Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[LAGERFRENZY]

Great mod - shame about the vudeo - bloke us as dull as dushwater

 

[welly2]

Great mod - shame about the vudeo - bloke us as dull as dushwater

I thunk he might hiv hid too many Tuis, bro.

 

[Chridech]

I'll play devil's advocate. But why? The sparge arm takes all of 15 seconds to screw in place with less chance of flicking hot wort everywhere than a bendy hose. Never had a problem with th ball-valve clogging as some have done and the red flow-control tap on the upgraded version works fine.

 

[Exile]

Personally I find the screws to be a pita

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

Choice bet of ket Cuz

 

[BKBrews]

This arrived today and I rushed home to set it up.

Pretty impressed, but some bits are a bit flimsier than I expected. The bottom plate seems a little bent and doesn't have a perfect seal, but I'm hoping the weight of the grain holding it down will mean this isn't an issue. In general, the plates seem to be a pita.

Just need a temp controller for my new ferm fridge and I'll be ready for my first brew!

 

[Coldspace]

The plates are abit flexible. Store them flat and they tend to straight out abit. Also when putting the silicone seal on, wet the tube before sliding the plate down tends to seal abit better. If you push too fast or not down on an angle before straightening the plates out the seal tends to pop off.

I'm past 55 brews on mine most are double batched and all is good so far. My temp buttons are starting to wear abit on the stc but so far mines been faultless.

They make good beer once you get it dialed in.

 

[BKBrews]

The plates are abit flexible. Store them flat and they tend to straight out abit. Also when putting the silicone seal on, wet the tube before sliding the plate down tends to seal abit better. If you push too fast or not down on an angle before straightening the plates out the seal tends to pop off.

I'm past 55 brews on mine most are double batched and all is good so far. My temp buttons are starting to wear abit on the stc but so far mines been faultless.

They make good beer once you get it dialed in.

Thanks for the tips.

I did mess around with the top plate when I set it up and found that the angle definitely helps. It also helped to push the seal against the side as it first started slipping, which had to be done slowly and affirms your theory.

Sounds like you'll be ready for the new controller when it arrives. The Grainfather social media team told me that the new control will be a $200 add on, so $200 for the controller or $1350 for the full kit ($1150 + $200). I bought mine from Cheeky Peak Brewery for $995 + $15 shipping.

 

[Killer Brew]

The plates and seals are a PITA. You do learn quickly the best approach to getting them in place though and they do the job.

 

[BKBrews]

The plates and seals are a PITA. You do learn quickly the best approach to getting them in place though and they do the job.

I don't understand why the bottom plate isn't welded to the malt pipe? I don't really see the benefit in being able to take it out - surely a quick wash with water would get all of the grain out of it.

 

[Killer Brew]

I can't think of a reason either

 

[malt junkie]

cost

 

[Killer Brew]

Father in law is a food grade welder. Might see if he feels like doing a little mod for me.

 

[Killer Brew]

On another note and do people think it is possible to do a proper whirlpool on the GF or is it a waste of time given the filter positioning? Am wondering if I was to modify the mash recirc arm to attach a piece of copper tubing curved to the base of the GF and then run the pump if I could get a good whirlpool going or if the flow rate isn't strong enough?

 

[carniebrew]

On another note and do people think it is possible to do a proper whirlpool on the GF or is it a waste of time given the filter positioning? Am wondering if I was to modify the mash recirc arm to attach a piece of copper tubing curved to the base of the GF and then run the pump if I could get a good whirlpool going or if the flow rate isn't strong enough?

There's no need for a whirlpool KB...with the filter in place getting a trub cone post boil really isn't necessary.

 

[Killer Brew]

It could greatly reduce the debris around the filter and reduce load on the pump.

 

[tugger]

A whirlpool arm does work.
I made a stainless elbow and it whirlpools with the immersion chiller in the pot, old school.

 

[A.B.]

On another note and do people think it is possible to do a proper whirlpool on the GF or is it a waste of time given the filter positioning? Am wondering if I was to modify the mash recirc arm to attach a piece of copper tubing curved to the base of the GF and then run the pump if I could get a good whirlpool going or if the flow rate isn't strong enough?

I tried a whirlpool on my last brew, knocked the bloody filter off! Won't try it again...

 

[Exile]

Another option the Grainfather should have


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY9o10RYZhs

 

[wambesi]

I tried a whirlpool on my last brew, knocked the bloody filter off! Won't try it again...

I whirlpool mine, never had a problem or filters coming off. Mind you, I don't stick the mash paddle all the way down and it still does a fine job of a whirlpool.

 

[GalBrew]

I whirlpool mine, never had a problem or filters coming off. Mind you, I don't stick the mash paddle all the way down and it still does a fine job of a whirlpool.

I agree, the only system I have ever used when I have whirlpooled with a mash paddle and got nice trub cone.

 

[Exile]

I have finally dialed in my Grainfather equipment profile and the Mash & Sparge Water calculations in beersmith
Feel free to use and abuse B)


Grainfather Equipment Profile
View attachment Grainfather Profile.bsmx

Mash Profiles
View attachment Full Body Mash.bsmx
View attachment Medium Body Mash.bsmx
View attachment Light Body Mash.bsmx

 

[paulyman]

Nice, I just tested these out versus on the new version against the Grainfather Calculator and it works great, for different amounts of grain. The mash volume is spot on, the sparge volume appears out by a couple of hundred mL compared to the calculator at least for me but the volume etchings are only in 1L increments so that's not a big deal at all. Good job, this will make brew day even easier, no need to jump between Beersmith and the Grainfather app anymore.

 

[kaiserben]

Good work. Been waiting for a BS profile where I don't need to check GF calcs.

What about if you throw different boil times at the above profile? Still good? (for a 90 min boil for example).

 

[Exile]

Still good my end

 

[BKBrews]

And so it begins......

 

[BKBrews]

Seems to be going to plan.... Anyone else notice a fair bit of grain husk being recirculated during the mash? Is it to do with my grain crush or how I've put the top plate on?

The top plate was below the water line, so it was hard to get a good feel on where the grain bed was. Seems to be recirculating pretty quickly and overflowing too - I hope a good amount is running through the grain.

 

[A.B.]

You can always slow down the flow using the ball lock, so that the overflow isn't so high. Even turn off the pump for a while.

 

[BKBrews]

Need some urgent help - finished chilling and turned off the pump.... It seems to have created a vacuum? Wort is stuck in the exit pump AND won't fall back into the pump.... What the hell do I do?

 

[A.B.]

blow down the exit tube