Grainfather!!

[elproducto]

My grainfather connect suffered the infamous melted plug problem, 3 weeks before my 2 year warranty was up. Grainfather sent me an entire new unit, chiller and everything as a replacement. Good thing I kept my old controller, I now have two fully functioning GF's.

Great warranty, would like to see if Robobrew users get that.

 

[elreplica]

My grainfather connect suffered the infamous melted plug problem, 3 weeks before my 2 year warranty was up. Grainfather sent me an entire new unit, chiller and everything as a replacement. Good thing I kept my old controller, I now have two fully functioning GF's.

Great warranty, would like to see if Robobrew users get that.

Lol...now that...is service! Double barrelled Grainfather!

 

[MusicalBrewer]

I just finished my 4th brew on the Grainfather and am looking for some help.

To clarify, I've only read about 40% of this thread, so if I'm asking what's been answered I apologize. Just haven't had the the time to read everything.

My efficiency is only 63%. I got that to jump from 55% by increasing my grain crush. I'm crushing at .043. I fly sparge with a cooler positioned above the grain basket. Any advice on how to increase efficiency. I'm guessing it's operator error since others are getting significantly higher than me. (I'm talking specifically about grain efficiency - not brewhouse efficiency)

Also, this pump is absolutely worthless. The batch I just finished took me over an hour to cool 7 gallons of wort - and that was with just one ounce of hops. Has anyone found a replacement pump with the same footprint as the original pump? Or a better strainer to use?

Thanks in advance.

 

[thedon986]

I just finished my 4th brew on the Grainfather and am looking for some help.

To clarify, I've only read about 40% of this thread, so if I'm asking what's been answered I apologize. Just haven't had the the time to read everything.

My efficiency is only 63%. I got that to jump from 55% by increasing my grain crush. I'm crushing at .043. I fly sparge with a cooler positioned above the grain basket. Any advice on how to increase efficiency. I'm guessing it's operator error since others are getting significantly higher than me. (I'm talking specifically about grain efficiency - not brewhouse efficiency)

Also, this pump is absolutely worthless. The batch I just finished took me over an hour to cool 7 gallons of wort - and that was with just one ounce of hops. Has anyone found a replacement pump with the same footprint as the original pump? Or a better strainer to use?

Thanks in advance.

Hope I can chime in here and help. I've had mine about 1.5 years. I initially started with a .039 crush and no conditioning and was getting efficiency in the 60s. I narrowed it to something real low, .032 I think, and also started conditioning my grain. That bumped me up into the 70s and I am happy with that. I also take of the top plate and stir half way through. Conditioning has made a huge difference though and I will never not do it now.

I haven't had any issues with the pump so far. That is weird. I have brewed an NEIPA three times with 6.5oz of hops before chilling and it takes 30mins max. I really find no difference in chilling time between that or a recipe with 2oz in boil. Maybe call up Grainfather and ask. Also, just to be sure, your check valve on the pump output is fully open right? Just checking!

 

[jczippy]

I just finished my 4th brew on the Grainfather and am looking for some help.

To clarify, I've only read about 40% of this thread, so if I'm asking what's been answered I apologize. Just haven't had the the time to read everything.

My efficiency is only 63%. I got that to jump from 55% by increasing my grain crush. I'm crushing at .043. I fly sparge with a cooler positioned above the grain basket. Any advice on how to increase efficiency. I'm guessing it's operator error since others are getting significantly higher than me. (I'm talking specifically about grain efficiency - not brewhouse efficiency)

Also, this pump is absolutely worthless. The batch I just finished took me over an hour to cool 7 gallons of wort - and that was with just one ounce of hops. Has anyone found a replacement pump with the same footprint as the original pump? Or a better strainer to use?

Thanks in advance.

Are you going from the chiller right to the fermenter, or recirculating back to the boiler? Never had it take that long.

 

[PCL]

Hope I can chime in here and help. I've had mine about 1.5 years. I initially started with a .039 crush and no conditioning and was getting efficiency in the 60s. I narrowed it to something real low, .032 I think, and also started conditioning my grain. That bumped me up into the 70s and I am happy with that. I also take of the top plate and stir half way through. Conditioning has made a huge difference though and I will never not do it now.

