minutes with a 15 minute raise/rest to 168. I’ve also done a few 144/155/168 or 144/162/168 step mashes with the conditioned grain that had odd/slightly lower than expected mash efficiency which I was definitely not expecting.

 

[RedlegEd]

It’s gotta be channeling. Definitely stir well before checking PBG, I monitor the valve so as to only get a very small amount of wort flowing over the overflow. I put markings on my MM3 at exact measurements with a feeler gauge, PH is always 5.2-5.3, etc. I’ve got the micro pipe work for small batches/grain bills. I’ve never done an iodine test so maybe I’m not getting full conversion but I highly doubt it. Mashes are usually a minimum of 45 minutes with a 15 minute raise/rest to 168. I’ve also done a few 144/155/168 or 144/162/168 step mashes with the conditioned grain that had odd/slightly lower than expected mash efficiency which I was definitely not expecting.

Sounds like you're all over it, so this is a real puzzler. I'm guessing you're conditioning your grain with 2-3% water (by weight?) I usually condition mine ~24 hours and mill just before doughing in. I can't believe that conditioning the grain would result in this. My only other suggestion might be to increase your mash time to 60+ minutes and then do your mash out. I know it adds to the brewday, and some folks will claim that conversion occurs in as little as 10-15 minutes, but I'm brewing for pleasure, not profit so the extra 15+ minutes is not a big deal. Good luck in chasing this down. Ed

 

[couchsending]

2% and I only do it for 10 minutes, all you need to have a dramatic effect. Same mill setting would result in nothing but shredded husk, after 10 minutes of conditioning I’d say they’re 80% intact, it’s nuts.

 

[Pkrd]

Public service announcement. 20% off this weekend (unless you're a pom).
https://www.grainfather.com

My will is fading...

 

[skraeling]

Public service announcement. 20% off this weekend (unless you're a pom).
https://www.grainfather.com

My will is fading...

um yeah... it should.

 

[TexasWine]

Any of y'all GF owners ever use the Connect controller in another brew rig? On the surface it seems like it would be a really cheap upgrade for a 120v brewer who wants a little more automation.

 

[boasist]

Has anybody ever taken the pump apart for cleaning? I really like that pump mod featured above.

 

[RedlegEd]

Has anybody ever taken the pump apart for cleaning? I really like that pump mod featured above.

Hi. Yes, I've taken mine out to clean and replace the little plastic collars on the silicone connections with worm type hose clamps. Very easy to do. Simply squeeze the stainless cover top & bottom to unlatch and remove. The pump is held in with two screws and the silicone connectors. Once you pull the pump, disassemble the pump head, clean, and reinstall. Easy-peasy. Hope this helps. Ed

 

[Frilock]

Well you can add me to the list of GF owners. Finally got tired of my bag in a cooler method.

Had some reflectix left over so I used it to make a jacket. Single layer except for cut a small bit that runs outside the recirc pipe. I'll see how it does and might put on a second layer. Ran the wash cycle the other day to get a feel for it, hoping to try out a batch tonight.


Just realized I need to cutout a hole for the temp probe. Whoops.

Edit: better pic format

 

[specharka]

Well I jumped on the bandwagon, and so far the transition has been great. I brew a lot of continental beers, so one of the biggest draws for me was the simple step mashing, which eases my brew day tremendously. No more issues hitting my mash steps or maintaining temperatures (upgraded from a cooler MLT). I had to test the limits of the grainfather with the Achouffe mash schedule and 30% adjunct, with spectacular results...

 

[elreplica]

Achouffe? Well..gesundheit!

 

[lightnin9]

When and how does anyone take gravity readings? Is using the recirculation arm after mash and again after sparge the best way to get a sample? I’ve gotten through my first brew with the Grainfather and that’s my main confusion.

Thanks

 

[RedlegEd]

When and how does anyone take gravity readings? Is using the recirculation arm after mash and again after sparge the best way to get a sample? I’ve gotten through my first brew with the Grainfather and that’s my main confusion.

Thanks

Hi. Congratulations on your first brew using the GF! I hope that was the only issue you had. The way I do it is to pull my conversion sample after I finish my sparge, the grain basket is pretty much done dripping, and I've taken it off and put it into a clean plastic oil pan to catch any remaining drips. Stir the wort thoroughly and just dip a Pyrex measuring cup (you only need about 1/2c for a hydro sample) into the wort. If you don't stir the wort well to get it fully mixed before you take the sample, your reading might be off. I've also run some out of the recirc arm, but found the readings weren't the same as when I stirred it first. BTW, I let the sample cool before taking my hydro, then when I'm done, I throw it back into the wort to boil. Your last measurement you can take directly from the CFC chiller. DO NOT throw that sample back in. Take your gravity reading and either taste/drink the sample or chuck it. Don't risk ruining your batch by putting it into the fermenter. Hope that helps. Ed

 

[1Floydbrew]

If you use BrewSmith to develop your recipes, it will assist in establishing the right strike water temperature by entering the grain temperature in the mash profile. I've found it does a rather good job providing you have changed some settings in BeerSmith to fit the Grainfather. Use the attached profiles and explanation to make the necessary changes. By the way, by making these changes, BrewSmith's inability to accurated calculate mash and sparge water quantities are also fixed

This is an awesome correction but I am still coming up about .5 gallons short of where I want the preboil and post boil volumes to be. Where do I tweak this profile to get more sparse water into the equation?

