Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[stuartf]

Good point, I hadn't thought of that one. One option I had thought of was splitting the bill in half, mashing the first half in water as usual then mashing the 2nd in the wort from the 1st? I think this is an old technique that was used to make very strong beers.

 

[carniebrew]

Does anyone have experience with grain bills at the higher end of the GF's capacity? Got an RIS in the planning stage but wanted to know what issues I may hit trying to mash a 8-9kg grain bill? To date my largest has been 6kg, I'm guessing slower sparge is the main thing?

Expect efficiency in the 50's kind of range, and adjust your recipe accordingly, or you end up topping up with a heap of DME/Dextrose post-mash. You can always just make a smaller batch size...i.e. you can make a RIS with 6kg of grain, you just end up with less RIS.

 

[bradsbrew]

I made 20L of 11% RIS on my grainfather with around 9.5kg grain. Cant remember the exact figures, but I did use my SS fermenter with an overside element as a secondary container to boil down the extra wort collected from extra sparging, when it got down to around 30L total in both vessels, I transferred all the wort to the grainfather. From memory, I think it was around a 4 hour boil.

 

[Coodgee]

That sounds like the way to do it!

 

[Coldspace]

I double batch in gf for every brew with 9 kg of grain and still manage to get 2 fermenters at around 1046 gravity. I posted what i do here somewhere earlier.

 

[wambesi]

There was an interesting episode of Brewstrong where John Blichmann had mashed in, then mashed in the same liquid again and got some good results... At least I think it was about that, but it was a brew day while listening and I had been drinking...

 

[stuartf]

Hi wambesi yeah that's pretty much what I'm thinking of doing. Think its called a double mash or something. Trying to decide if the base malt should be in the first mash and dark/specialty grains in second or visa versa or just equal amounts in both. Further reading over a few beers is required

 

[ken_gilchrist]

Hey guys, just finished my third GF brew today. The only thing I have found is that the silicon filter bit that slides over the pump pick up and goes into the filter has already nearly cut through. I have checked the GF web site and they seem to only sell the whole assembly which buggered if I want to be buying all the time. Does anyone know were I can get just the silicon part?

I was thinking about making a slight mod and rigging up a bazooka. If there is no simple solution it may be the way I go.

 

[paulyman]

Give wherever you bought it off a call and it should be easy enough for them to organise a replacement under warranty.

 

[DrGero]

Hi there, sorry for the late reply.
I am using a Brewferm mill. I have the setting at 1mm, sparge doesn't take more than 20 or so minutes and been having good efficiency.

Thanks, I will try that next time. First time I used .7 mill. (and had a stuck mash/sparge). Second time I used 1.2 mill. with low efficiency as a result.

 

[banora brewer]

Hi guys, looking at getting back to all grain brewing, not sure to purchase a grainfather or the braumeister.

 

[butisitart]

depends on your department of finance. mine told me i was lucky to get a gf, and it's a bloody good piece of kit.
i'd be surprised if anybody has owned both to give a realistic comparison.
if my current departmentment of finance throws me out and i find a more compassionate department of finance, i'd go the 50L braumeister or stay where i am.
equally, if gf upgrades to 50L, that would be pretty interesting.

 

[banora brewer]

I have owned a 20 ltr braumeister before but had to sell it, I'm saving for it, my wife, finance department, said that I could have anyone, just got to save the cash

 

[MastersBrewery]

A side by side BM, GF comparo was done by one of the members can't remember who or where. He did say wort carrity was better on the GF. Obviously the automation of steps and timers on the BM are a bonus, however Matho's controler can do this for around $250(PM Lael if you do choose this path). I agree with Butisitart on the 50L, if GF release a 50L model, BM may need to look at their premium price point.

 

[paulyman]

GF have the Grainbrother which is just the GF boiler, no chiller or basket for $600 I think it is. That seems to be how they are pushing increased batch size. Saves on engineering a new unit and setting up another production line.

 

[HBHB]

There's a few pairs of twins around these days. Works well. Just need to be sure they're running on different 10amp circuits.

Works a treat for double batches overlapped back to back

Martin

 

[banora brewer]

I think I might be leaning towards the grainfather

 

[tugger]

It turns out my pump wasn't broken.
I stripped it and reinstalled and it works now.
It wasn't blocked or dirty.
I will monitor it over the next few brews.

 

[tugger]

twins.jpg

There's a few pairs of twins around these days. Works well. Just need to be sure they're running on different 10amp circuits.

Works a treat for double batches overlapped back to back

Martin

My twins.

 

[Coodgee]

I have an urn that I have used to boil wort for a consecutive batch brew day. I just need a little pump to pump the wort through the CFC out of the urn because it was a pain in the arse to have to chill one brew and and then dump the first brew back into the grainfather and chill that one. Took forever.