Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[meathead]

Thanks all
I did a test run with boiling water yesterday
Seems that if you run the water quickly and wort slowly it will drop to 20deg no prob
Problem there is water waste
With slow water in and slow wort out 28deg very achievable from the get go
So perhaps recirc until 75 is the go

 

[SimoB]

hi guys, you think it's OK to use the grainfather cleaner on the SS brewtech fermenters?

 

[carniebrew]

hi guys, you think it's OK to use the grainfather cleaner on the SS brewtech fermenters?

Yep, it'll be safe on anything stainless. But save your coin and just use sodium percarbonate....

 

[SimoB]

Yep, it'll be safe on anything stainless. But save your coin and just use sodium percarbonate....

Cheers mate

 

[zeggie]

Are there any ex 3 vessel brewers here who have moved onto the Grainfather? What is your opinions?

I'm in the situation where Im moving to a place with no room for my outdoor 4v HERMS brewrig and I'm considering selling it to get a grainfather or braumeister that I can setup inside in a tiny laundry...
Would love to hear peoples experiences.

 

[wobbly]

get a grainfather or braumeister that I can setup inside in a tiny laundry...

Just be mindful that when "boiling" either with a Grainfather or Braumeister in your 'tiny laundry" you will get a lot of condensation on the walls if you don't have an efficient extraction system. Normal ceiling extraction fans don't handle the condensate boil off very well and on the Braumeister forum a number of members have installed range hoods or similar to over come the issue

Wobbly

 

[bradsbrew]

Are there any ex 3 vessel brewers here who have moved onto the Grainfather? What is your opinions?

I'm in the situation where Im moving to a place with no room for my outdoor 4v HERMS brewrig and I'm considering selling it to get a grainfather or braumeister that I can setup inside in a tiny laundry...
Would love to hear peoples experiences.

I sold my 120L output 3V HERMS and bought the grainfather. Took me a good 3 months to change my brewing methods to suit the GF, another big issue for me was my milling but that is now sorted. I was also a no chiller, the chilled hoppy beers on the GF are way better than any I made and no chilled on my old system.

Output size is obviously the worst thing about the changeover but the quality of the beer has made up for it.

Cheers

 

[Buckskin]

I've been wondering why my brews on the GF are coming out so bitter...been aiming for 35IBUs on Beersmith and they're coming out closer to about 70/80.

I've figured that its caused by adding loads of hops at 0 mins left of boil (50g-75g). Beersmith shows that this adds, no IBUs, however, the hops are staying at almost boiling temp for the entire time that it takes to drain the GF (I've been going straight from boil to FV)

More recently, Ive recirculated down to about 65, then switched to FV. This has helped slightly, but still not perfect.

Any suggestions on how to get this more accurate? or how to manipulate Beersmith to accomodate?

 

[slcmorro]

Count your 0 min additions as 10 min additions in your software. Easy

 

[ramu_gupta]

Are there any ex 3 vessel brewers here who have moved onto the Grainfather? What is your opinions?

I'm in the situation where Im moving to a place with no room for my outdoor 4v HERMS brewrig and I'm considering selling it to get a grainfather or braumeister that I can setup inside in a tiny laundry...
Would love to hear peoples experiences.

Haven't looked back since I got my GF. Great unit.
I've modded mine by using a length of silicone hose instead of the stainless rod and arm for recirc.
Have ordered a Brauduino to replace the control unit - can't wait for that to arrive. Nothing wrong with the control unit - I just want a bit more control.
Still use my immersion chiller instead of the counterflow one supplied.
Getting consistent numbers on all my brews.

 

[zeggie]

I sold my 120L output 3V HERMS and bought the grainfather. Took me a good 3 months to change my brewing methods to suit the GF, another big issue for me was my milling but that is now sorted. I was also a no chiller, the chilled hoppy beers on the GF are way better than any I made and no chilled on my old system.

Output size is obviously the worst thing about the changeover but the quality of the beer has made up for it.

Cheers

Cheers! So no regrets? I'm not really concerned about batch size, I mainly brew single batches these days because I like variety.

Cheers wobbly planning on putting a rangehood in the window area.

 

[wambesi]

Are there any ex 3 vessel brewers here who have moved onto the Grainfather? What is your opinions?

I'm in the situation where Im moving to a place with no room for my outdoor 4v HERMS brewrig and I'm considering selling it to get a grainfather or braumeister that I can setup inside in a tiny laundry...
Would love to hear peoples experiences.

