Dedicated Grainfather Guide, Problems and Solutions Thread

[carniebrew]

I just let the fermenter sit in the fridge until it's at the temp I'm happy to pitch at. You can be pretty liberal with your pitching temps, e.g. if you're planning to ferment at 18C, don't worry about pitching the yeast when it's at 22 or 23 degrees. The yeast actually perform better in the warmer pitch temps (the little scamps like warmth)...and your wort temp will be down to 18C well and truly by the time the yeast start producing any flavour compounds.

 

[Coldspace]

After 6 brews with the chiller, I've shelved it in the shed. Over 40 brews later most double batch, I no chill, adjust bittering additions down by 20%, all others stay the same, throw my cubes into swimming my pool 5 mins after filling. Beers are as good or better, a lot less fluffing around and a whole lot less water wastage.

I want a grain brother to up production , but can't buy another malt pipe. So not worth it when I double batch. Come on grainfather,imake, when we can buy a malt pipe in Australia like than can in the USA ,then I'll get a grain brother to up production, can't justify another 1100 grainfather for a wort chiller and glass lid I won't use. Maybe 700 for a grain brother and malt pipe.

Cheers

 

[Chridech]

After 6 brews with the chiller, I've shelved it in the shed. Over 40 brews later most double batch, I no chill, adjust bittering additions down by 20%, all others stay the same, throw my cubes into swimming my pool 5 mins after filling. Beers are as good or better, a lot less fluffing around and a whole lot less water wastage.

That does it. Have to troll back through the thread to revise Coldspace's recommendations for double batching. HAve less time to brew but need to brew more each time.

 

[meathead]

Here is Coldspaces original post

I double batch always with Grainfather , same time but get 2 cubes.
I start with 23 ltrs, at strike temp then leave on mash low heat setting while stirring in,then slowly mash in my 8.5 to 9 kgs max of grains, slow and steady stir and stab with paddle up and down like mixing up concrete.
Usually once I've stirred in about 7 kgs of grain, I swing the top pipe over the top of the grain bed, start pump, and pump approx 2 -3 ltrs of water ontop.
This then makes it much easier to mash the final 2 kgs in.
I usually then mash for 75 mins and do 20 min mash out at 78. This helps with sparging.
Then, I just keep sparging till I see it dripped upto the 30 ltr mark.
I then place the malt pipe into an old esky and sparge it with another 6 ltrs of water and just let the last goodness run out into esky while I boil. You can take top plate of, give the grain a stir and sparge with final water, I find I get the last sugars totally out. Then Usually about 7 to 8 ltrs trickles out into esky which works out perfect for top ups and keeps efficiency up. Sit the malt pipe ontop of a Tupperware container etc to keep it off the floor of esky or bucket to catch second sparge runnings.
I then use this final runnings to top up the boil while doing my additions,
Just top up slowly so the boil is not killed, or I have an immersion heater from my previous brewing days which is use to ramp up the temps in between strike and boils to save time.
When my boil is done, I top right to top , about 10mm from lip with runnings or boiled water .
I then wait for the temp to drop to about 90-92 degrees, then pump straight into 2 x 15 ltr cubes that I saved from fresh wort kits, or you can buy 15 ltr containers.
The full double batch Grainfather fills 2 of these perfectly to the top.
Seal, and leave, I also add my hop additions I would normally use at sub 15 mark into little hop socks straight into the cubes.
What I have now is an over gravity for style 15 ltr cube, actually more like 16 lts.
When time to ferment, I dump into fermenter and top up to 21 ltrs.
I usually get OG of 1.046 to 1.048 which is plenty for me, and I get 2 x 19 ltr kegs from one cook up.
Last sat, while doing yard work etc, I got 2 double batches , so 4 cubes of a nice pilsener and pale ale , and allowing for my immersion heater to save time and everything took about 7 hrs.start to cleaned and packed up. Also managed to mow yard and take kids to shops in between mash times to keep SWMBO happy. Lol
Espescially using no chill, saves heaps of water and about 30 mins per Cook up. It's a no brainer.
Unless doing a high grav brew, double batch all the way.
I've done about 25-30 double batches now, and works a treat.
Hope this helps.

