Just had a right nightmare with my second brewday on the grainfather... I'm not entirely sure what happened, but my sparge water pretty much fell through the grain bed in 2 mins flat, which was a pretty big indication of a problem. Once I removed the malt pipe for the boil, I realised I had a HUGE amount of grain in the boiler, maybe a third of the whole mash. Preboil gravity reading was a full 10 points short of expectations.
I think maybe the bottom filter plate slipped as I was lifting the grain pipe into sparge position, which dumped a big chunk of mash straight into the boiler and left me with no proper grain bed to sparge through.
I've seived most of the grain out and started a 3.5 hour boil to get back to the gravity I wanted, but this is baaaaaaad.
Grainfather disaster
- Befuddler
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Grainfather disaster
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"
- Buckie Brewer
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Re: Grainfather disaster
Out of curiosity, slipped how? My bottom filter plate is a tight fit there is no room for lateral movement or is there something I need to watch for?
- Befuddler
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Re: Grainfather disaster
I really don't know. I'm just guessing based on the available evidence... The mash went well and the recirculating wort was crystal clear, so I'm assuming all was well at that point. Everythung went tits up when I started to sparge so I'm guessing it was the lifting action that dislodged something. It shouldnt be possible for the plates to move though... Very weird.Buckie Brewer wrote:Out of curiosity, slipped how? My bottom filter plate is a tight fit there is no room for lateral movement or is there something I need to watch for?
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"
Re: Grainfather disaster
do you have the new model where the bottom plate has a seal on as well as the top plate. mine is a very snug fit and no chance of moving but I have no seal on the bottom
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Re: Grainfather disaster
mine also is without the newer design seal on the bottom plate, but the plate fits very tight and after 5 brews so far it hasn't moved.
I love my GF..
I love my GF..
- Befuddler
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Re: Grainfather disaster
Mine has the seal on both plates... The bottom one is a tight fit but it can move if you knock the overflow pipe. I inspected the plates after the brew and the bottom one was slightly malformed, like a wonky vinyl record. I've bent it back as well as I could and it seems to sit a bit better now. Hopefully this won't happen again...
Either way, the laws of brewing state that this "disaster" will be among the finest beers I've ever made.
Either way, the laws of brewing state that this "disaster" will be among the finest beers I've ever made.
"There are no strong beers, only weak men"
Re: Grainfather disaster
Hope its sorted mate. Mine looks how u have described yours but need to put mine on an angle for it to fit and it needs a good tap to take it back out.
Am sure the beer will still be a good 1. Carnt wait to taste my 1st on the GF only just moved bottles intp cold to condition and 2 more sitting in a barrel and fv
Cheers
Am sure the beer will still be a good 1. Carnt wait to taste my 1st on the GF only just moved bottles intp cold to condition and 2 more sitting in a barrel and fv
Cheers