Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[fletcher]

has anyone adjusted the temperature differential setting on the STC200 with success? at the moment, i want to reduce the temperature 'swing' during the mash, and have my element heat the mash again when it gets to 1c below mash temp (not 2c).

will this cause more wear potentially if the element is being switched on more? any success stories? don't do it?

help!

 

[fletcher]

no one done this?

 

[A.B.]

Don't think the 200 can do that without being hacked...

 

[Coodgee]

One drawback of the grainfather is that you can't easily monitor gravity, pH etc of the sparge runnings going into the kettle. With a 3V system you can measure these things as the runnings are coming out of the mash tun. There are reasons why a brewer might want to control how much sparge runnings are collected. One might want to maximise efficiency or stop sparging once runnings reach a low enough gravity. More generally it puts the brewer more in control of the process rather than just hoping and assuming that the amount of sparge runnings collected is appropriate for a particular brew.

You could put a collection plate between the malt pipe and grainfather boiler, with a tap on the side and a hose running into the main body. You could also add a second smaller tap to take readings for a refractometer or pH meter. I have done a rough sketch in MS paint to illustrate the idea.

I wonder how much it would cost to get something like this made up? It wouldn't necessarily need to be cylindrical. You could use a rectangular or square collection plate as long as the length and width dimensions were more than twice the radius of the grainfather opening. I am thinking I might even be able to modify a really big drip tray to do this.

 

[paulyman]

One drawback of the grainfather is that you can't easily monitor gravity, pH etc of the sparge runnings going into the kettle. With a 3V system you can measure these things as the runnings are coming out of the mash tun. There are reasons why a brewer might want to control how much sparge runnings are collected. One might want to maximise efficiency or stop sparging once runnings reach a low enough gravity. More generally it puts the brewer more in control of the process rather than just hoping and assuming that the amount of sparge runnings collected is appropriate for a particular brew.

You could put a collection plate between the malt pipe and grainfather boiler, with a tap on the side and a hose running into the main body. You could also add a second smaller tap to take readings for a refractometer or pH meter. I have done a rough sketch in MS paint to illustrate the idea.

I wonder how much it would cost to get something like this made up? It wouldn't necessarily need to be cylindrical. You could use a rectangular or square collection plate as long as the length and width dimensions were more than twice the radius of the grainfather opening. I am thinking I might even be able to modify a really big drip tray to do this.

That would also reduce the dripping you currently get into the boiler making it more LODO compliant. Interesting.

 

[mb547]

I hope this is the correct place to post. If not please delete.
I am just about to buy a grainfather and was wondering what is the best price out there? And which supplier is offering the most free extras?
Would like to get the most for my money.
Thank you in advance.

 

[mb547]

I hope this is the correct place to post. If not please delete.
I am just about to buy a grainfather and was wondering what is the best price out there? And which supplier is offering the most free extras?
Would like to get the most for my money.
Thank you in advance.

 

[BKBrews]

I hope this is the correct place to post. If not please delete.
I am just about to buy a grainfather and was wondering what is the best price out there? And which supplier is offering the most free extras?
Would like to get the most for my money.
Thank you in advance.

I bought mine from cheeky peak for $995 + $15 shipping (not sure if they still do that shipping deal). By far the cheapest I could find. It's worth noting a new model will be released in the next few months which adds about $200 to the current RRP. I was also told mine is the latest model, but I think I got the older style chiller, which is apparently better anyway.

 

[wambesi]

But whether you purchase now and upgrade the controller later or wait and buy it together you will pay the same amount.

 

[mb547]

Thats the cheapest I've seen so far! I'll definitely get the upgrade which is why I am buying now as I don't expect any new units to be on a discount. Might save me a couple of hundred that will pay for an urn.

 

[5150]

I normally hunt around forever looking for the very best deal I can possibly find, but last week I bought a grainfather and decided that service was worth the small extra cost. I bought mine from Martin from National Home. He has done a lot of work on the grainfather and I can tell you the service was second to none. I ordered it on Tuesday morning and I had it on Thursday afternoon.

Just my 2c.

 

[A.B.]

I paid $950 for mine from my local home brew shop, haggled them down as I know they had it on the shelf for at last 6 months.

 

[BKBrews]

I normally hunt around forever looking for the very best deal I can possibly find, but last week I bought a grainfather and decided that service was worth the small extra cost. I bought mine from Martin from National Home. He has done a lot of work on the grainfather and I can tell you the service was second to none. I ordered it on Tuesday morning and I had it on Thursday afternoon.

Just my 2c.

I definitely like buying my grain from these guys because yes, they know the grainfather well and their crush is perfect for it. Not to mention that they bag your recipes and flush with CO2. I was already pushing my budget as it was, so I opted for the cheapest GF deal I could find. I have bought a fair bit from cheeky peak now though and find them to be pretty good too.

 

[Killer Brew]

I found the Cheeky Peak crush far coarser than my LHBS in Adel. Efficiency plummeted by around 10%.

 

[Mattrox]

I found the Cheeky Peak crush far coarser than my LHBS in Adel. Efficiency plummeted by around 10%.

Who do you use in Adelaide? What efficiency are you getting?

 

[BKBrews]

I found the Cheeky Peak crush far coarser than my LHBS in Adel. Efficiency plummeted by around 10%.

Just to be clear, I was referring to National Homebrew when I said I like buying grain there. Cheeky Peak was the first place I bought grain, but that was before the GF and while I was using BIAB.

 

[BrewJitsu]

Who do you use in Adelaide? What efficiency are you getting?