 

[Chridech]

I double batch always with Grainfather , same time but get 2 cubes.
I start with 23 ltrs, at strike temp then leave on mash low heat setting while stirring in,then slowly mash in my 8.5 to 9 kgs max of grains, slow and steady stir and stab with paddle up and down like mixing up concrete.
Usually once I've stirred in about 7 kgs of grain, I swing the top pipe over the top of the grain bed, start pump, and pump approx 2 -3 ltrs of water ontop.
This then makes it much easier to mash the final 2 kgs in.
I usually then mash for 75 mins and do 20 min mash out at 78. This helps with sparging.
Then, I just keep sparging till I see it dripped upto the 30 ltr mark.
I then place the malt pipe into an old esky and sparge it with another 6 ltrs of water and just let the last goodness run out into esky while I boil. You can take top plate of, give the grain a stir and sparge with final water, I find I get the last sugars totally out. Then Usually about 7 to 8 ltrs trickles out into esky which works out perfect for top ups and keeps efficiency up. Sit the malt pipe ontop of a Tupperware container etc to keep it off the floor of esky or bucket to catch second sparge runnings.
I then use this final runnings to top up the boil while doing my additions,
Just top up slowly so the boil is not killed, or I have an immersion heater from my previous brewing days which is use to ramp up the temps in between strike and boils to save time.
When my boil is done, I top right to top , about 10mm from lip with runnings or boiled water .
I then wait for the temp to drop to about 90-92 degrees, then pump straight into 2 x 15 ltr cubes that I saved from fresh wort kits, or you can buy 15 ltr containers.
The full double batch Grainfather fills 2 of these perfectly to the top.
Seal, and leave, I also add my hop additions I would normally use at sub 15 mark into little hop socks straight into the cubes.
What I have now is an over gravity for style 15 ltr cube, actually more like 16 lts.
When time to ferment, I dump into fermenter and top up to 21 ltrs.
I usually get OG of 1.046 to 1.048 which is plenty for me, and I get 2 x 19 ltr kegs from one cook up.
Last sat, while doing yard work etc, I got 2 double batches , so 4 cubes of a nice pilsener and pale ale , and allowing for my immersion heater to save time and everything took about 7 hrs.start to cleaned and packed up. Also managed to mow yard and take kids to shops in between mash times to keep SWMBO happy. Lol
Espescially using no chill, saves heaps of water and about 30 mins per Cook up. It's a no brainer.
Unless doing a high grav brew, double batch all the way.
I've done about 25-30 double batches now, and works a treat.
Hope this helps.

Coldspace, you don't happen to have developed an Equipment Profile (eg. Beersmith) that incorporates this technique do you? Otherwise I'll have a go using the volumes you have mentioned. Approx. what sort of efficiency does this technique give you? (again, could be derived from the figures you have quoted). You might be able to tell I'm not a seat of the pants type brewer.

 

[Coldspace]

Coldspace, you don't happen to have developed an Equipment Profile (eg. Beersmith) that incorporates this technique do you? Otherwise I'll have a go using the volumes you have mentioned. Approx. what sort of efficiency does this technique give you? (again, could be derived from the figures you have quoted). You might be able to tell I'm not a seat of the pants type brewer.

Hey mate, no I've not done anything in beersmith. I only double batch receipes that use 4 to 4.5 kg grain max. Done smurtos golden ale, landlord, little creatures bright and pale ales , stout, 150 lashes plus several other receipes that use 4 to 4.5 kg grain. Also some doubles of a mid strength beer using about 6.5 kg grain which worked awesome. Bigger receipes can only be single batched as 9 kgs Of grain is absolute max. 8.5 to 8.8 is better.
Last weekend I did a double of a 150 lashes type beer. 2 x 4.4 kg grains, 8.8 all up. I tend to mill on the slightly courser crush than say what BIAB guys would do. This help with sparging. I mashed for 75 mins, sparged to it was up around 30 ltrs, then sparged another 6 ltrs with malt pipe in esky. While boil was going I kept 4 ltrs to top the gf up. I also on the recommendation of another poster boiled the other 4 ltrs I collected out of esky on my stove top. When my final additions were done at wirlpool stage I used the pot I boiled on the stove to top the gf up. I also needed approx 1 ltr of boiled water to top it to the top so I can fill my 2 x15 ltr cubes perfectly to the brim with no air space.

