Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[MichaelM]

I find the sparges to be quite quick, and my extract efficiency is lower compared to using a 3v system with a mash/lauter tun where recommendations are roughly 30-60 mins. Any other GF users have this issue as well.

 

[Coodgee]

The brew I did last night I got excellent efficiency with about a 20 minute sparge time. Beersmith calculated my brewhouse efficiency as 84.4%, and that's without tipping the grainfather to get all the trubby liquid out or anything. I add an extra 2 or 3 litres to the sparge volume so I collect about 29 litres and then do a 90 minute boil. The extra sparge volume gives the grain a good rinse and helps with efficiency. Also, I leave the grain basket to drain right up until the wort is about to boil. This let's as much wort drain into the boiler as possible.

 

[carniebrew]

The brew I did last night I got excellent efficiency with about a 20 minute sparge time. Beersmith calculated my brewhouse efficiency as 84.4%, and that's without tipping the grainfather to get all the trubby liquid out or anything. I add an extra 2 or 3 litres to the sparge volume so I collect about 29 litres and then do a 90 minute boil. The extra sparge volume gives the grain a good rinse and helps with efficiency. Also, I leave the grain basket to drain right up until the wort is about to boil. This let's as much wort drain into the boiler as possible.

Which one is "brewhouse efficiency"? I don't see that in Beersmith anywhere. I use "Total Efficiency" in Beersmith as the guide as to how much gravity I'm going to get out of my grain. With my early slow sparges, e.g. lifting the malt pipe and letting it drain until I could see the top plate, then pouring a litre in at a time and waiting for it to disappear, I was getting around 82% total efficiency. It tool 30-40 minutes. Since I've starting sparging quickly, i.e adding sparge water as soon as I see the little tabs on the top plate, I'm sparging in 15-20 minutes, but getting maybe 75% total efficiency.

 

[Coodgee]

yeah brewhouse efficiency is total efficiency. you are right it is called total eff in the software. Actually in the Fermentation tab it lists "Tot efficiency" under the title of brewhouse efficiency!!

75% total efficiency is still really good. mine varies from 72-85% depending on how much sparge water I drip through and if I let the last little bit drip through before I remove the grain basket. If you add an extra couple of litres to your sparge water I reckon you would get it up > 80% efficiency. and let it drip through until your controller is just about to flash HH. I think the recipe makes a difference too. Last night's brew was with golden promise ale malt.

 

[MichaelM]

What settings to you use in your equipment profile? Not sure if mine are correct and impacting efficiency

 

[Coodgee]

I think the calculation for measured efficiency should only depend on amount and type of grain, the measured O.G and the measured batch size. It's just the amount sugar you managed to extract from the grain as a proportion of the total possible amount of sugar contained in your particular grain bill.

 

[Coodgee]

I think the calculation for measured efficiency should only depend on amount and type of grain, the measured O.G and the measured batch size. It's just the amount sugar you managed to extract from the grain as a proportion of the total possible amount of sugar contained in your particular grain bill.

 

[botch]

Hi fellas,

Finally got round to installing the upgrade kit on my GF.

I can't seem to get this leak sorted out in the new recirculation pipe valve. I've got it as tight as can go which doesn't quite get to the bottom of the thread, but still leaks. Any ideas?

Don't really want to put the old pipe back on as I've upgraded the chiller too

 

[Killer Brew]

Just checked mine for you, only has the same nylon washer i think i can see in yours. Have had no issues with leaking. Did you get spare washers with the upgrade kit? Perhaps change the washer in case the original is damaged.

 

[carniebrew]

The brew I did last night I got excellent efficiency with about a 20 minute sparge time. Beersmith calculated my brewhouse efficiency as 84.4%, and that's without tipping the grainfather to get all the trubby liquid out or anything. I add an extra 2 or 3 litres to the sparge volume so I collect about 29 litres and then do a 90 minute boil. The extra sparge volume gives the grain a good rinse and helps with efficiency. Also, I leave the grain basket to drain right up until the wort is about to boil. This let's as much wort drain into the boiler as possible.

I mostly only do 30 minute boils theses days...

