Grainfather!!

[pkgmsu2000]

Interesting that others also have a so-so opinion of the CFC. My beef isn’t necessarily how long it takes to cool the boiled wort to pitching temp, it’s how much water is wasted. I just don’t find the CFC to be anywhere near as efficient as the plate chillers Ive used before. My last brew day, I captured 17 gallons of water in plastic milk jugs and 5 gallons more in a bucket. That is a total of 23 gallons I was able to save, but I would easily guess that 10 gallons were wasted down the drain. The best I could do was 81 deg in the conical Fermenter.

At this point, I guess I am going to have to rig up a camping cooler large enough to fit the CFC. Fill it up with ice, submerge the CFC, figure out all the extra length plumbing I need, etc, and hope that it will cool faster with less water wasted. What a pain in the @ss.

 

[pkgmsu2000]

So this hydrometer sample isn’t too bad, but it was only 3oz of hop pellets. I did a solid whirlpool for 15 minutes with power drill and the GF brand whirlpool attachment. My normal batches are 5-6 oz of hop pellets, and I also use the GF branded hop basket. This is still way too many hops getting past the basket and the pump filter. But some of my other hydrometer samples have had 2 plus inches of hops build up at the bottom.

 

[jaymosbeershack]

View attachment 593735

So this hydrometer sample isn’t too bad, but it was only 3oz of hop pellets. I did a solid whirlpool for 15 minutes with power drill and the GF brand whirlpool attachment. My normal batches are 5-6 oz of hop pellets, and I also use the GF branded hop basket. This is still way too many hops getting past the basket and the pump filter. But some of my other hydrometer samples have had 2 plus inches of hops build up at the bottom.

Thats odd, do you recuiqulate after the whirlpool, or go right to the fermenter? I throw my hops right in with no basket and after 5 minutes of recirq, i get very clear beer out of the GF

 

[pkgmsu2000]

Thats odd, do you recuiqulate after the whirlpool, or go right to the fermenter? I throw my hops right in with no basket and after 5 minutes of recirq, i get very clear beer out of the GF

I’ve only brewed 10 batches on GF and would appreciate any tips I can get. My process is as follows:

- 10 minutes left in boil sterilize CFC
- end of 60 minutes turn off heating element
- pitch flameout hops, let them stand about 5 minutes, turn on cold water from tap, but throttle the cold water
- whirlpool with GF paddle and power drill for 15 minutes, CFC is still hooked up and should be chilling wort

To answer your question, I never unhook the CFC and continue recirculating wort all the way up to the time of transfer into Conical Fermenter

 

[jaymosbeershack]

I’ve only brewed 10 batches on GF and would appreciate any tips I can get. My process is as follows:

- 10 minutes left in boil sterilize CFC
- end of 60 minutes turn off heating element
- pitch flameout hops, let them stand about 5 minutes, turn on cold water from tap, but throttle the cold water
- whirlpool with GF paddle and power drill for 15 minutes, CFC is still hooked up and should be chilling wort

To answer your question, I never unhook the CFC and continue recirculating wort all the way up to the time of transfer into Conical Fermenter

After i run my whirlpool paddle(with drill) i always recirq into the grainfather for 5-10 minutes to let everything clear up. The hops will actually form a filter bed on the pump screen and you will leave behind all that trub

 

[jaymosbeershack]

After i run my whirlpool paddle(with drill) i always recirq into the grainfather for 5-10 minutes to let everything clear up. The hops will actually form a filter bed on the pump screen and you will leave behind all that trub

I recirq through the chiller, i dont hook the arm back up

 

[pkgmsu2000]

I recirq through the chiller, i dont hook the arm back up

Correct, same as I do. Once the CFC is connected, it will remain connected until all is racked to Conical Fermenter.

I agree about the formation of hop cake in theory, but have my doubts about how well the pump filter actually works. I’m a hop pellets guy because pellets fit my budget of Brewing ingredients over hop leaves, cones, etc.

 

[Pkrd]

I boil a small amount of water before brewing, dump that through the CFC to sterilise. One less thing to worry about during the boil.

 

[pkgmsu2000]

I boil a small amount of water before brewing, dump that through the CFC to sterilise. One less thing to worry about during the boil.

i hope you do that for a solid 10 minutes with boiling water...

 

[STMF]

i hope you do that for a solid 10 minutes with boiling water...

With boiling water you need much less than 10 minutes to sanitize it.
It wouldnt be sterilized even if you did it for an hour.

 

[cheesebach]

With boiling water you need much less than 10 minutes to sanitize it.
It wouldnt be sterilized even if you did it for an hour.

Also keep in mind that the temperature will drop throughout the length of the chiller so it may take more water than you think before the output end of the chiller sees anything near-boiling temperatures.

 

[pkgmsu2000]

Also keep in mind that the temperature will drop throughout the length of the chiller so it may take more water than you think before the output end of the chiller sees anything near-boiling temperatures.

by pumping boiling wort through the CFC as opposed to pumping water, i think you are getting additional benefits on brew day other than just sterilization or sanitization.

 

[cpham574]

Im using my GF as we speak. Just got done with the first attempt at a batch sparge in it. I pumped out the wort to a second vessel while adding the sparge water. Stired well, then recirqed for 15 minutes. Then Pulled up the basket and pumped the first runnings back into the GF. Preboil sample is chilling now, hoping to up extraction.