I'm another. Been through kits, extract, BIAB, three-vessel gravity (70L), four-vessel HERMS (70L) and moved now to the GF.
I do not regret it at all, it's simplified the brew day, cut down on equipment and provides excellent results.

It's a great little system and like every system, it has some quirks but nothing that is a war stopper. Some people have whinged it's not as polished as say the BM, but there's a huge cost factor involved there as well and IMO it is a well-crafted machine.

Some users (a small amount) have had some problems but feedback here and (mostly) on the Facebook group has shown the company is willing to do everything they can to ensure we're happy with them.

I ordered mine just a few days before Christmas and the rep from NZ apologised for having none in stock in Brisbane, then he got back in contact with me and said they grabbed one sitting in a local brew shop and put it on a truck for me and hoped it would get to me for Chrissy.

I never expected it to get to me until after new years but here they are doing this, anyways, ended up arriving first working day after Christmas - stoked. So great before and after-sales service.

Cheers! So no regrets? I'm not really concerned about batch size, I mainly brew single batches these days because I like variety.

Cheers wobbly planning on putting a rangehood in the window area.

As said above, none. I don't regret the path to get here either, had a ball designing my various systems but with a bunch of kids now and less and less time (as well as a job that owns me and my time) it means I have less to worry about.

Batch size was also never a worry as the only time I did double batches was when I had a neighbor who took half, I prefer variety as well.

Only mod I've done now is the customised STC to allow programmed step mashes etc. It's a great unit by itself but it allows a little more.

 

[GalBrew]

I also ditched my 3v with HERMS for a GF. All I can say is great outcome, very happy with the unit.

 

[nads]

I'm also a happy Grainfather owner and have done three brews with a fourth ready to go. I'm curious Wambesi you mantion that you have customised the STC to enable step mashes is that the STC that is suplied with the GF or another STC unit. I would be very interested to know what you have done and how as it would certainly simplify the process.

 

[wambesi]

I'm also a happy Grainfather owner and have done three brews with a fourth ready to go. I'm curious Wambesi you mantion that you have customised the STC to enable step mashes is that the STC that is suplied with the GF or another STC unit. I would be very interested to know what you have done and how as it would certainly simplify the process.

Check out this link where I purchased the new control unit from. It's a STC1000+, basically a STC1000 which has had a new customised firmware uploaded to the device allowing extra functionality.

It's pretty much a simple swap (some minor wiring) of the old STC unit with this one.

Have a read up on the page that links from there which goes through all the options, you can control the initial strike water, step mashes, the boil and hot break and hop additions with audible alarms and display telling you what is up next.

 

[meathead]

Er 1 small problem with the link

 

[carniebrew]

Try this: https://translate.google.com.au/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.storagrytor.se%2Fp%2Fstc1000-brew&edit-text=

And despite the translation this warning is obvious: NOTE! When replacing computer Grain Father then disappear for the warranty on the brewing plant NOTE !!

 

[wambesi]

Er 1 small problem with the link

Works for me, just need to translate the page - they come through when ordered with no problems.

Try this: https://translate.google.com.au/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.storagrytor.se%2Fp%2Fstc1000-brew&edit-text=

And despite the translation this warning is obvious: NOTE! When replacing computer Grain Father then disappear for the warranty on the brewing plant NOTE !!

Meh, not a huge deal IMO but everyone looks at these things different. I voided my warranty on my phone and tablet within days of receiving those as well.
Many have done it with no side effects and if I do have something go wrong with it it's my fault and mine alone.

 

[HBHB]

Actually got to have a play with the latest rendition with all the current mods today.

Here's some pics of the main modifications which will probably only be of interest to the early adopters.

Central wort overflow return pipe blocker for mashing in

Overall view of the wort return arm and ball valve + QD assembly together


Below: The wort return arm and chiller connection now sport a solid coarse thread for easier attachment and better seal system as well


Below: This may become blocked with hop trub, so if you get a blockage, I'd say look here first. Takes 5 seconds to undo to clear it.


Other mods include a seal for the bottom perforated plate in the malt pipe and a second support bracket on the wort return pipe plus a better silicone boot system on the pump assembly.

Hope this helps to get a better idea of the mods.

I believe the parts will be available Australia wide sometime over the next 4-6 weeks.

 

[takai]

Im sure it has been answered in the thread, but with the coarseness of the search I cant find it.
What is the max grain capacity of the malt pipe, and how easy would it be to do high gravity brews, say 1.120?