Grainfather!!

[couchsending]

So how does stirring during the mash work (I only have 3 brews at this point on my GF)? Do you leave the top screen off throughout the mash process, or are you taking and out and putting it back in? If you left it off, then you put it in before sparging?

Yeah just turn the heat and pump off, take the top plate off, stir, put it back on, start recirc again.

 

[couchsending]

To me it looks like stirring the mash goes against the basic idea of the grainfather ? : start the pump and forget about it

Not on big grain bills... the poor design of the tall and narrow basket creates too deep of a bed depth so you get poor circulation through the entire grain bed. Smaller grain bills it’s not an issue.

 

[WBB]

There is the alternative. Drag all your equipment from the basement outside and go old school. Oh and it’s 20* outside and your outside faucets are turned off so they won’t freeze.

I’ll give up a measly few percentage points to brew inside with the ease of the GF.

Don’t over think it. Brew, ferment, keg, drink...repeat.

 

[brewman !]

Not on big grain bills... the poor design of the tall and narrow basket creates too deep of a bed depth so you get poor circulation through the entire grain bed. Smaller grain bills it’s not an issue.

Rice hulls will fix any perceived grain bed flow issue you might have.

The other thing is you can increase the hydraulic pressure (head) of the bed liquids by running liquid deeper over the bed surface. Set the stand pipe higher.

 

[couchsending]

Stirring the grain takes maximum 2

Rice hulls will fix any perceived grain bed flow issue you might have.

But they cause another issue.

 

[brewman !]

Stirring the grain takes maximum 2

But they cause another issue.

And what issue is that ?

I agree that periodically stirring the bed is a viable solution.

Let's not forget that commercial grain beds are way deeper than ~12". Diameter is irrelevant. Mash for a longer time to make up for less flow.

 

[Pkrd]

For reasons unclear (but likely related to playing nintendo while brewing) I turned off the heat after mashing in on my BIPA last night. The GF didn't scream at me for my stupidity and everything looked nice and normal until I noticed the temperature was 61°C about 30 minutes later. Turned heat on again and off it went... except it seemed to take longer than expected and at the end of the mash I had massive foaming (luckily it was a half batch to no foam over). There was no foam at all before I turned the heat on.
At the start of the boil there was minimal foaming.

Hit my numbers no problems.

Possible causes?

 

[skleice]

I've picked up foam when the recirculation arm is not connected just right, allowing air to sneak into the system. I've also seen in in brews using lots of oats or similar adjuncts.

 

[MajorPowell]

I'm so tempted to pull the trigger on a GF. Right now NB has a 20% off coupon that makes it $799 + free shipping!

 

[MajorPowell]

I'm so tempted to pull the trigger on a GF. Right now NB has a 20% off coupon that makes it $799 + free shipping!

Although, I suppose then I would be supporting ABInBev...

But, saving $200 is hard to pass up for someone on a budget stretching to even make the purchase in the first place.

 

[lastingimage]

Although, I suppose then I would be supporting ABInBev...

But, saving $200 is hard to pass up for someone on a budget stretching to even make the purchase in the first place.

I had a tough time with that as well. But saving money in today’s day and age is a necessity. I don’t think anyone will hold that against you.

 

[eimar]

Stirring the grain takes maximum 2


But they cause another issue.

Can you explain why using rice hulls cause problems ?

 

[brewman !]

I'm so tempted to pull the trigger on a GF. Right now NB has a 20% off coupon that makes it $799 + free shipping!

I'd take a very hard look at the Robobrew 3.1 35L version as well as the "Brewzilla" 65L version that should be released in the US shortly. The latter is 220V.

 

[couchsending]

Can you explain why using rice hulls cause problems ?

On large grain bills especially when you get too much porosity in the grain bed the sparge water will flow right through it too fast and your efficiency suffers. Due to the nature of how sparging is conducted with the GF a slower sparge is crucial to maximize efficiency.

 

[brewman !]

On large grain bills especially when you get too much porosity in the grain bed the sparge water will flow right through it too fast and your efficiency suffers. Due to the nature of how sparging is conducted with the GF a slower sparge is crucial to maximize efficiency.

The original problem of "rice hulls cause problems" was a complaint of poor flow. So surely somewhere between "not enough flow" and too much flow is the right amount of rice hulls.

 

[couchsending]

The original problem of "rice hulls cause problems" was a complaint of poor flow. So surely somewhere between "not enough flow" and too much flow is the right amount of rice hulls.

Or just stir twice over the course of the mash.

