Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[Linkatme]

I managed to tip it up enough to get 1 hand underneath and feel around for the reset button.

I think I may have an issue with my crush. I'm running a MM mini mill and am getting quite a bit of flour. My first few brews with the gf I used a credit card to set the gap but changed on the last brew to using a feeler gauge at 1.1mm ish.

What are others using?

I have a double mill but everytime I change malt I check the mill again to make it working great.

 

[carniebrew]

I have the Mash Master mini mill, 1.2mm gap for me

 

[McMelloW]

I managed to tip it up enough to get 1 hand underneath and feel around for the reset button.

I think I may have an issue with my crush. I'm running a MM mini mill and am getting quite a bit of flour. My first few brews with the gf I used a credit card to set the gap but changed on the last brew to using a feeler gauge at 1.1mm ish.

What are others using?

I have a Bulldag maltmill, two rolls. The gap is set 1.2mm or 1.3mm works OK for me.

 

[GalBrew]

I managed to tip it up enough to get 1 hand underneath and feel around for the reset button.

I think I may have an issue with my crush. I'm running a MM mini mill and am getting quite a bit of flour. My first few brews with the gf I used a credit card to set the gap but changed on the last brew to using a feeler gauge at 1.1mm ish.

What are others using?

I'm using the same mill at 1.1mm also. On my last brew I got 76% efficiency. You just have to make sure to not rip through the grain too fast when crushing. I use an ozito drill and go as slow as I can.

 

[Mister Wilson]

Thanks fellas

I'll up the gap to 1.3 for the next brew. I'm hand cranking the mill so it would be fair to say speed is not an issue!

 

[Linkatme]

Hi everybody, just few word to show You "problem" and "solution"!

https://flic.kr/p/zwXqFW

 

[butisitart]

no affiliation here - but i wandered into the hbs at annerley (bris) - actually i don't even know what the shop's called, but
they've still got gf for $1000 if interested. first model.

 

[nads]

I'm now on my 8th brew but have always been concerned about the time taken to chill the brew. I have purchased on Ebay a 9.5 metre copper wort chiller/ heat exchanger which I place in an esky full of ice and water and run the tap water through this and into the chiller and this has made a big difference. My mistake according to attached info from Imake is recirculating wort into the chiller to reduce temp instead of pumping straight into FV. I would be interested if anyone is doing this and if so how long does it take to chill wort down to the low 20s.

http://www.grainfather.co.nz/#!weekly-mash/cmzm/post/1749893999551876940

 

[Oggie]

Your problem Nads is your in Aussie, come down to New Zealand, less Aussies and colder tap water , cuzzie.

 

[GalBrew]

I'm now on my 8th brew but have always been concerned about the time taken to chill the brew. I have purchased on Ebay a 9.5 metre copper wort chiller/ heat exchanger which I place in an esky full of ice and water and run the tap water through this and into the chiller and this has made a big difference. My mistake according to attached info from Imake is recirculating wort into the chiller to reduce temp instead of pumping straight into FV. I would be interested if anyone is doing this and if so how long does it take to chill wort down to the low 20s.

http://www.grainfather.co.nz/#!weekly-mash/cmzm/post/1749893999551876940

On my next brewday I might do a quick recirc and measure the wort out temp with my laser thermometer. I remember last time I touched the wort out hose on the chiller and even at the start it felt quite cool.

 

[Tropico]

My mistake according to attached info from Imake is recirculating wort into the chiller to reduce temp instead of pumping straight into FV. I would be interested if anyone is doing this and if so how long does it take to chill wort down to the low 20s.

Once I connect the counterflow chiller, I recycle into the Grainfather for 5-10 minutes without cooling water, to sterilise the chiller. Then turn on the cooling water and give it another 5-10 minutes to stabilise. The wort temp inside the Grainfather comes down to about 70-75C. By this time the filter has a good layer on it and the flow slows down considerably. The temp of wort coming out of the chiller is around 20-25C and it goes straight into the fermenter.

I don't need a huge water flow through the counter-chiller and I collect the water back into the sparge water tank, a large plastic bucket and another empty fermenter and use this for the clean-up. The sparge water tank heats the water for clean-up while the fermenter is filling. I also collect the cleaning water from the cleaning cycle and use this for the next day or 2 for cleaning other things as well.

 

[Coldspace]

I just no chill into cubes. Quicker, easier and less hassel.

 

[Tropico]

I just no chill into cubes. Quicker, easier and less hassel.

I have thought about doing this, maybe next brew. How do you transfer from the Grainfather to cube?