I achieved a 2x 15 ltr ( more like 16 ltrs after cube expansion)cube gravity of 1062 tested with my refrac and also hydro.
I have a pool, I drop these into the pool step to cool them abit quicker. Another tip I've learned from this site
I only started doing this last 6 or so brews, I do this while clean up, and after 1 hr they have cooled right down. I think the beer is a little smoother but I was always happy with prior cube elnatural cool downs.

Last night after work, I pitched these cubes into my 2 fermenters, added water upto 22 ltr mark, and resulted in a gravity of 1045. Plenty for me. This will give me 2 full cornies plus a few bottles to put away.

Sometimes I will just top upto 20 ltrs each for 2 cornies, around 1046 to 1048 gravity.

I've done this many times over past 12 months, always hit my numbers . It's fairly fool proof. I've never bothered calculating actual percentages, but comparing my single batches to doubles for same receipe I possibly suffer 5% drop but for the time saved it's worth it.

Some mates and family members brew, but only k&k or wort kits, but prefer my beers every time . I've done a couple of cubes up for my brother and close mate. They brewed them up in their fridges, and the beer comes up trumps. This is why I want to get another gf going at some stage, brew 2 x double batches simultaneously , 2 cubes for me and 2 cubes for family members in same time.
This way we can all keep our costs down, and help me cover some of my grain/hop costs. Costs me about 15 bucks per cube to cook up depending on hops. As I buy all mine in bulk now.
Better than 40 to 50 bucks per fresh wort kit, and tastier and better beers.

Cheers

 

[Chridech]

Thanks Coldspace, you really have your process worked out well. I have a couple of tried and true recipes I can double-up but will start with Dr Smurto's as I've wanted to brew this but have never got around to it.

 

[carniebrew]

After 6 brews with the chiller, I've shelved it in the shed. Over 40 brews later most double batch, I no chill, adjust bittering additions down by 20%, all others stay the same, throw my cubes into swimming my pool 5 mins after filling. Beers are as good or better, a lot less fluffing around and a whole lot less water wastage.

I want a grain brother to up production , but can't buy another malt pipe. So not worth it when I double batch. Come on grainfather,imake, when we can buy a malt pipe in Australia like than can in the USA ,then I'll get a grain brother to up production, can't justify another 1100 grainfather for a wort chiller and glass lid I won't use. Maybe 700 for a grain brother and malt pipe.

Cheers

You could buy a 2nd complete grainfather then sell the counter flow chiller. They're top notch chillers and you'd easily get over $200 for it I reckon.

 

[Coldspace]

You could buy a 2nd complete grainfather then sell the counter flow chiller. They're top notch chillers and you'd easily get over $200 for it I reckon.

Good idea,

I'll put it up in the buy and sell.

Cheers

 

[Mattrox]

Just doing my 1st brew day with the Grainfather.

I got 23L @ 1.067 from 4.25kg of grain pre-boil. The online efficiency calculator tells me this is impossible. I bought the grain and had it crushed at the shop. I didn't weigh out the grain before I put it in.

I'm pretty sure that the hydrometer is not that far wrong.

I'm impressed with the unit though.

 

[Reedy]

Hey Mattrox,

I just finished brewing the Little Fellas Pale Ale from the Recipe DB and had a pre-boil SG of 1.046 from 5.7kg of grain (was supposed to be 1.048 but I over-sparged by about half a litre).