 

[hedgie57]

Although, I suppose then I would be supporting ABInBev...

But, saving $200 is hard to pass up for someone on a budget stretching to even make the purchase in the first place.

Got mine from AIH when nb had 20% off awhile back.Called AIH and they matched the price.I sent them a screenshot of my cart from nb with the discount

 

[murphyslaw]

My lhbs was gave the same discount when I bought mine.

But when you spend $800, buying online might save you $50 in taxes, too.

 

[MaCheFai]

My LHB matched my online pricing as well, paid $850. I would try that first. Besides having it immediately, you're helping out a LHB store!

 

[murphyslaw]

There was some talk a week or two ago about whether the GF maintains the right temps so I tested it.

I stopped the pump, took off the top plate, ditzed around for a min or two, then stuck my thermapen in as deep as I could. 2 degrees lower than the set temp. I'd say that's pretty good. Might have been closer if I was faster.

 

[murphyslaw]

Well, really I was set at 156, and I think it got to 157 bc it did t expect me to turn the pump off. That 155 reading is really just 1 below my intended mash temp

 

[WBB]

The temp probe is near the bottom, near the heat source. I would say there probably would be some difference where the probe is and where the manual temp was taken.

 

[shortyz]

well after like 150 brews with my machine the pump finally got enough beerscale junk stuck in it to stop it.

just removed it, took a toothbrush to the impeller and casing, reinstalled, working great!

 

[WBB]

well after like 150 brews with my machine the pump finally got enough beerscale junk stuck in it to stop it.

just removed it, took a toothbrush to the impeller and casing, reinstalled, working great!

I always wondered about that. Is it that easy to take apart,clean up and reinstall? Pretty self explanatory?

 

[TNJake]

New to this thread, I just received my Grainfather today and I am very excited to get it going. I want to skim through this thread but 105 pages...eh. I was seeing reflectix insulation on the first several pages of this thread, but there is also the graincoat.
I've done extract brews for a couple of years and a couple BIAB so I felt like this would allow me to progress without adding a huge storage or brewday footprint.

Any great tips from the long time users?

 

[eimar]

well after like 150 brews with my machine the pump finally got enough beerscale junk stuck in it to stop it.

just removed it, took a toothbrush to the impeller and casing, reinstalled, working great!

Very valuable information. thank's. I only bewed 5 batches so I still have 145 to go.

 

[eimar]

New to this thread, I just received my Grainfather today and I am very excited to get it going. I want to skim through this thread but 105 pages...eh. I was seeing reflectix insulation on the first several pages of this thread, but there is also the graincoat.
I've done extract brews for a couple of years and a couple BIAB so I felt like this would allow me to progress without adding a huge storage or brewday footprint.

Any great tips from the long time users?

Welcome to the club .You'll like your grainfather. 1) There is a 2.5-3" wide strip of what appears to be yellow sheet fiberglass curled around the inside of the kettle just above the pump inlet. This is packing material so remove it . 2) Be sure that all the 3 plugs are properly inserted in the control box so they will not overheat. 3) when stiring the boiling wort, stir counterclockwise so you will not knock the filter cap off the filter. 4) rinse and clean your grainfather as soon as possibl after each brew.

 

[TNJake]

Welcome to the club .You'll like your grainfather. 1) There is a 2.5-3" wide strip of what appears to be yellow sheet fiberglass curled around the inside of the kettle just above the pump inlet. This is packing material so remove it . 2) Be sure that all the 3 plugs are properly inserted in the control box so they will not overheat. 3) when stiring the boiling wort, stir counterclockwise so you will not knock the filter cap off the filter. 4) rinse and clean your grainfather as soon as possibl after each brew.

Thanks for the info! I just ran across a video where a guy put a screw clamp on the rubber filter cap, so I might do that. I also got a hop spider after hearing about hops filling/pulling through the filter. How about grain crush?

 

[TNJake]

I'm so tempted to pull the trigger on a GF. Right now NB has a 20% off coupon that makes it $799 + free shipping!

Yeah, that's what got me to pull the trigger. Just got it.

I also just got my grains last night. I don't yet have a mill so I asked for them crushed. The grain looks barely cracked, like most are intact but they might have a crack inside. Should I even use this in my Grainfather or try to get it re-milled? It was a kit and I don't have extra to accommodate a 60% efficiency.

 

[TNJake]

Sorry for another post but I was reading through this thread and it seems like the filter being the most common issue. I saw David Heath talking about a RB false bottom that will work perfectly as an upgrade part for the GF. Anyone try this?