I use brewadelaide.com. I tried the other main brew shop but found I was getting stuck mashes and burn on the bottom (how ever my mate uses them and gets good results so maybe they have gotten the crush right since I used them). Brew Adelaide deliver to my door for free their pricing when you buy the grain book and order that way are the best in town and I just ask for my grainfather crush and it's always perfect. Efficiency via the Grainfather web site tool always shows mid 80's which I am happy with.

 

[Mattrox]

Does anyone have a 25L recipe in the cloud with a profile that has the mash and sparge volumes correct?

Trying to get the sparge correct in the mobile app and I can't. The mash volume I have got correct though.

 

[Killer Brew]

Who do you use in Adelaide? What efficiency are you getting?

Using Beer Belly here. Consistently getting around 75% - 80%. Prices competitive and flat rate delivery works for me given they are the other side of town.

* no association etc etc

 

[Mattrox]

For those who use the mobile Beersmith app (and are pedantic :lol: ), I just got the Sparge and Mash volumes to be exactly what the GF website's calculator says it should be for most recipes. I am like 10 or 20 mL as grain bills change.

I set grain absorbtion in Options: Advanced Options: Grain Absorption: 0.7680

In Profiles: Equipment I set the Grainfather profile to the recommended:
Mash Tun Volume: 30.00L
Mash Tun Weight: 4.0 kg
Tun Specific Heat: 0.12
Tun Deadspace: 3.50
ticked the Adjust mash vol for deadspace box.
Kettle Top up: 3.50
Calculate Boil Volume Automatically box is unticked
Boil Volume: 28.00 L
Boil Time: 60
Boil Off: 2.0 L
ticked the Use boil off as hourly rate box
Cooling Shrinkage 4%

Then in Mash Profiles:
For example: Temperature Mash, 1 step, Medium Body
In Mash Steps select the 1st step, in this case Saccharification, set the Water/Grain Ratio 2.70
and make sure under Mash Properties don't mess with the grain basis of 4.54kg I tried to make it a more accurate rounding of 10lbs, but 4.54 is accurate enough and it doesn't change very much.

Make sure the water/grain ratio is 2.70 in the 1st step for mash in on any profile you edit.

Most of that info can be found around the web but not all in the same place and not specifically for the mobile app.

 

[Exile]

My grainfather has a sight glass now

 

[kaiserben]

Today I finally got around to replacing parts with the upgrade kit (pipework etc)

So to those who had the old Grainfather, what is better:

The old or new filter?
Keep or remove ball and spring?

 

[Mattrox]

Today I finally got around to replacing parts with the upgrade kit (pipework etc)

So to those who had the old Grainfather, what is better:

The old or new filter?
Keep or remove ball and spring?

Remove ball spring, unless you are prone to removing bits with the pump on.

I only have the new filter. Haven't had problems.

 

[Beppe]

Hello guys i'm finding that my beers with granfaither are cloudy and do not understand where i'm wrong,first cooled cooked must with immersion coil and hai ad no problem now with counter flow supplied to the pot always clodi beer,al control ph always,use for yeast nutrients,it aslo happens to you?I can not understand the problem

 

[Killer Brew]

I'm trying to think if I need this upgrade or not. Staying close to my brew to adjust temps at different stages doesn't bother me, I feel like it is part of the process. Is that the only advantage I would get?

 

[Coodgee]

I think the upgrade will be worth it for me. I didn't think so initially. But refining and automating some of the steps, as well as prompting me to not forget things like the whirlfloc should result in a more consistent product

 

[A.B.]

I have to monitor mine the whole way, except for the boil, so the hands off ideas that the new controller provides doesn't grab me

 

[HBHB]

Hello guys i'm finding that my beers with granfaither are cloudy and do not understand where i'm wrong,first cooled cooked must with immersion coil and hai ad no problem now with counter flow supplied to the pot always clodi beer,al control ph always,use for yeast nutrients,it aslo happens to you?I can not understand the problem

Start with looking at the recipe formulation on what malts are used, how they are milled. - if too fine, then the grain bed may be overly compacted and all wort is running through the overflow pipe without getting good filtration.
couple of points to start with.

I'm trying to think if I need this upgrade or not. Staying close to my brew to adjust temps at different stages doesn't bother me, I feel like it is part of the process. Is that the only advantage I would get?

Sorry KB, I try to avoid bumping our threads on the sponsors pages as much as possible.

Thanks Brad for moving this to here.

The new controller has Bluetooth interaction with your smart phone or tablet etc, so you can be away from the brew and still see what's going on. preprogramming step mashes and the use of PID algorithm means step mashing is more reliable allowing for overshoot etc. App works with any beer design program running export capability in beer.xml format, so Beersmith etc all work with it. App runs alarms and timers as well as a sparge water counter etc so you can be ready to brew before the first coffee of the day is made. or be ready to brew when you arrive home from work etc. (personally, I like waking up to the clatter of Karen making a beer out in the bar area, so this may be a disadvantage in our household)

There's lots to be said for the new controller, it's just a matter of guys/girls deciding whether they want that level of functionality. Maybe not for some folk, but think it'll have a wide appeal.

Hope that helps.
Martin

 

[welly2]

Hello guys i'm finding that my beers with granfaither are cloudy and do not understand where i'm wrong,first cooled cooked must with immersion coil and hai ad no problem now with counter flow supplied to the pot always clodi beer,al control ph always,use for yeast nutrients,it aslo happens to you?I can not understand the problem

This comment reads like you were getting drunker and drunker by the second.

 

[Chridech]

This comment reads like you were getting drunker and drunker by the second.

Google translator of its face again!