Interesting! Looks like it worked out well for you. What’s your grain crush at? Also, do you wait until the wort is completely pumped out to the second vessel before adding the sparge water? Or do you do it at the same time?

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Interesting! Looks like it worked out well for you. What’s your grain crush at? Also, do you wait until the wort is completely pumped out to the second vessel before adding the sparge water? Or do you do it at the same time?

I condition my barley and crush to .028. And i added the sparge water as i was draining the first runnings. Used a clean keg to hold the wort and pushed it back in with co2.

 

[Pkrd]

by pumping boiling wort through the CFC as opposed to pumping water, i think you are getting additional benefits on brew day other than just sterilization or sanitization.

Like what? I need to run water through it initially anyway to clean it.

 

[pkgmsu2000]

Like what? I need to run water through it initially anyway to clean it.

Water will flush out residual particles left behind, but water doesn’t clean

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Got over 75% efficiency on my amber ale today with my new sparge method. Over shot my OG by 4 points.

 

[Frilock]

Has anyone had an issue with a small leak somewhere around the pump? If so where did you find it to be leaking? I've noticed that mine is dripping out of the bottom of the pump somewhere but I can't seem to figure out from where exactly.

 

[skleice]

Has anyone had an issue with a small leak somewhere around the pump? If so where did you find it to be leaking? I've noticed that mine is dripping out of the bottom of the pump somewhere but I can't seem to figure out from where exactly.

Just make sure the connections are tight below the red valve. If you still have a problem, make sure you didn't lose a gasket from inside. Look at the diagram that came with the unit. I had a minor leak before I tightened everything up.

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Has anyone had an issue with a small leak somewhere around the pump? If so where did you find it to be leaking? I've noticed that mine is dripping out of the bottom of the pump somewhere but I can't seem to figure out from where exactly.

I took my pump apart once and didnt get the screws on the impeller housing all the way tight. It leaked a bit till i snugged em up. Unless youve taken it apart i cant imagine this is your issue, but it may be worth looking at.

 

[jack13]

GF is on its way and trying to check out recipes and such. When I click on the brewing community, or go right to brew.grainfather..., it just says "Something went wrong"

Anyone else getting that? If so, is this a common problem, or did I just happen to join at the exact wrong moment?

 

[nepatsfan1]

My Grainfather will be arriving tomorrow. No more lugging pots and mash tuns for me. I imported most of my go to recipes already to the app and I am looking forward to my first brew in it a week from Sunday.

 

[nepatsfan1]

GF is on its way and trying to check out recipes and such. When I click on the brewing community, or go right to brew.grainfather..., it just says "Something went wrong"

Anyone else getting that? If so, is this a common problem, or did I just happen to join at the exact wrong moment?

I have not received any errors on the site sounds like bad timing or the browser has an add-on that might be messing with the site.

 

[Pkrd]

GF is on its way and trying to check out recipes and such. When I click on the brewing community, or go right to brew.grainfather..., it just says "Something went wrong"

Anyone else getting that? If so, is this a common problem, or did I just happen to join at the exact wrong moment?

Yes. Had an authorisation error and when I logged in again got “Something went wrong”.

 

[jack13]

Yes. Had an authorisation error and when I logged in again got “Something went wrong”.

Good to know. BTW I'm still getting the error. Guess I'll just wait it out...

 

[jczippy]

I’ve been using my Grainfather for quite a while now. One very minor annoyance was trying to keep an eye on my temp as the wort went from CFC to my fermenter. I was looking purchasing a Blichmann thrumometer to improve this, but stumbled across the Grainfather Wortometer. Looks perfect and was surprised I hadn’t seen it mentioned in this thread. It’s a small metal container that you put inline from your CFC. When you’re ready to transfer you just pull out your thermometer from the Grainfather and slide it into this and you can monitor your temps with the control box you already have. Under $17 when Grainfather has it in stock and also available elsewhere. Anyone seen this or have one? I have one on the way.

 

[JBurger538]

I’ve been using my Grainfather for quite a while now. One very minor annoyance was trying to keep an eye on my temp as the wort went from CFC to my fermenter. I was looking purchasing a Blichmann thrumometer to improve this, but stumbled across the Grainfather Wortometer. Looks perfect and was surprised I hadn’t seen it mentioned in this thread. It’s a small metal container that you put online from your CFC. When you’re ready to transfer you just pull out your thermometer from the Grainfather and slide it into this and you can monitor your temps with the control box you already have. Under $17 when Grainfather has it in stock and also available elsewhere. Anyone seen this or have one? I have one on the way.

I recently got an email about this product and was very interested in getting one. I am interested to hear what you think. I was considering the thrumometer as well

 

[nepatsfan1]

And I get my Grainfather (Amazon purchase) and one of the lifts for the top mash screen was broken off..... Might just go with the one for a brew and see how it will affect anything.

 

[treacheroustexan]

And I get my Grainfather (Amazon purchase) and one of the lifts for the top mash screen was broken off..... Might just go with the one for a brew and see how it will affect anything.

Won't make a difference. Still sucks though

 

[murphyslaw]

Definitely worth replacing. It will make it a bit harder to lift that plate, especially with hot wort over it.