 

[carniebrew]

Once I connect the counterflow chiller, I recycle into the Grainfather for 5-10 minutes without cooling water, to sterilise the chiller. Then turn on the cooling water and give it another 5-10 minutes to stabilise. The wort temp inside the Grainfather comes down to about 70-75C. By this time the filter has a good layer on it and the flow slows down considerably. The temp of wort coming out of the chiller is around 20-25C and it goes straight into the fermenter.

I don't need a huge water flow through the counter-chiller and I collect the water back into the sparge water tank, a large plastic bucket and another empty fermenter and use this for the clean-up. The sparge water tank heats the water for clean-up while the fermenter is filling. I also collect the cleaning water from the cleaning cycle and use this for the next day or 2 for cleaning other things as well.

I reckon waiting 'til 75 in the kettle is a touch overkill to be honest. I brewed on Thursday, tap water here in Melb was 13C. I hooked up the IC, waited for flameout, then recirc'd without the cold water flow to sterilise, for no more than 2-3 minutes. Wandered over to the tap, turned it on full and wandered back. After a couple more minutes the temp in the GF was 90C. Wort out hose was cool to touch, so I moved it to the fermenter. I'd forgotten to use my hop spider for this brew, so admittedly the flow coming out of wort out hose was pretty slow, but of course that just helps the chilling.

In less than 10 minutes I had 22 litres in my fermenter, sitting at 19.1C. Pitched US-05 straight on top and into the fridge it went. So from flameout to pitch was about 15 minutes. Unless your water is significantly warmer than that, then as long as you control the flow of your wort through the chiller it should work for all. Of course you can use the chiller's valve to slow the flow rather than relying on hop matter....

 

[carniebrew]

I have thought about doing this, maybe next brew. How do you transfer from the Grainfather to cube?

1.5m of silicon hose would do the trick. Buy some of a size that will snugly fit over the top of the hose on the GF's recirc arm and job done.

I'm a no chiller from way back, but I just don't bother any more as the GF counter flow chiller is unbelievably efficient.

 

[carniebrew]

Actually if anyone's not using their counter flow chiller at all (I'm looking at you hard core no chillers!), let me know if you're willing to sell it...I have a mate who'd love to add it to his (non GF) system, but can't get the GF guys to sell him one separately.

 

[wildwhitty]

Chiller works well. Always chill straight to the fermenter not back to the kettle.

 

[meathead]

I use one of these, great piece of kit

http://www.cheekypeakbrewery.com.au/index.php/blichmann-bling/blichmann-pot-system-accessories/product/1522-1-2-blichmann-thru-thermometer?search=Bli

 

[kaiserben]

I'm now on my 8th brew but have always been concerned about the time taken to chill the brew. I have purchased on Ebay a 9.5 metre copper wort chiller/ heat exchanger which I place in an esky full of ice and water and run the tap water through this and into the chiller and this has made a big difference. My mistake according to attached info from Imake is recirculating wort into the chiller to reduce temp instead of pumping straight into FV. I would be interested if anyone is doing this and if so how long does it take to chill wort down to the low 20s.

http://www.grainfather.co.nz/#!weekly-mash/cmzm/post/1749893999551876940

I do it this way. It works. It's how it's designed to work.

How long does it take? It takes as long as it takes to pump 23L from the GF into a fermenter (maybe 10 mins? I've never timed it).

For anyone recircing back into the GF while trying to chill the wort - it takes the same time minus all the time you're wasting by recircing back into the GF. Don't waste your time!!!

Unless your tap water is 20C or more you simply won't need an ice bath or pre-chillers to get wort into fermenter at low 20s. (I tried it myself. Only once. Have not wasted my time/effort with it again. Perhaps I'll change my tune in the middle of summer ...)

The only reason I'd ever chill back into the GF is if I want to do a hop stand at a particular temperature (for example in some IPAs I'll do a stand at 75C, but this has zero to do with the process of chilling down to ferment temp).

 

[nads]

I do it this way. It works. It's how it's designed to work.

How long does it take? It takes as long as it takes to pump 23L from the GF into a fermenter (maybe 10 mins? I've never timed it).

For anyone recircing back into the GF while trying to chill the wort - it takes the same time minus all the time you're wasting by recircing back into the GF. Don't waste your time!!!

Unless your tap water is 20C or more you simply won't need an ice bath or pre-chillers to get wort into fermenter at low 20s. (I tried it myself. Only once. Have not wasted my time/effort with it again. Perhaps I'll change my tune in the middle of summer ...)

The only reason I'd ever chill back into the GF is if I want to do a hop stand at a particular temperature (for example in some IPAs I'll do a stand at 75C, but this has zero to do with the process of chilling down to ferment temp).

Thanks kaiserben I'll most certainly do it your way next time.