I usually aim for a pre-boil volume of around 27L after sparging (at which point I take a reading with a refractometer), this usually gets me around 23L post boil.

Based on the GF mash calculator (and assuming a 60min boil), your mash volume should have been 14.98L & sparge 16.42L, in order to achieve 23L post-boil.

 

[Mattrox]

Hey Mattrox,

I just finished brewing the Little Fellas Pale Ale from the Recipe DB and had a pre-boil SG of 1.046 from 5.7kg of grain (was supposed to be 1.048 but I over-sparged by about half a litre).

I usually aim for a pre-boil volume of around 27L after sparging (at which point I take a reading with a refractometer), this usually gets me around 23L post boil.

Based on the GF mash calculator (and assuming a 60min boil), your mash volume should have been 14.98L & sparge 16.42L, in order to achieve 23L post-boil.

I was aiming for 20L post boil.

I mashed 14.8L (roughly) and after sparge I had about 23ish L.

 

[Mattrox]

I got 20L in the FV @ 1.048 OG. Happy with that.

 

[Chridech]

Just doing my 1st brew day with the Grainfather.

I got 23L @ 1.067 from 4.25kg of grain pre-boil. The online efficiency calculator tells me this is impossible. I bought the grain and had it crushed at the shop. I didn't weigh out the grain before I put it in.

I'm pretty sure that the hydrometer is not that far wrong.

I'm impressed with the unit though.

Mattrox I see you ended up with 20L in the FV at 1048 which still sounds like fair Brewhouse efficiency. When did you take the reading of 1067 pre-boil? Could this be a pre-sparge reading? It also pays to thoroughly stir the wort post sparge before taking a pre-Boil gravity reading. I've had wild results pre-boil if didn't mix thoroughly prior to taking a measurement.

 

[Mattrox]

Mattrox I see you ended up with 20L in the FV at 1048 which still sounds like fair Brewhouse efficiency. When did you take the reading of 1067 pre-boil? Could this be a pre-sparge reading? It also pays to thoroughly stir the wort post sparge before taking a pre-Boil gravity reading. I've had wild results pre-boil if didn't mix thoroughly prior to taking a measurement.

This was after sparge. But you are probably right that the sparge water probably hadn't mixed properly.

 

[WhiteLomu]

What temperature did you take the reading at? It should be at room temps. Mashing temps can throw the readings way out.

 

[Mattrox]

What temperature did you take the reading at? It should be at room temps. Mashing temps can throw the readings way out.

I took the sample and set it aside to sit. Newly collected it was 1.064 and at room temp it finally settled at 1.068.

 

[Exile]

Brewing a Brewdog No.9 Hype reciepe atm using Bairds Maris Otter.

The Grain Bill Weight is 4.6Kg
The Preboil Volume is 28L
The Preboil SG is 1.046

Now according to the Grainfather Calculator, my efficiency is 97%

No my Question is.... Is this Grainfather Calculator right? :blink:


Recipe Attached





Cheers

 

[Kiwifirst]

Having a bit of a problem on the last two brews on the gf with grain bills around 4.2kg

As you can see, there is a lot of frothing. I notice that the top filter plate does not go down far enough to sit on the grain, so there is a gap. I assume this isn't the problem. I can see a lot of oxygen in the maltpipe and someone on the fb page mentioned that they thought the connection of the pipe when screwed in was probably allowing air in. I don't think it is from there though. I am wondering if it is because the crush is too fine and the wort is struggling to drop through quick enough, leaving the pump to be adding air and wort from the base. If I turn the pump off for a few minutes and turn back on, the wort comes through solid, but then after a short time, I start to see oxygen in the pipe and frothing all over again.

Wondering if anyone else has had the same problem. Maybe I need to open the mill. Originally I felt the Gladfield malts were a little plumper and so crushed a little bit finer than most other grains, but this brew was mainly (3kg) of Maris Otter.

 

[Killer Brew]

Hmmm, haven't seen that one before. Can you hear it sucking air? Is it spluttering out of the recirc tube? Was your mash water addition bubble bath?