Grainfather

[Will_D]

So who will be first in the auld sod to get these for sale?

I think I bought mine GF from GeterBrewed.

So as its already pimped with my shinny jacket what to call the "soon to be pimped" GF?

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Spotted this yesterday, good hack for a quicker cleaning time

[Pheeel]

I watched the video for the Bluetooth controller. If I actually used my brew shed for brewing in then it would be useful to set a strike time. I don't do step mashes that often and honestly it's really very little hassle to set an alarm and change it. I'm just not sure it's worth it for me...

[braich]

I had a look at the controller video as well. Yer man is clearly very taken with it. I liked the look of the PID temp control. Although mind you the temp control isn't too bad as is. Hard to know if it's worth the 120 yoyos though.

[beanstalk]

Put on a brew yesterday using hop bags for all additions (pellets) and the whole process was much smoother and much easier to clean in the end. Cut my brew time down to just over four hours.

[mick02]

Had a disaster brewday the other day.

Did a double brew on Sunday, the first batch was going grand until I was pumping into the fermenter and forgot to close the tap. Lost about 4 litres to the floor. That wasn't even the worst part of the day.

I've got a Grainfather and I invested in the new and improved pump filter (the T shaped one)

When I was doing my hop stand I decided to stir the wort to create a whirlpool. When I was stirring I heard the filter come off (I heard scratching from the bottom of the vessel). I tested the pump and sure enough it got blocked. I had used a mixture of whole leaf and pellet and the whole thing was fully blocked. I decided to pour the wort into a sanitised bucket and try to clear the blockage. While pouring the wort into the bucket, the support for the GF slipped and 25 litres of wort went pouring onto the patio. Broke my heart.

This is not the first time the filter has come off while stirring although the last time it happened I did managed to knock it with my mash paddle.

To top it all off I dropped and smashed my thermometer when putting all my equipment away.

Just some advice for anyone using the new filter, be careful as it can come dislodged during stirring.

[Leann ull]

Sorry for your troubles, Hop bags or hop spider?

[Pheeel]

I've never had the filter come off on me. You must have been giving it some welly!

[mick02]

Cheers CH, it was disheartening to say the least plus my kids learned a few new "words" that day! I don't know why but I've a dislike of hop bags and spiders, dunno why. Kind of like the thought of my hops getting free range of the Grainfather.

I was lashing the wort out of it Pheeel! The whirlpool was so strong I could almost see the element at the bottom of the GF! Probably need to settle down the next time.

[Simon_]

I've knocked the filter off at least once. Easy enough to do. It's a right nuisance when it happens. 

[molc]

Cheers CH, it was disheartening to say the least plus my kids learned a few new "words" that day! I don't know why but I've a dislike of hop bags and spiders, dunno why. Kind of like the thought of my hops getting free range of the Grainfather.

I was lashing the wort out of it Pheeel! The whirlpool was so strong I could almost see the element at the bottom of the GF! Probably need to settle down the next time.

Hop spiders rock. Haven't noticed a difference in my hoppy beers and cleaning is so easy!

[oreils87]

Any Hop Spiders you would recomend that work well with the Grainfather?

[Leann ull]

Cheapest ones are weighted nylon bags and then look at the ones in the HB stores or bridgewater

[Archsnapper]

I got mine from the Homebrew Company. Works grand, although with a decent quantity of hops I have rigged up a wire hook to allow the spider to sink more into the boiling wort - and I stir it now and again throughout the boil.

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Potential Buyers beware
http://forum.craftbrewing.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=11175