I haven't had any issues with the pump so far. That is weird. I have brewed an NEIPA three times with 6.5oz of hops before chilling and it takes 30mins max. I really find no difference in chilling time between that or a recipe with 2oz in boil. Maybe call up Grainfather and ask. Also, just to be sure, your check valve on the pump output is fully open right? Just checking!

Do you whirlpool and let sit for 15 min before turning on pump? I was having pump issues and GF support recommended that to me. Even with using a hop spider I had hop debris coating my filter

 

[MusicalBrewer]

Hope I can chime in here and help. I've had mine about 1.5 years. I initially started with a .039 crush and no conditioning and was getting efficiency in the 60s. I narrowed it to something real low, .032 I think, and also started conditioning my grain. That bumped me up into the 70s and I am happy with that. I also take of the top plate and stir half way through. Conditioning has made a huge difference though and I will never not do it now.

I haven't had any issues with the pump so far. That is weird. I have brewed an NEIPA three times with 6.5oz of hops before chilling and it takes 30mins max. I really find no difference in chilling time between that or a recipe with 2oz in boil. Maybe call up Grainfather and ask. Also, just to be sure, your check valve on the pump output is fully open right? Just checking!

Wow, a finer crush and conditioning. I never would have come to that conclusion. Thanks for the input! My initial crush was .037 and I got 55%, and bumping it up to .043 got me 63%. I'll read up on conditioning and give that a try. Since my efficiency went up with the coarser crush I'm gonna try conditioning the coarser crush first. If I can get in the low to mid 70's with that I'll be happy and probably stick with that. If not then I'll start decreasing my crush till I get the results I want.

As far as the pump goes...well...total operator error. I had it throttled way back for the mash and never opened it up fully again. DOH! I didn't notice until I went to clean it. And the sad part is I wasn't even drinking at the time...

Hopefully I can get this dialed in over the next couple brews. Thanks for the input.

 

[thedon986]

Do you whirlpool and let sit for 15 min before turning on pump? I was having pump issues and GF support recommended that to me. Even with using a hop spider I had hop debris coating my filter

With the NEIPA, yes I whirlpool just with a stainless spoon every 5 minutes or so for a half hour. Other beers I don't and haven't had a clog yet. There is a lot of hop sludge that builds up on the screen, but I think it actually helps form more of a filter and the beer coming out of the chiller is nice and clear usually.

 

[thedon986]

Wow, a finer crush and conditioning. I never would have come to that conclusion. Thanks for the input! My initial crush was .037 and I got 55%, and bumping it up to .043 got me 63%. I'll read up on conditioning and give that a try. Since my efficiency went up with the coarser crush I'm gonna try conditioning the coarser crush first. If I can get in the low to mid 70's with that I'll be happy and probably stick with that. If not then I'll start decreasing my crush till I get the results I want.

As far as the pump goes...well...total operator error. I had it throttled way back for the mash and never opened it up fully again. DOH! I didn't notice until I went to clean it. And the sad part is I wasn't even drinking at the time...

Hopefully I can get this dialed in over the next couple brews. Thanks for the input.

No problem, I never tried a coarser crush, but once I saw how intact the hulls were with conditioning and how well the endosperm was broken up, I'll never go back. It's like have free rice hulls in your grist every time.

 

[MusicalBrewer]

No problem, I never tried a coarser crush, but once I saw how intact the hulls were with conditioning and how well the endosperm was broken up, I'll never go back. It's like have free rice hulls in your grist every time.

So curiosity got the best of me and I decided to run a test yesterday. I did some reading online and saw a lot of breweries use 1.5mm - 1.7mm crush (.059"-.066"). I set my mill gap at .058" with a feeler gauge and conditioned the malt. I tell you, I heard angels singing "Hallelujah" every time I went to check on the mash. I could actually run the pump wide open it was draining so well.

I had high hopes that my efficiency was going to increase...but alas, those hopes were dashed. 56% was the final result. I'm going to pick up 20# of grain today and run 2 or 3 more tests, each with a finer grain crush. I'm determined to find the grain crush that will give the best efficiency and still drain well.

