Grainfather....Should I??

[smeghead]

Hello all. I'm new to the forum but have been home brewing for 30 odd years and brewing from grain for six years. I'm chewing over whether to get a Grainfather. My current equipment is pretty basic stuff, a Bruheat boiler and plastic fermenting bucket! Obviously I've got bits and bobs, thermometer, hydrometer and the such. As I experiment a bit some of my brews are better than others but I'd like to get more consistency into my brewing and I would like to try to emulate some of my favourite brews. Also what should have been a 5 or 6 hour session on Saturday turned into a 9 hour farce as the boiler decided to stop boiling. I had to rescue the brew on the stove top in a maslin pan so fingers crossed with that one! What's the general consensus of opinion regarding the Grainfather, I've viewed the on-line videos and it looks fine for what I need. I looked at the Braumeister also but I really can't see how I could justify the cost. I hope you can guide me. Also is there any other easy options out there?

[DerbyshireNick]

Removed - My waffle added nothing to the thread.

[orlando]

Difference is do you like brewing or just drinking beer? If you really like getting involved and your fit & healthy with the time to do it, a proper 3V set up is always going to be my answer. But, if the above or part of it is missing then a brewing system is the answer. The new Braumeister leads the pack but is expensive, the one you are looking at is a cheap and arguably not as good option and you might also consider the Brewolution, which has a very neat footprint with some clever use of space under it for the cooling. I have no experience of any of the rival systems so don't know about how they perform other than anecdotes from owners of BM's, that are consistent in saying how good they are. Might get one myself when I'm too old to bother with all the faff and effort of 3V.

[aamcle]

Time a space count unless you have a TARDIS, the 3 best known small footprint systems are

Braumeister
GrainFather
Blichman BrewEasy

All will produce great wort and save space and time. I'm building a BrewEasy inspired system its easy to do and if you don't have a Stainless fixation cheap!
3V is more flexible but it eats space and time and worse money but if you want the ultimate in flex you have to pay.

Have you considered a Recirculating Biab? the can be compact and a time saver especially if you " no chill".

Atb. Aamcle

[Fil]

I certainly think the grainfarther shows promise, but buying now may be premature, there are a few niggles that have come out of the woodwork, and while the company seems to be responding correctly to the problems for example a problem with the cfc'c first shipped became evident, and all sold have either been replaced or fixed with an upgrade kit afaik. and all new ones shipped have the revised model cfc..

The pump is of concern as it contains some ?soft metals? which apparently require a special grainfarther cleaning solution??? tying you into buying aftermarket supplies from grainfarther inc.. got a loud mental warning klaxon going off on this point..

One unit tested in the UK so far was badly finished and resulting burs or sharp edges on the malt tube base/spacers scratched the boil pot interior, not a major issue if warned but you shouldnt need to sand/file down badly finished metalwork.. that may have been a single aberration however..

the recirc return feed connectors are apparently a lil long winded to screw up, and the lil cap supplied to keep grain out of the central return tube is a feather light mini spirits ally bottle cap (irritatingly cheap component where a cork would work better).... - 2 small niggles...

and both the hop filter and the control panel/box are rumored to be getting an upgrade, so buy now and get saddled with the original controller/hop filter..

Saying all that ive stuck a pre order in and am a lil disappointed to discover the first shipment in is late

Due to issues beyond our control there's been a slight delay on the shipment of Grainfathers which are now due around the 18th March.

We're ready to get these out to you within two days of arrival at Love Brewing, and have made special arrangements with our couriers DPD to ensure this happens.

i am a fiddler and finishing off a burred edge or 2, replacing the pump, controller, and the odd connection fitting and sticking a cork/bung in the central tube while doughing if needed wont phase me. I have an idea or 2 regarding making the mash recirc follow the bottom up brewmeister direction too if needed..

the one thing i just dont like is the idea of a glass lid, that might not last the distance with me as i am prone to crack a bottle as soon as the hlt switch has been flipped

if looking for an out of the box all sorted ready to go system shipped to your door, i think the brewmeister is still the #1 option, but will cost you, if you dont mind or would even quite enjoy re-enginerring some aspects of the grainfarther in its current incarnation buy now, but if less inclined to get the qmax and camlocks out perhaps waiting for V2 or V3 may be more prudent.

[WalesAles]

That settles it!
I didn`t like Extract Brewing, so there is no way I will be getting involved with AG!
Good Luck to you all in your AG brewing but I will be sticking with Kits! Bish Bash Bosh!

WA

[aamcle]

Wales.

The easyist way isn't necessary extract, consider Biab heat your water put in the bag add grain mix. Wait stirring occasionally lift out the bag let it drain and there you go!

Have a look at this as well :- http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f257/counte ... -a-131411/ it really so pleasant to use.

Atb. Aamcle

[Cully]

The one in my link there is 54 quid for 2x2 m and has 4 removable sides. Its not much more for a 3x3 but our garden would struggle with that and SWMBO's pop up greenhouse.

[WalesAles]

The one in my link there is 54 quid for 2x2 m and has 4 removable sides. Its not much more for a 3x3 but our garden would struggle with that and SWMBO's pop up greenhouse.

Cully,
What is 2x2m with 4 removable sides? Is it a newtype of Mash Tun?

WA

[aamcle]

If I can't tempt you with a bit of BIABing then these link may be useful.

http://www.aussiehomebrewing.com/Custom ... opers.html

And

http://www.coopers.com.au/#/diy-beer/beer-recipes/ale/

I've used stuff off the Customise your Coopers and it worked surprisingly well.

Aamcle

[Cully]

I'm just a silly F@&%er who can't find the correct thread with both hands.

[smeghead]

Bearing in mind what Fil says I think I'll hang on. I've not written it off but can't see the point in becoming a test mule for the Grainfather. I'll wait to see how it develops, and when they've ironed out the bugs and improved it I will reconsider. Until then it's back to the plastic bucket for me!

[smeghead]

Bearing in mind what Fil says I think I'll hang on. I've not written it off but can't see the point in becoming a test mule for the Grainfather. I'll wait to see how it develops, and when they've ironed out the bugs and improved it I will reconsider. Until then it's back to the plastic bucket for me!

[Manx Guy]

Interesting...

Where can you get the brewolution in the uk??

Cheers

Guy

[smeghead]

Brewolution Brewster is available here: http://www.home-brew-online.com/equipme ... tion-p1781
I looked at the videos and it all looks a bit 'bitty' and flimsy, I've not seen one in the metal though so can't really comment I suppose.