 

[scallopking]

Took a while but here's two shots of the flow with the new pump. This was with 5.5 oz of pellet hops combined boil and hopstand. The hops were all caked up against the pump like the stock but this flowed much better and consistently the same. The original pump never flowed like this. Happy so far with the upgrade, glad the old one went out. If I could upload a video you could see it better.

Hey everyone, long time no post. Well, my GF pump stopped pumping with the CFC chiller two brews ago. I had a really old CFC when I bought my GF so got a new one and that didn't fix it, just wasn't making it through. So I got a new pump on Aliexpress delivered today and plugged it in. I didn't have any stainless fittings, hope these lead-free brass are okay. Mash is going right now, so far so good. I like having the extra power, still to be seen after the boil. The pump is pretty quiet and the temperature hasn't been fluctuating as much from before. I'll let you all know how the rest goes soon.

 

[nicknicknick]

So this is the second time the heating element won't turn on for me.

The first time, I did the disconnect from power, drain water, push reset switch on the bottom of the Grainfather and (after a number of tries and waiting) it starts working again.

This time, the above process does not do anything. When I tried to unplug the heating element from the connect, the plug seems stuck in the socket. After pulling harder on the cord to try to get it out, the electric socket comes out with the plug. It seems like the plug is fused into the socket!?!?

Anyone else had something like this happen?

 

[ttuato]

View attachment 549594 View attachment 549595 Took a while but here's two shots of the flow with the new pump. This was with 5.5 oz of pellet hops combined boil and hopstand. The hops were all caked up against the pump like the stock but this flowed much better and consistently the same. The original pump never flowed like this. Happy so far with the upgrade, glad the old one went out. If I could upload a video you could see it better.

Is that a HERMS coil in the lid?

 

[TexasWine]

Is that a HERMS coil in the lid?

Looks like temp control coils for a SS Brewtech fermentor to me.

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/ftss

 

[ttuato]

Looks like temp control coils for a SS Brewtech fermentor to me.

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/ftss

You beat me. I just realized the same.

 

[skraeling]

So this is the second time the heating element won't turn on for me.

The first time, I did the disconnect from power, drain water, push reset switch on the bottom of the Grainfather and (after a number of tries and waiting) it starts working again.

This time, the above process does not do anything. When I tried to unplug the heating element from the connect, the plug seems stuck in the socket. After pulling harder on the cord to try to get it out, the electric socket comes out with the plug. It seems like the plug is fused into the socket!?!?

Anyone else had something like this happen?

Yes this is a common problem with the connect box. Grainfather says its been fixed, but... who knows.

The cheap garbage outlet on the box cant handle the load from the element and would melt it into it.

Contact GF and they will replace.

Its a known issue by them. They will sort you out.

 

[scallopking]

You beat me. I just realized the same.

Yup yup!

 

[ferm.adventures]

I just picked up a grainfather as my secondary brew system and brewed on it for the first time yesterday. Some Questions on what others do based on the manufacturer's recommendations

• Is "scraping the bottom" to remove proteins necessary? I tried to do that with my mashing paddle, and I don't think it did anything beyond knocking off the rubber cap to the pump filter.
• Does everyone use some sort of hop spider/filter? The grainfather indicated the pump filter would be enough to filter hops, but I see above.
• Does anyone use a graincoat vs a homemade reflectix jacket? I made a reflectix jacket and got a slow boil that kept straying between 210 - 211. Not that it's a big problem, but I'm wondering if the graincoat is better.

 

[elreplica]

I just picked up a grainfather as my secondary brew system and brewed on it for the first time yesterday. Some Questions on what others do based on the manufacturer's recommendations

• Is "scraping the bottom" to remove proteins necessary? I tried to do that with my mashing paddle, and I don't think it did anything beyond knocking off the rubber cap to the pump filter.
• Does everyone use some sort of hop spider/filter? The grainfather indicated the pump filter would be enough to filter hops, but I see above.
• Does anyone use a graincoat vs a homemade reflectix jacket? I made a reflectix jacket and got a slow boil that kept straying between 210 - 211. Not that it's a big problem, but I'm wondering if the graincoat is better.

I have the reflectix and imagine it's just as good as the jacket. However I have the jacket cuz it looks cool and figured I'd put a tuxedo on it...I do have the hop spider after initially using hop balls...they seemed good...really I underuse my system but a) have made good beer b) have made shitty beer and c) have never knocked off my filter, nor scraped by bottom - although I read and hear of plenty who do...