And for those who don't condition your malt - I'd suggest you try it once and see for yourself. @thedon986 - I'll condition every time from now on!!

 

[RedlegEd]

So curiosity got the best of me and I decided to run a test yesterday. I did some reading online and saw a lot of breweries use 1.5mm - 1.7mm crush (.059"-.066"). I set my mill gap at .058" with a feeler gauge and conditioned the malt. I tell you, I heard angels singing "Hallelujah" every time I went to check on the mash. I could actually run the pump wide open it was draining so well.

I had high hopes that my efficiency was going to increase...but alas, those hopes were dashed. 56% was the final result. I'm going to pick up 20# of grain today and run 2 or 3 more tests, each with a finer grain crush. I'm determined to find the grain crush that will give the best efficiency and still drain well.

And for those who don't condition your malt - I'd suggest you try it once and see for yourself. @thedon986 - I'll condition every time from now on!!

Hi. I think that gap is too much for a homebrew situation. I suggest trying a closer gap + conditioning to see if your efficiency improves. I use a non-adjustable Schmidling Malt Mill with a factory setting of ~0.045". I condition my grain with ~3% water (by wt) about 24 hours before brewing, and mill right before mashing in. My Brewhouse efficiencies stay in the 78-82% range, sometimes higher if I increase my mash times. Good luck with your efforts. Ed

 

[a.pescador.garcia]

Sorry for the noob question, but what does conditioning mean? Are you mixing the grain with water prior to crush?

Just got a grainfather last week, first couple of batches went quite well, beautiful machine!

 

[thedon986]

Sorry for the noob question, but what does conditioning mean? Are you mixing the grain with water prior to crush?

Just got a grainfather last week, first couple of batches went quite well, beautiful machine!

Spritzing with water and mixing. 2% by weight (convert your grain bill to ounces and spritz with 2% of that with water). Spritz 5 or so pumps, mix, repeat till water is gone. I do it in a bucket but a wide, flat pan would be more efficient. Don't crush immediately after, give it at least 10 minutes. I've crushed too soon when in a rush and it left some gummed up spots on the rollers.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/2010/01/16/malt-conditioning/

 

[a.pescador.garcia]

Uoo, thanks for the advice, I will follow it next time I brew. There are actually a couple of things I have seen and don't like, after these two batches.
One is that the first metal bar, the one in the very bottom of the grain basket is scratched by the second bar. Picture enclosed

Also, the rubber protecting the bottom legs are suffering from some wear.

Are these issues normal, or something I should report to the seller? Thanks!

 

[RedlegEd]

Hi. I wouldn't bug your your seller over these minor issues. My overflow pipes also have small scratches and it makes no difference in their performance. Since you use them on the hot side, I wouldn't worry about any kind of sanitation issues. As for the little rubber coatings on the bottom legs....(mine didn't come with them - just plain SS.) These are used to keep the grain basket above the wort when draining, so I really don't even know why they started putting rubber on them (if it were me, I'd just remove the rubber so you don't get pieces in your beer.) Ed

 

[PCL]

With the NEIPA, yes I whirlpool just with a stainless spoon every 5 minutes or so for a half hour. Other beers I don't and haven't had a clog yet. There is a lot of hop sludge that builds up on the screen, but I think it actually helps form more of a filter and the beer coming out of the chiller is nice and clear usually.

Interesting. Do you use a hop spider or just throw all hops in boil? Pellets or whole cone?

I wonder if my hop spider/basket lets out only small particles which are more likely to clog the filter. Possibly better off not using basket?

 

[thedon986]

Interesting. Do you use a hop spider or just throw all hops in boil? Pellets or whole cone?

I wonder if my hop spider/basket lets out only small particles which are more likely to clog the filter. Possibly better off not using basket?

3oz right at flameout then chill to 160 and three more ozs. Whirlpooling with spoon every so often. The pump definitely runs slower than say a beer with 1oz in the boil total but it’s never clogged. I’d say it runs at 2/3 speed of lower hopped beers. Brewed that recipe three times over the past 1.5 years. When I clean off the filter I can’t pick out bigger from little hop particles. Just looks like uniform hop sludge.

