Hello + Grainfather or Braumeister?

[Jamdee]

Hello everybody, not sure where to post this so hopefully it's ok here? I'm a partial & extract brewer thinking about jumping to AG.
I like the looks of both the GF & the BM, but quality & money aside, I'm not sure which one to go for? I would like things to be as automated as possible, I have young kids so a little time poor. What's the difference between the controllers, do they do the same things? Thank you

 

[Roosterboy]

I'd go the new robobrew unless you want to spend alot of money on a BM.

 

[Jamdee]

A friend of mine got one the other day.
First time he tried it, it tripped all the the fuses in his house! It looked a bit cheap to me too.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I'm a bit biased, but would you prefer a Great Wall or a Mercedes Benz?

 

[Jamdee]

I know the quality is heaps better on the BM, but do the controllers do the same thing?

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I've never used a GF, but my understanding is that each mash temp setting has to be done as it's required during the mash, whereas with a BM, you set your controller to what mash steps you want at the beginning and it does the rest automatically.
With a GF you'd need to be a bit more hands on during the mash.

 

[Roosterboy]

You can program the BM , it's quality but you have to answer is it worth it for the money. I think the Great Wall is a bit harsh although the country of origin is correct.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I think the Great Wall is a bit harsh although the country of origin is correct.

Hence the

 

[BKBrews]

I wanted a braumeister and got a grainfather. Glad I saved my money

 

[peteru]

The new GF Connect controller can be used either in manual mode or with an app (iOS and Android) and Bluetooth LE device.

Both modes of operation support a programmed multi-step mash as well as a timer function that can sound an alarm. The app can be currently used to import beer.xml recipes and there's a cloud based recipe database version coming soon. It's in beta now.

I'm not intimately familiar with the BM controller, but I believe that the GF controller in standalone mode is about equivalent to the BM. When used with Bluetooth and with an app, it's more advanced / featured than BM.

 

[Hpal]

I"d drop the money on a Brau, if I had the money, which I don't. I don't think I'd spend it on a GF though.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

.
I like the looks of both the GF & the BM, but quality & money aside,

There is your mistake, you can't sideline quality, BDD gave you your answer Merc or a Great Wall

 

[Benn]

Hi Jamdee,
Check out this 3 part review/road test. Should answer a lot of questions you may have.
https://youtu.be/Nr2Qlh5YKwo

 

[peteru]

Check out this 3 part review/road test. Should answer a lot of questions you may have.
https://youtu.be/Nr2Qlh5YKwo

Bear in mind that this comparison is old. The Grainfather has been through several upgrades since then. The major upgrade is the new connect controller, but there have been some other changes to the hardware.

Personally, if I was buying today, I'd be giving the Robobrew with pump a serious look. I think it would be first on my short list and I would use the money saved to upgrade it's controller to a SmartPID solution.

 

[Coodgee]

I'm not sure what people mean when they talk about "quality". The grainfather is essentially a stainless steel urn with a controller, recirculation system and grain basket. It's built to a sufficient standard to do what it was designed to do. It seems durable and there is very little mention on the internet of people finding the grainfather to be not durable after being in the market for a while now. So maybe the BM is not functionally higher quality, only higher quality in the sense that it looks nicer for those who like to have a **** over their brewing system between mashing in and sparging

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Doesn't everyone have a **** between mashing in and sparging?

 

[Bribie G]

So that's what I've been doing wrong, I thought it was supposed to be during.

Interesting comparo in the youtube.
One thing I didn't realise is that the Grainfather uses an existing STC 200 controller (assuming current models still do).
Strikes me that whilst it's not as sophisticated as the Spiedel, any problems down the track it's basically a $30 unit that could be replaced without too much drama.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Remember reading a Choice magazine article once where the comparison was hand drills Choice recommended the Ozito over the more top of the range expensive models, worked out cheaper even if you didn't get replacement warranty over the dearer models just keep buying the Ozito.
Chinese can make a quality product, they could make a product comparable to the Braumeister, the problem is they are asked to make things cheaply and that is just what they will do.

 

[Bribie G]

OT, but ask an Apple tragic where their smartphone comes from.

 

[Markbeer]

Mercedez are now built in China, South Africa and eastern Europe.

To me brands don't mean what they used to.

Nor country if origin. German made is not what it used to be. Merc BMW VW and Audi are relying on reputation from yesteryear. Look up the reliability stats.

If you are truly time poor, go a 3V 80 to 100 litre system.