Small batch brewing in Grainfather G30 V3

[Broothru]

I’m at a crossroads. For the last 12 years I’ve been a dedicated Braumeister brewer, but my trusty unit is getting ’long in the tooth’, as am I. Five to 6 gallon batches are getting to be a bit more than I can reasonably manage or consume. It’s becoming apparent that more frequent brewing of smaller batches might be the answer.

Due to the nature of the device, the 20L Braumeister can be adapted to a shorter malt pipe adapter that I could still use with my low-oxygen gear, but I’m concerned that efficiency might drop off. Eventually I could probably adapt recipes to increase desired OG, but I’d still be facing the same cleanup issues of manhandling that heavy AIO unit.

There is a 10L version of Braumeister, but It’s pricey and it might be too small In capacity. I ran across a sale on Grainfather G30 V3 that caught my eye, especially the modular design and price point verses a replacement Braumeister. Also, the Braumeister is a “mature” product line that has become a dead end for expansion and innovation.

Although I feel like a robust senior citizen, I have to face the reality that my best brewing years are not in front of me. Neither are my heavy lifting days. So, any Grainfather users have insight into small batch (~ 3 gals) with a G30? My biggest concern would be splashing during recirculation and resulting O2 pickup. Does less grain in the pipe + less volume in the wort create any issues?

I still want the ability to brew 5~6 gallon batches, but also have an increasing need to focus on smaller batches and less weight to be lifted, especially during clean up. I’m also not willing to spend an arm+leg ($2,000) for a baseline 10L Braumeister when I can get equivalent value in a full-sized AIO that meets my now and future needs for half the price.

I have really grown accustomed to Braumeister and the level it’s taken my brewing to, but it may be time to move on if I’m going to continue with this hobby. Input from current users is much appreciated.

 

[jschein]

With the small batch malt pipe you can certainly do 3 gallons.No need to recirculate if you don’t want to.
Or.. you put a mash cap on when recirculating

 

[Broken Crow]

Since my spine is very like a blind persons folding cane but with a broken rubber band, I take great interest in posts that mention physical difficulties. It's always a shame to give up on a piece of equipment that you've used long enough that it might as well be an extension of your body. I'm wondering if the solution you're looking for can be addressed ergonomically rather than economically..... In another thread you mentioned you used to BIAB and used to use a ratcheting hoist for the bag, so my first thought is; How are you lifting your malt pipe?
Can you post a picture of your Braumeister in its usual operating position? (a wide shot so we can picture the whole process)

 

[Broothru]

With the small batch malt pipe you can certainly do 3 gallons.No need to recirculate if you don’t want to.
Or.. you put a mash cap on when recirculating

I’m assuming you’re taking about the Brau short malt pipe? I don’t think there’s anything other than the ‘standard’ Grainfather malt pipe. From what I gather, the new (Ver. 3) malt pipe doesn’t require a top plate.

With the low-oxygen brewing kit for the Braumeister, the top plate and screen are obviously needed since the flow path of wort is from the bottom up. The level of the wort keeps the entire malt pipe submerged, and with the mash cap in place there is absolutely no splashing, so little O2 pickup.

It appears that a top plate on the Grainfather, while not required in the Ver. 3 upgraded G30, can be added. That would allow the entire grain bed to remain submerged, and the plate might also mitigate splashing during recirculation from above.

Is it possible to lengthen the recirc tube line so that the wort being returned to the top of the grain bed doesn’t splash down? That would certainly reduce the chance of O2 pickup.

The Brau short malt pipe would cost me about $200, or about 1/10 the cost of a new 10L Braumeister, but would still require the same work load for me for clean up, regardless of batch volume except for spent grain disposal. I could get a new Grainfather G30 V3 for $800 and get a whole new system with new tech along with the flexibility of large and small batch brewing, and much less physical work.

The $600 cost differential is not the issue, but ease of use and O2 mitigation are. I’m 75 now, so realistically I’m looking at no more than 5 additional years of brewing, times 10 batches per year = 50 batches. $600/50 = $12 added cost per batch, or about the price of a bottle of Advil that I’d need after a brew day session. I should also amortize post brew day doctors’ appointments and physical therapy sessions.

Dang. This is looking more and more like a great idea! I’m sure SWMBO’d will sign off on the plan.