 

[seabrew8]

Hi. I wouldn't bug your your seller over these minor issues. My overflow pipes also have small scratches and it makes no difference in their performance. Since you use them on the hot side, I wouldn't worry about any kind of sanitation issues. As for the little rubber coatings on the bottom legs....(mine didn't come with them - just plain SS.) These are used to keep the grain basket above the wort when draining, so I really don't even know why they started putting rubber on them (if it were me, I'd just remove the rubber so you don't get pieces in your beer.) Ed

Yeah really, who put those plastic guards over the grain baskets' feet?

First time reading this thread in a while and see this?!

My grainfather is going strong. Over 2 years now - maybe 15 or more sacks of base malt have gone through it. Just started using the pot still. Whiskey is challenging to make - corn whiskey.

 

[thehaze]

I never had any issue with clogged pump with the Grainfather and I use up to 6-8 oz just for the whirlpool in pelleted form.

For all my hoppy beers, I skip the bittering charge and start adding hops in the last 20 minutes or so. I employ quite a few additions as this has proven to improve the final flavour of the beer. I stopped throwing hops at flameout in a boiling hot wort. What I do, is kill the flame and I quickly cool down the wort to around 60-70C/140-158F. I then throw in the whirlpool hops, I take my SS paddle and stir gently, by creating a whirlpool in the kettle. I let it sit for 10 minutes. I come back and then I create a new whirlpool and let it sit for another 10-15 minutes. I come back, and simply transfer to fermenter.

By now, the temp. is so low, that the CFC will hardly do anything. Due to the lower temp and the whirlpool I created with my paddle and the rest for 30 minutes, the wort leaving the kettle is very clear. The pump will not clog and the hops and grain debris, are nicely settled at the bottom, and not interfering with the transfer. I used Brewtan B and Protafloc for my last 5 batches and it helped even more.

Efficiency is always between 75% and 85%, depending on the grain crush. A finer crush will cause some scorching at the bottom, but it is easily removed.

 

[murphyslaw]

I've been pricing out a 3 vessel electric system. Tired of the constant upgrade cycle, I didn't want to skimp on functionality or quality, but also wanted to keep the cost no higher than $1k. I ended up with preliminary plans for a kal clone with cheaper parts for about $1k....which puts me right in the range for the Grainfather.

The only downside with a grainfather seems to be limiting myself to 5g batches. While I was intrigued by being able to brew split 10g batches, its not something I see myself doing often. From reading through this thread, it seems like there really aren't any other "cons" to going with the grainfather. The simplicity of the system, and the small footprint, really appeal to me.

Someone in my homebrew club is selling his grainfather connect for $600. I may jump on that, though I am hesitant to get one without a warranty.

 

[rtmorris00]

I've been pricing out a 3 vessel electric system. Tired of the constant upgrade cycle, I didn't want to skimp on functionality or quality, but also wanted to keep the cost no higher than $1k. I ended up with preliminary plans for a kal clone with cheaper parts for about $1k....which puts me right in the range for the Grainfather.

The only downside with a grainfather seems to be limiting myself to 5g batches. While I was intrigued by being able to brew split 10g batches, its not something I see myself doing often. From reading through this thread, it seems like there really aren't any other "cons" to going with the grainfather. The simplicity of the system, and the small footprint, really appeal to me.

Someone in my homebrew club is selling his grainfather connect for $600. I may jump on that, though I am hesitant to get one without a warranty.

murphyslaw, I'm about in the same boat as you. I've been going back and forth on upgrading my current 3 tier system to electric or just bite the bullet and go with the Grainfather. It sounds hard to pass on that $600 deal, but the warranty would also concern me. I've seen some decent deals on eBay, Amazon Warehouse, etc., but worried about getting warranty support when buying through these venues. I think I might jump on the next Northern Brewer 20% off sale, but we'll see..