 

[RedlegEd]

I have the reflectix and imagine it's just as good as the jacket. However I have the jacket cuz it looks cool and figured I'd put a tuxedo on it...I do have the hop spider after initially using hop balls...they seemed good...really I underuse my system but a) have made good beer b) have made poopyty beer and c) have never knocked off my filter, nor scraped by bottom - although I read and hear of plenty who do...

+1 ^^^ this.

• I'll occasionally scrape the bottom, but not because I have to. I imagine if you don't use a hop basket/bag, then gunk would accumulate on the bottom and possible create the "overheating" issue (which trips the reset.)
• I use a hop basket/bag just because I don't want to deal with the hop gunk at the end of the brew. I prefer maltier beers, so the "so called" reduction in hop utilization is not a big deal for me.
• I use a Graincoat for the same reason @elreplica does. It looks a little more refined than just straight reflectix (though probably not that more efficient.)

Ed

 

[skleice]

Im thinking about purchasing a GF, but wondering how the warranty works when purchased through NB?

Sorry if this has been covered many times, but this is a looonngg thread.

 

[RedlegEd]

Im thinking about purchasing a GF, but wondering how the warranty works when purchased through NB?
Sorry if this has been covered many times, but this is a looonngg thread.

Hi. I think you'll be very happy with your decision. I bought mine from Homebrew Supply, but I suspect the warranty works without regard from where you bought it. If you have any questions, give them a call and ask them outright. They're a good company and I'm sure they'll take care of you. Here's what the Grainfather website said about their 24 month warranty (my italics): "Please keep your order confirmation as this will authenticate your warranty. We can only accept returns from those who purchased from an official Grainfather website, owned by Imake Ltd. If you purchased this from a stockist, the retail store will be your point of contact for repairs/replacements." Hope this helps. Ed

 

[ferm.adventures]

Im thinking about purchasing a GF, but wondering how the warranty works when purchased through NB?

Sorry if this has been covered many times, but this is a looonngg thread.

I bought mine through the Adventures in Homebrewing (homebrewing.org). They sell the GF units via a drop shipment from the distributor brewcraftusa.com

I had a small issue with mine on receipt, where one of the tabs on the top plate was unattached. I sent an email to Adventures in Homebrewing, and they got back to me on the 26th that they would get a new top plate sent by the distributor, and I should get it by next week.

 

[ferm.adventures]

+1 ^^^ this.

• I'll occasionally scrape the bottom, but not because I have to. I imagine if you don't use a hop basket/bag, then gunk would accumulate on the bottom and possible create the "overheating" issue (which trips the reset.)
• I use a hop basket/bag just because I don't want to deal with the hop gunk at the end of the brew. I prefer maltier beers, so the "so called" reduction in hop utilization is not a big deal for me.
• I use a Graincoat for the same reason @elreplica does. It looks a little more refined than just straight reflectix (though probably not that more efficient.)

Ed

My second brew I used a bag for my hops. However, this time I had grain particles clogging up the valve. luckily for me I was checking the recirculation during the boil and found the issue then. had to take off the ball safety and clean out the grain a couple of times to get any flow. Eventually it stopped clogging.

The consensus appears online appears to be that this issue is due to a crush that was too fine. For me next brew I'll adjust my mill gap and wrap the mash pipe in one of my biab bags.

I made sure that my reflectix was strapped on tight this time, and my boil volume was a bit less than the first brew, but I had no issues keeping the boil temp at 212 for the entire boil.

 

[RedlegEd]

The consensus appears online appears to be that this issue is due to a crush that was too fine. For me next brew I'll adjust my mill gap and wrap the mash pipe in one of my biab bags.

Hi. You may want to reconsider wrapping the filter. If it clogs, you'll have no choice but to knock it off, or drain the kettle to unclog it. I suggest you may want to try (if you don't already do so,) conditioning your grain with 2-3% (by weight) of water misted and mixed into the grain before milling. I usually do mine the day before, let it rest, then mill right before doughing in. I use a Schmidling Malt Mill with a factory default gap of ~0.045. I know that's a little wide, but I never have an issue with grain flour or stuck sparges. If you continue to have issues with grain bits, a lot of folks (to include me) use a fine SS mesh on top of the bottom filter plate. But again, if you crush too fine without conditioning, that'll get clogged too. Hope this helps. Ed

 

[Mybuddypete]

Here's a question. Is this unit serviceable in any way as far as the heating element or pump goes? Looks like a cheap proprietary pump that could be replaceable if needed. But what about the element? It's a hidden element from what I can see but is it removeable? Wouldn't want to spend a grand on this, have the element take a crap 6-12 months in and find out you'd need to buy a whole new system. Lot of money for a disposable unit.

It would be easy to drill a hole in the side and add a 110v water heater element and use the GF controller to power that.