Different people use different sparging techniques, some people use tap water whether it's cold or warm and some people use hot, not boiling, water from a kettle. I would say that the warmer the better just to get those last valuable sugars out. Oh I didn't get a Grainfather in the end, I bought a Braumeister instead.Jules T wrote:Let us know if you get any more advicem_rawdin wrote:I'm doing something similar, I've just sold my 100 litre 3 pot system as i was only really brewing to 23 litres. I'm going to be buying a Grainfather and was not going to bother with a separate water heater as a few people have said they sparge with cold water or if they've got a combi boiler then use warm water from the tap. I will be at the meet up tonight so will get some advice from everyone tonight.
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Grainfather 30L
Re: Grainfather 30L
https://www.facebook.com/groups/341609746264187/
Fermenting: Nothing
Conditioning: Smoked porter
Drinking: Cider, witbier, brown ale, Milk stout
Planning: Gamma Ray clone v3
Fermenting: Nothing
Conditioning: Smoked porter
Drinking: Cider, witbier, brown ale, Milk stout
Planning: Gamma Ray clone v3
Re: Grainfather 30L
I'm also looking to buy one of these in the next few weeks, one question I have (hope the thread starter doesn't mind) is how do you deal with the steam? I've cut a hole in the lid of my current boiler and have attached ducting to route the steam out of the kitchen window.
Do you end up with a kitchen full of steam and water running down the walls? I've done this once resulting in re-decorating the kitchen so I'd like to avoid it again.
Any advice is appreciated,
James
Do you end up with a kitchen full of steam and water running down the walls? I've done this once resulting in re-decorating the kitchen so I'd like to avoid it again.
Any advice is appreciated,
James
Re: Grainfather 30L
I brewed in my kitchen with the window wide open and it was finejames1988 wrote:I'm also looking to buy one of these in the next few weeks, one question I have (hope the thread starter doesn't mind) is how do you deal with the steam? I've cut a hole in the lid of my current boiler and have attached ducting to route the steam out of the kitchen window.
Do you end up with a kitchen full of steam and water running down the walls? I've done this once resulting in re-decorating the kitchen so I'd like to avoid it again.
Any advice is appreciated,
James
https://www.facebook.com/groups/341609746264187/
Fermenting: Nothing
Conditioning: Smoked porter
Drinking: Cider, witbier, brown ale, Milk stout
Planning: Gamma Ray clone v3
Fermenting: Nothing
Conditioning: Smoked porter
Drinking: Cider, witbier, brown ale, Milk stout
Planning: Gamma Ray clone v3
- Hairybiker
- Hollow Legs
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:28 am
Re: Grainfather 30L
I usually/always brew in the kitchen. I open the small top window and usually the (outside) door while the boil is on.
Some people use extractor fans if they don't have an outside door.
Some people use extractor fans if they don't have an outside door.
Re: Grainfather 30L
That's that settled then, Grainfather it is!
James
James
Re: Grainfather 30L
I'd get a Braumeister if I were you, bit pricier thoughjames1988 wrote:That's that settled then, Grainfather it is!
James
https://www.facebook.com/groups/341609746264187/
Fermenting: Nothing
Conditioning: Smoked porter
Drinking: Cider, witbier, brown ale, Milk stout
Planning: Gamma Ray clone v3
Fermenting: Nothing
Conditioning: Smoked porter
Drinking: Cider, witbier, brown ale, Milk stout
Planning: Gamma Ray clone v3
- Hairybiker
- Hollow Legs
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:28 am
Re: Grainfather 30L
A bit nearly double the price.
Nowt the bm can do that the gf can't with its new controller.
Nowt the bm can do that the gf can't with its new controller.
Re: Grainfather 30L
I'd get a 50L BM if I was to ever replace the GF, but at the price point GF is hard to beat. I brew outside if the weather allows. Kitchen with a wide open window works fine if you don't have a busy household.
Re: Grainfather 30L
Did my first GF brew on Saturday and it went kinda okay, a few mishaps but I have 23l of a raspberry wheat beer in the fermentation fridge so happy days. Even with my larger capacity kit I tended to brew no more than 30l at a time so once I've got a few more brews under my belt I may well head towards the 30l mark.Rad wrote:I've been experimenting with pushing my grainfather brew length. The goal was the get 2 full kegs out of my brew day. I got as far as 36L by boiling some DME in a separate pot on the stove. But I decided it was not worth the extra hustle.
I can get 32L brews comfortably. GF is just over 34L to the brim. So I adjust the recipe accordingly and use more sparge water than the calculator calls for. Usually the full volume of the GF urn (~18l).
There's not much space so I always watch it closely as it comes to the boil and knock down any foam with water from a spray bottle until is settles. If I hit or overshot my preboil gravity I'll add water from the kettle to replace the boil off.
I've done 2 brews this way, pale ales with ~6kg grain bill for around 1.050 og. Both came out great. I won't feel comfortable using more than 8kg of grain (idk where they got 9kg capacity from) so for stronger beers I'll aim at 28-30L.
Re: Grainfather 30L
My last brew was a rye ipa with 8.75kg grain bill. It is doable after all but it's no picnic. The overflow pipe is barely long enough. Fitting the top plate required squishing the grain a bit but it didn't get stuck. My efficiency did suffer a bit but it might be due to my mill. I haven't checked the gap in a long while.
Re: Grainfather 30L
I've shifted from awesome 4 vessel keg based gas-fired setup (2 boilers, HLT, mash tun) to a grainfather - LOVE it. First brewday in a while over earlier than expected rather than hours later with the exact amount of wort and gravity as calculated.
Not too impressed with iPhoen app though - seems to flake out and go blank a lot.
Otherwise WOW - it's actually now possible for me to brew again while being a busy bloke and a dad with a 3 and 6yr old... Oh and I have the yard back too.
Not too impressed with iPhoen app though - seems to flake out and go blank a lot.
Otherwise WOW - it's actually now possible for me to brew again while being a busy bloke and a dad with a 3 and 6yr old... Oh and I have the yard back too.