 

[jschein]

Ahh the new one. I still use my original GF. Sorry
But on mine I was able add a longer hose into the grain bed and do the old school mash cap with foil over my top plate.

 

[jschein]

I just looked up the v3, the only difference to mine is the new basket.
I did buy the new controller.
Good luck with your journey!

 

[Broothru]

Since my spine is very like a blind persons folding cane but with a broken rubber band, I take great interest in posts that mention physical difficulties. It's always a shame to give up on a piece of equipment that you've used long enough that it might as well be an extension of your body. I'm wondering if the solution you're looking for can be addressed ergonomically rather than economically..... In another thread you mentioned you used to BIAB and used to use a ratcheting hoist for the bag, so my first thought is; How are you lifting your malt pipe?
Can you post a picture of your Braumeister in its usual operating position? (a wide shot so we can picture the whole process)

Actually, lifting the malt pipe isn’t an issue. But, lifting the Braumeister is. It’s about 40 lbs/18 kg, empty, which I permanently mounted on a 2” thick circular wood platform on 4” heavy locking wheel casters for mobility.

What I gained in mobility I lost in additional weight, at least when it comes to cleaning. To do the job right requires lifting and tilting the unit >90 degrees to dump and remove trub, then to thoroughly wash, scrub, rinse and drain again by tipping in excess of 90 degrees. CIP won’t do the job, especially when it comes to the buried recirc pump and internal pipes.

The thing’s a beast and brews wonderful beer, but it’s a b*tch kitty to get clean. The price of incomplete cleaning was made obvious to me last week when I went to brew for the first time since July 1st. Everything had seemed clean following my last session, but last Tuesday’s brew session was over before it ever got started when I discovered that a veritable ’science project’ had set up residence in my gear.

Bleach soak, multiple rinses, hot PBW soak and heated :30 minute recirculation cycle, followed with a rinse and extended StarSan soak with recirc, followed by two more hot water rinses. Then totally drained, dried and spritzed with StarSan from a spray bottle. Every. Friggin’. Piece. and. Part. I don’t think it’s ever sparkled and shined like that before.

I’ve never spent that much time and effort (longer than my normal 6~8 hour brew day), only to end up with no beer in the fermenter. Sadly, for a number of reasons, that was likely my last opportunity to brew before next March or likely April, depending on a number of complicating factors. The pipeline will be shutdown for a while .

 

[Broken Crow]

Any chance a decent wet/dry shop vac might help? I know there are a number of users you use them for cleanup.

 

[Broothru]

Any chance a decent wet/dry shop vac might help? I know there are a number of users you use them for cleanup.

I’ve seen that in action when I had a couple opportunities to brew two of my recipes at a local brewery. It’s an effective way to get trub out of the boil vessel, but then you have to get it out of the Shop Vac. Granted, the volume is more manageable, but it leaves you with multiple ’emptyings’ as well as another device to clean out.

What I do with the Braumeister is to clean up outside on our two-tiered patio. There’s a 8” step down, so I just wheel the unit to the edge, set the caster wheel locks, tip the pot on its side and collect the trub in a bucket, which gets deposited in a shrub/planting bed. After the dump, I rinse out with a high pressure hose, also collecting/dumping in the planting bed.

The heavy lift comes when I wash/rinse/drain inside, followed by a sanitize/drain cycle where I have to lift the unit and base high enough to drain into the laundry sink. This is where I could use a wet/dry Shop Vac. I’d have to remove the paper ‘dry’ filter and empty the bucket before using it, but probably save my back. I may look for a smaller Shop Vac for the job, rather than my current 8 gallon one. Good suggestion!

 

[GPNewBrew]

I own the GF G-30 v3, and I brew small batches exclusively. By small batch I am talking about a batch size of 2.75 gal, which after losses leaves approx 2.35 gal of finished product, enough for one of my 2.5 gallon kegs or a case of 12 oz’rs. I create my beer recipes in Brewfather and just import them into GF. My equipment profile in each system is set up the same. I love brewing small batches in v3; it’s a breeze. I do a “hybrid” batch/fly sparge and I hit my numbers all the time (set up for 80% mash efficiency). It’s great! Let me know if you have any questions!

gary