 

[murphyslaw]

murphyslaw, I'm about in the same boat as you. I've been going back and forth on upgrading my current 3 tier system to electric or just bite the bullet and go with the Grainfather. It sounds hard to pass on that $600 deal, but the warranty would also concern me. I've seen some decent deals on eBay, Amazon Warehouse, etc., but worried about getting warranty support when buying through these venues. I think I might jump on the next Northern Brewer 20% off sale, but we'll see..

Its hard to wait for one of those sales once you decide you're going to go for it! I plan to brew this weekend and am tempted to pull the trigger just to get my hands on it.

 

[bigtex52]

I hear ya, Murph. I speak from the experience of the guy with both a Kal clone and a GF. I love my Kal clone. I went the cheaper (not much cheaper!) route as well, with a 15 gallon Blichmann boil kettle and Keggles for both the MT and HLT, chugger pumps and a Unistrut cart. It isn't nearly as pretty as Kal's, but I did it all myself and the beer comes out very good. I have brewed a LOT of good beer with it.

That being said, after an extremely long brew day one day followed by a seemingly even longer cleanup, I reached the decision to try out a GF, and have never looked back. I still have my Kal and use it occasionally, but ease of process, being able to brew in the kitchen in the dead of winter without turning into an icicle or the kitchen into a steam bath and quick and easy cleanup have something to think about. I now probably brew 8 batches in the GF for every 2 I do on the Kal. Hope that helps, and good luck to you on your decision.

 

[rtmorris00]

I appreciate the input, bigtex52, and I think this is going to help push me in the direction of the GF! Just got an email from Northern Brewer, and they started a 20% off sale today. Looks like I might be joining the club sooner rather than later..

 

[bigtex52]

Sounds good RT! I don't believe you will regret it. I see their special includes free shipping too. Not bad! The only thing I do out of the GF way of things is I heat my sparge water on the stove rather than buying a sparge water unit. Maybe some day, but I am not sure my counter plugs will run them both at the same time anyway. Make sure the circuit you are using for your GF is GFI protected. I live in an older house where that wasn't code, so I picked up one of those 1 M cords with a built-in GFI and it works slick. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

 

[murphyslaw]

Thanks, bigtex. Your experience with both is really helpful.

I appreciate the input, bigtex52, and I think this is going to help push me in the direction of the GF! Just got an email from Northern Brewer, and they started a 20% off sale today. Looks like I might be joining the club sooner rather than later..

Wow, good timing! I was going to get one from my lhbs this weekend bc they give 10% off with an aha membership. But this deal is too good to pass up.

 

[murphyslaw]

I find it interesting that so many people here seem to get good efficiency while using what I would consider a course crush. Ive been crushing conditioned malt at 0.030 with a feeler gauge and getting around 72% with my cooler/braid, turkey fryer/pot setup. Does the grainfather's efficiency come from minimizing system losses/dead spaces?

 

[a.pescador.garcia]

At least from my short experience with this machine. First batch I crushed at 0.05 or so, mashing 8.5 kg, and got 70%. Second batch, reduced the crush to 0.042, mashing 5 kg I was at 82%. My plan is to end up with a curve of how the efficiency is varying for different amounts of grains, and then use that for recipe formulation. I guess for batches at 6 - 8 kg the efficiency should fall in the range 75 - 80%.

 

[rtmorris00]

Well, I bought the GF. I'm fortunate to live by Northern Brewer so I picked it up today and brought it home. Put everything together. Test the heater. Good. Tried turning the pump on and just got a low humming noise. Confirmed that I could blow water through the recirculation arm and suck water through it, so doesn't seem like anything is clogged. Any ideas? Otherwise, I guess I'm packing it back up and bringing back to NB tomorrow..

 

[rtmorris00]

Well, I bought the GF. I'm fortunate to live by Northern Brewer so I picked it up today and brought it home. Put everything together. Test the heater. Good. Tried turning the pump on and just got a low humming noise. Confirmed that I could blow water through the recirculation arm and suck water through it, so doesn't seem like anything is clogged. Any ideas? Otherwise, I guess I'm packing it back up and bringing back to NB tomorrow..

