Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[Buckskin]

Has anyone noticed any calibration issues with the controller on the GF?

I've also not been able to get my efficiency over the mid 60s. A double crush yielded 68%. The only thing I can think of is that their is a calibration issue.

Any views or experience on this?

 

[kaiserben]

I'm sure we discussed efficiency with the "fast sparge" method previously and those doing it indicated no issues. But it's the only thing I changed on this brew...I left the roller width the same on my mill 'coz I wanted to only change 1 thing at a time.

Fast sparge is how I do it (only because I thought it was the "right" way). Could you describe your non-fast method?

I'll usually get 76% (total) efficiency.

 

[HBHB]

Has anyone noticed any calibration issues with the controller on the GF?

I've also not been able to get my efficiency over the mid 60s. A double crush yielded 68%. The only thing I can think of is that their is a calibration issue.

Any views or experience on this?

No, but easy to check the calibration against a decent glass thermometer or a thermapen if you have access to one.

 

[Buckskin]

Just tested calibration and it's perfect. I'm completely stumped.
Double crush gets 68% efficiency. Grains fresh. Using same water and grain supply as guys down the road who are getting normal results.

 

[carniebrew]

Fast sparge is how I do it (only because I thought it was the "right" way). Could you describe your non-fast method?

I'll usually get 76% (total) efficiency.

I was leaving a longer gap between pulling up the malt pipe and starting the sparge. Not deliberately, I just didn't know to make sure I started sparging more quickly.

Thinking about my process, one other thing I did change was that I milled my grain more slowly...someone had mentioned to me that by going full speed with my drill I might be "shearing" the grain rather than just cracking the husks...so I backed the speed off to about half what I would normally do. The milled grain didn't look a lot different in the end though.

 

[aamcle]

Quick question please?

What is the gap between the bottom filter/plate and the element?

Thanks all I'm building one :

Aamcle

 

[kaiserben]

I was leaving a longer gap between pulling up the malt pipe and starting the sparge. Not deliberately, I just didn't know to make sure I started sparging more quickly.

Just on fast sparge: The theory, as I understood it, is that if you let all the wort drain away before adding sparge water, then the spaces where the wort once was become air and won't support the grain bed, which will collapse in on itself and make it more difficult to sparge.

 

[wobbly]

Have any of you guys experiencing slow/stuck sparge's given consideration to using some rice hulls in the mixs?

Wobly

 

[HBHB]

Quick question please?
What is the gap between the bottom filter/plate and the element?
Thanks all I'm building one :
Aamcle

All told, probably 60mm

 

[aamcle]

Thanks

Aamcle

 

[bradsbrew]

Is there a how to instructions for the upgrade kit?

 

[meathead]

There's a vid on YouTube

 

[HBHB]

Is there a how to instructions for the upgrade kit?

This one Brad

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v0g0IMniMVI

 

[welly2]

It's my first Grainfather brewed beer and it's come out a cracker! English ESB (darker in the picture than it actually is), lovely and malty with just a bit of a hop bite. 5.5%, nice and clear. Well chuffed! Luckily I've got another 40 bottles of it to go through!

 

[GalBrew]

I have to say that using my GF has made brewing fun again for me. Gone are the hours of setup at the start and cleaning and the end (and day after) of brewday. Also gone is the endless switching of hoses, opening and closing of valves and monitoring for leaks etc. Now I get to concentrate on the recipe and taking refrac and pH readings rather than holding my brew system together. Also that counterflow chiller is a work of art. Beer into the fermenter at 20c is not bad at all and I have a hot water source for cleaning, which is done in around half an hour.

Best purchase ever.

 

[fishingbrad]

Pimping my Grainfather.

 

[carniebrew]

Hey simple question I know, but just curious to find out what people are doing about pH readings during their mash? The GF is pretty locked up tight while it's recirc'ing the mash...it's not all that easy to get a sample out. Are people just sliding the lid aside and taking a sample as it flows out of the pipe? Leaving the lid off during mash altogether? Or something different? Perhaps not taking pH readings during the mash at all?

Similar during the sparge...if you want to do a refrac check during the sparge, how are you getting a sample? I imagine the sparge water is sitting on top of the denser wort during the sparge, so to get a good reading you'd need to stir it up somehow, which means getting the malt pipe out of the way...not easy while you're sparging?

 

[GalBrew]

Hey simple question I know, but just curious to find out what people are doing about pH readings during their mash? The GF is pretty locked up tight while it's recirc'ing the mash...it's not all that easy to get a sample out. Are people just sliding the lid aside and taking a sample as it flows out of the pipe? Leaving the lid off during mash altogether? Or something different? Perhaps not taking pH readings during the mash at all?

Similar during the sparge...if you want to do a refrac check during the sparge, how are you getting a sample? I imagine the sparge water is sitting on top of the denser wort during the sparge, so to get a good reading you'd need to stir it up somehow, which means getting the malt pipe out of the way...not easy while you're sparging?

I just dunk a measuring cup through the hole in the glass lid to take a sample for pH.

 

[carniebrew]

I just dunk a measuring cup through the hole in the glass lid to take a sample for pH.

How small is your measuring cup?!

 

[bradsbrew]

I slip the lid up onto the return arm.