National Homebrew Club Ireland

I have just receieved the new controller and I am impressed. The build quality and the look and feel of the front pannel/buttons and screen are execllent.

Just powering up and playing with the menus shows the user interface is well thought out.

Then I try the Blue tooth!

Load up the app and run it - I just get a simple screen of ACtive and Completed sessions.

I think I need the connect App but where is it?

Found a video by David Heath:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSy8ZZ0gwUY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSy8ZZ0gwUY)

and on his tablet there are two apps GF (brownn - is what I have), The Blue GF is called GF connect and that is the one to connect to the GF.

Also the paper manual says "see instructional video for detailed instructions" Where are the GF videos.

Also is there a GF forum (other than Facebook and Twitter)?

Ahhh Haaa!

This might explain it:

From the GF Facepage (Brewers Coop 11th November):

This controller will fit existing Grainfathers and is to be used in conjunction with the Connect App (currently available on iOS, and soon to be available on Android).

So is this the Android app -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grainfather&hl=en
or is a different one needed

Ah

Quote from: Will_D on November 15, 2016, 11:05:12 AM
....and soon to be available on Android).

I'm really having to resist the urge to get one of these for summer brewing out in the back garden :) Love my setup, but it's not exactly portable...

I asked grainfather and they said they are running beta testing on the Android app with hopes to have it released before Christmas.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Just got notification that mine was being delivered today...

Quote from: molc on November 15, 2016, 01:02:30 PM
I'm really having to resist the urge to get one of these for summer brewing out in the back garden :) Love my setup, but it's not exactly portable...

Do it!  >:D

Quote from: Bubbles on November 15, 2016, 03:01:58 PM

Quote from: molc on November 15, 2016, 01:02:30 PM
I'm really having to resist the urge to get one of these for summer brewing out in the back garden :) Love my setup, but it's not exactly portable...

Do it!  >:D

You know, you want to  ;)

G'wan , I dare you >:D

Quote from: Bubbles on November 15, 2016, 03:01:58 PM

Quote from: molc on November 15, 2016, 01:02:30 PM
I'm really having to resist the urge to get one of these for summer brewing out in the back garden :) Love my setup, but it's not exactly portable...

Do it!  >:D

Only on 20 brews on my current equipment. Should wait till at least 50 before I decide to buy new toys ;)

Loads of old hands on Jim's bought BM.... and sold them again
You don't need a dishwasher, washing and drying by hand is therapeutic, two more fermentation fridges controlled by 1 brewpi or smartpid however

washing 3 vessels and the rest is more therapy than I could handle. I like the 5 minute Grainfather clean up

Hoping Santa will bring me one ...

Quote from: Andrew on November 15, 2016, 01:55:55 PM
Just got notification that mine was being delivered today...

It's arrived. Now to download the app...

Quote from: CH on November 15, 2016, 03:37:52 PM
...washing and drying by hand is therapeutic, ...

Are ya mad! :P

That said, I actually quite like cleaning my beer bottles... There's something wrong with me.

Freak!

You can still use the controller without the app, but it's obviously better with the app. Mine arrived yesterday and had a play with the app on the frypad. It connects and responds to the app really quickly - looking forward to using it for a brew.  :)

So, its nearly Christmas, any word as to when we get the Android App?

It would be nice to be offered a beta test version even!

I got my new Grainfather last week with the new controller and did a brew Wednesday evening with the IOS app.
I haven't used the old controller but I thought the new one was great. I set the delayed timer to heat the water to mash temp so when I got in from work I was able to dough in straight away. I just started the recipe I imported from Beersmith and it went through the mash and mash out without any further input, it also sent a notification to put on the sparge water. I was able to do other things like make dinner and get kids ready for bed..
It automatically started brining the temperature up to boil while sparging. It sent notifications of when to add hops and whirlfloc.
Its nice to able able to watch the temperature while it gets up to the boil on your phone so you don't have to stand over it.
All in all it took 3 hours off my normal brew day and ended up with really clear wort. Overshot my gravity so I'll have to adjust for the improved efficiency. The new Grainfather recipe website allows you to download .xml files now also.
An improvement would be wifi rather than Bluetooth but that might add to the cost.

Nothing to do with the controller but one tip I picked up on-line for cleaning was to connect the recirculation arm to the chiller when cleaning, that saves a bit of time

How did you save 3 hours?

40 mins time to heat mash water on my old system. (The delayed timer is great)
Time to get my old urn to boil.
An hour messing around boiling kettles , filling fermenters for batch sparging. I'm using my old urn for sparge water now.
Cooling with old immersion chiller used to take an age.
Cleaning.

Used to never get done in less than 8 hours before

Quote from: Will_D on December 09, 2016, 10:10:05 PM
So, its nearly Christmas, any word as to when we get the Android App?

It would be nice to be offered a beta test version even!

It's nearly there- still a few issues to iron out- mainly to do with the app going into the background during the session. And the old GF app needs the ability to export recipes so the GF Connect can use them.

Quote from: mcooney on December 12, 2016, 09:30:42 AM

40 mins time to heat mash water on my old system. (The delayed timer is great)
Time to get my old urn to boil.
An hour messing around boiling kettles , filling fermenters for batch sparging. I'm using my old urn for sparge water now.
Cooling with old immersion chiller used to take an age.
Cleaning.

Used to never get done in less than 8 hours before

Oh okay. So you're saying that generally the GF helped, not specifically the new controller (except for the delayed timer!)

Yeah sorry, it was my first time using both. The connect saves you time with the delayed heating.
It also means you can do more while brewing as so much is automated.

It only made a difference for me with step mashing. For doing an ale I'm not sure the new controller would help me too much!

At least it won't winge when you hit 99C +a biteen

Quote from: Pheeel on December 12, 2016, 03:50:25 PM
It only made a difference for me with step mashing. For doing an ale I'm not sure the new controller would help me too much!

Doesn't it have automatic start? really useful feature

It would be if I actually brewed in my shed like my missus wants me to instead of doing it in the Kitchen where I prefer doing it :)

Quote from: Simon_ on December 14, 2016, 12:54:18 PM

Quote from: Pheeel on December 12, 2016, 03:50:25 PM
It only made a difference for me with step mashing. For doing an ale I'm not sure the new controller would help me too much!

Doesn't it have automatic start? really useful feature

It does- last brew day I set it up the night before and the water was at strike temp when I arrived the next day.

The new Android Ap is available from the playstore. Search grainfather connect.

Happy Christmas GF!

Now who's cooking our dinner tomorrow as we have the new Ap to play/brew with!!

Did my first brew using the new controller the other day, an aptly named (P)elvis Juice ....

I'm impressed with it, its great to be able to keep an eye on your brew from the house with the GF out in the brewshed.
If only it worked over WIFI ....