Well, I decided to take the pump apart to see what was going on. When taking it apart, the impeller wasn't spinning very well. I gave it a few spins, pulled the plastic impeller piece(?) out, put it back on, and seems to be working now. Is it normal for the pump to be a bit noisy when you close the ball valve a bit to slow the flow down?

 

[bigtex52]

Well, I decided to take the pump apart to see what was going on. When taking it apart, the impeller wasn't spinning very well. I gave it a few spins, pulled the plastic impeller piece(?) out, put it back on, and seems to be working now. Is it normal for the pump to be a bit noisy when you close the ball valve a bit to slow the flow down?

Something doesn't sound quite right. The sticky impeller is ok since I think they all have a bit of break-in to go through. I would cycle the valve open to full closed and back several times and let it run for a bit to see if it quiets down and runs smoother. These little mag drive pumps will run with the outlet valve even completely closed without damage. I do know that if the pump is sucking air it will get noisier so make sure there is enough water in the tun to not suck a vortex and air. Remove the inlet filter and see if that changes anything. If it does, make sure it is set up right with the hole on the rubber part facing down. Also, check the little silicone inlet hose on the pump to make sure it is seated well. Hope those tips help, and if not, the iWill (GF) people will definitely make it right.

 

[rtmorris00]

Something doesn't sound quite right. The sticky impeller is ok since I think they all have a bit of break-in to go through. I would cycle the valve open to full closed and back several times and let it run for a bit to see if it quiets down and runs smoother. These little mag drive pumps will run with the outlet valve even completely closed without damage. I do know that if the pump is sucking air it will get noisier so make sure there is enough water in the tun to not suck a vortex and air. Remove the inlet filter and see if that changes anything. If it does, make sure it is set up right with the hole on the rubber part facing down. Also, check the little silicone inlet hose on the pump to make sure it is seated well. Hope those tips help, and if not, the iWill (GF) people will definitely make it right.

Thanks bigtex, I appreciate the feedback. I'm hoping to brew up something tomorrow on it, so I'm going to run some more water through it tonight to see how things go. Should the pump be making any additional/different noise when the output is restricted via the ball valve? I haven't used any pumps as part of my brew process before, so I'm not sure what to expect. Thanks!

 

[bigtex52]

Yes. It will sound a little different different because the pump is working harder to deadhead against the valve, but it shouldn't sound really noisy or rattle. Let her rip and see how she does. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[murphyslaw]

Have people found the add-on beersmith profile for the grainfather to be a good starting point?

 

[sgreene820]

Looks like my boiler has given up the ghost at about the 8 month point, at about 40 minutes into a 90 minute boil. Connect controller looks fine, says it's heating at 100% but reading 204 F and falling...

I'll let you all know how the warranty support goes.

 

[bigtex52]

Did you check the reset button on the bottom? That can pop if the unit gets overheated. Let us know.

 

[sgreene820]

I did, after I drained it. I think the breaker may have failed because the button can't be pushed in. The burner scorched the mash, too. I noticed it was boiling a lot more vigorously than I have come to expect.

 

[bigtex52]

Hmm. That doesn't sound too good. What was the temp when it was boiling so vigorously? I wonder if the PID/Triac in the Connect unit failed and stuck on. I know that's a pain, but Iwill (GF) is really good about treating you right. Let us hear how it comes out.

 

[boasist]

I made some upgrades to my Grainfather this weekend. Swapped out the pump for a riptide, and extended all of the tubing. This allows me to keep the chiller at its mounting point and still utilize it fully for the brew. I really don't even have a need for the lid anymore. I look forward to my next brew day. With the new silicon tubing as well I've extended everything to allow me to put this right in my fermenter. It's a great upgrade and I'm pretty...pumped!

 

[bigtex52]

I made some upgrades to my Grainfather this weekend. Swapped out the pump for a riptide, and extended all of the tubing. This allows me to keep the chiller at its mounting point and still utilize it fully for the brew. I really don't even have a need for the lid anymore. I look forward to my next brew day. With the new silicon tubing as well I've extended everything to allow me to put this right in my fermenter. It's a great upgrade and I'm pretty...pumped!

How did the Riptide pump mount to the GF Pump mount? PICS? Keep us posted on how it works out.