Grainfather quetion

A forum to discuss one pot automated brewing systems.
Post Reply
Midlife
Piss Artist
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:30 pm
Location: Essex

Grainfather quetion

Post by Midlife » Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:41 pm

I've been doing my research and warming myself up to getting one of these... How do you owners get on with the chiller that comes with it? Is it easy to rinse out and sanitise? How do you get on with storage and water left in it? This seems like a weak area to me?

Does anyone use an immersion coil chiller I thought this may be better, I assume you would circulate the wort in the same way with the chiller in the wart and monitor temprature drop to yeast pitch temp?

Cheers

Doug

Secla
Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
Posts: 637
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 1:26 am

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by Secla » Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:54 pm

Ive only done 1 brew on mine so far but the cooler was really really efficient !
I to am a little dubious on how clean it is in side but in the instructions it does tell you to recirculate boiling wort through for 5 mins before cooling to steralise.
Only problem i had was towards the end it did get a bit blocked, i seemed to get quite a bit of trub through the pump and into fermenter

User avatar
john luc
Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:04 pm

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by john luc » Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:14 am

Personally I have used mine a couple of times and love it. It all works well and cleans easy.
Deos miscendarum discipule
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie

BrannigansLove
Hollow Legs
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2015 1:09 pm
Location: Boogie Down Brim

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by BrannigansLove » Wed Dec 07, 2016 10:49 am

I've had no issues with the chiller, it's extremely efficient, and I collect the waste water for cleaning and rinsing the GF. I run the GF through a cleaning and rinsing cycle immediately after use, and use an air pump to blow as much moisture as possible out of the chiller before storage.

User avatar
Hairybiker
Hollow Legs
Posts: 350
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:28 am

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by Hairybiker » Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:09 pm

The chiller is the best I have used. Not so great in hotter climbs apparently.
I clean after use with oxy heated to 66 and pumped through the chiller and the mash pipe for 15 min each.
Then boiling water for 15 min each.
To sanitize I connect for the last 10 min of the brew and cycle through the chiller (with the water off).
Been doing this for past year with no issues.

User avatar
john luc
Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:04 pm

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by john luc » Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:26 pm

Oxi is best used at 40C as there is enzymes in it and just like mashing thats their best working temp :wink:
Deos miscendarum discipule
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie

BrannigansLove
Hollow Legs
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2015 1:09 pm
Location: Boogie Down Brim

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by BrannigansLove » Wed Dec 07, 2016 12:41 pm

john luc wrote:Oxi is best used at 40C as there is enzymes in it and just like mashing thats their best working temp :wink:
Source please, I've never heard this. It was my understanding that it consisted of Sodium Percarbonate, Sodium Carbonate, and a small amount of non-ionic detergent.

Dave S
Even further under the Table
Posts: 2514
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:38 pm
Location: Wirral, Merseyside

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by Dave S » Wed Dec 07, 2016 1:08 pm

Midlife wrote:I've been doing my research and warming myself up to getting one of these... How do you owners get on with the chiller that comes with it? Is it easy to rinse out and sanitise? How do you get on with storage and water left in it? This seems like a weak area to me?

Does anyone use an immersion coil chiller I thought this may be better, I assume you would circulate the wort in the same way with the chiller in the wart and monitor temprature drop to yeast pitch temp?

Cheers

Doug
I've brewed with the GF for over a year and can confirm that the chiller knocks spots off an immersion chiller. Sanitation is easy as others have said by recirculating wort through at or towards the end of the boil.

As regards cleaning, I use PBW at 65C re-circulated for 10-15 mins, first with the re-circ pipe fitted, then through the CFC, followed by flushing with water. I do this after a brew and before the next brew so there is no issue with any water having been left in the system during storage. Of course water left in the water side of the CFC isn't an issue anyway as it never comes into contact with the wort. Water left in the GF should be minimal by lifting and tipping out prior to storage/brewing.
Best wishes

Dave

Rad

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by Rad » Wed Dec 07, 2016 3:52 pm

If the CF chiller was stainless inside I'd reconsider using it. Since I can't look inside and store it away for periods of time I ditched it in favour of stainless immersion chiller. I made one out of these:
Image

Drops the temperature like a rock. Though you want to pump it out to the fermenter first as the pump tends to struggle with cold, dense wort.

User avatar
Hairybiker
Hollow Legs
Posts: 350
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:28 am

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by Hairybiker » Wed Dec 07, 2016 5:28 pm

john luc wrote:Oxi is best used at 40C as there is enzymes in it and just like mashing thats their best working temp :wink:
Since it is designed to be added as a laundry additive for white material, it should work at up to 100C. (Hot/boil wash)

Never heard of this 40C rule either.

User avatar
john luc
Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:04 pm

Re: Grainfather quetion

Post by john luc » Wed Dec 07, 2016 5:46 pm

Ye don't boil your laundry at 100C. W5 probably has protease, lipidase and our friendly neighbourhood amylase and they work best in the 40C to 50C range,clears everything from lurgibeans to nappy poop :lol:
Deos miscendarum discipule
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie

Post Reply