 

[botch]

Just checked mine for you, only has the same nylon washer i think i can see in yours. Have had no issues with leaking. Did you get spare washers with the upgrade kit? Perhaps change the washer in case the original is damaged.

Thanks for checking mate.

I just tried both of the spare washers that were sent with the upgrade kit but same deal.

Does your valve screw the whole way down the thread? My photo isn't great but if you can sort of see that it doesn't quite make it to the end. I am thinking it may be a problem with the thread. And if you say yours threads all the way down (with no thread showing) I reckon that will confirm it for me.

Thanks for the help

 

[botch]

Cancel that.

It's actually a tiny hole in the weld just below the thread.

Will contact the GF team for a replacement.

 

[nads]

I've now made 8 brews in my Grainfather and they have all been really good but the last 2 which were Dr Smurtos golden ale whilst the taste was great they needed more fizz.. I always bulk prime and bottle my brews and have always used 7gm per litre dex which on my earlier brews Citra APA's and Mad Hopper APA's was fine with plenty of fizz. I also notice there is very little trub in the bottom of the bottles compared to my other brews and wonder if maybe there was not enough yeast left after a week of cold crashing. Yeast used in both Citra APA's and Dr Smurtos was US05. I'm at a loss and would welcome any suggestions.

 

[Linkatme]

Thanks for checking mate.

I just tried both of the spare washers that were sent with the upgrade kit but same deal.

Does your valve screw the whole way down the thread? My photo isn't great but if you can sort of see that it doesn't quite make it to the end. I am thinking it may be a problem with the thread. And if you say yours threads all the way down (with no thread showing) I reckon that will confirm it for me.

Thanks for the help

I think one o-ring is still missing, it should be red.... No leak with it!

 

[Killer Brew]

I've now made 8 brews in my Grainfather and they have all been really good but the last 2 which were Dr Smurtos golden ale whilst the taste was great they needed more fizz.. I always bulk prime and bottle my brews and have always used 7gm per litre dex which on my earlier brews Citra APA's and Mad Hopper APA's was fine with plenty of fizz. I also notice there is very little trub in the bottom of the bottles compared to my other brews and wonder if maybe there was not enough yeast left after a week of cold crashing. Yeast used in both Citra APA's and Dr Smurtos was US05. I'm at a loss and would welcome any suggestions.

Sounds like a decent amount of primer (though i use table sugar not dex). How long have the bottles been conditioning and at what temp? There will still be enough yeast there to get the job done.

 

[nads]

The two Dr Smurtos lacking fizz have both conditioned long enough I think. The first was bottled 26/9 and the last one 8/11 and at temps over 20 degrees. In the second one I used table sugar not dex thinking this may increase the bubbles but they are both pretty much the same. The other thing I noticed about these two brews is that they took a lot longer to finish fermenting than the earlier Citra APA's at around two weeks.

 

[Killer Brew]

The two Dr Smurtos lacking fizz have both conditioned long enough I think. The first was bottled 26/9 and the last one 8/11 and at temps over 20 degrees. In the second one I used table sugar not dex thinking this may increase the bubbles but they are both pretty much the same. The other thing I noticed about these two brews is that they took a lot longer to finish fermenting than the earlier Citra APA's at around two weeks.

You are right, should be plenty of time. Are you confident that the priming liquid was dispersed evenly in the wort and bottled straight away?

 

[nads]

Yes as I always transfer wort from FV to bulk prime vessel via hose curled on the bottom so as to swirl the wort as it fills and also give it a gentle stir before bottling. I always tip sugar into bulk prime vessel and pour in around 500 ml boiling water to dissolve sugar and immediately start to transfer wort which is at 2 degrees after cold crashing for a week. Perhaps the hot water kills off some of the yeast was another thought I had, however I have always done it the same way and not had a problem with my other brews.

 

[Coodgee]

Maybe you are recycling bottles/caps and they are not quite as airtight as they were previously?

 

[HBHB]

I'm not sure how valid the fear of transferring to a secondary vessel and related infection risks are. Never experienced any issues personally. Transferring off the yeast cake for secondary and adding the hops won't increase the risk of infection any more than using a bottling bucket and bulk priming. Good cleaning, sanitising and a slow and steady transfer should minimise any risks.