1st Grainfather brew - HBC American Pale Ale

[MagnusTS]

My first brew on the new Grainfather is the Hombrew Company's American Pale Ale kit that I got free with the Grainfather.

The Grainfather was a piece of cake to use, everything went fairly smoothly for a 1st attempt, and the Connect control box is awesome, taking you through the process step by step. It was a nice day so I set up in the garden to keep out of everyone's way.

The whole brew from unpacking to clean up took me about 6 hours. Does that sound about right for a brew (1 hour mash and 1 hour boil)?. I think I can shave a little time off when I am more familiar with the process, but probably not too much.

It wasn't all hands on of course. I got out for an hour long dog walk during the mash and kept an eye on the mash countdown time on my phone.

I ended up way short on volume and way overshot predicted OG. I added 3L tap water to the FV to get to 23L, but even then the SG was 6 points over expected. The GF mash efficiency calculator said a mash efficiency of 97%.

I used the water volumes calculated by the GF app. I have read that these are normally very accurate, but I think I may have taken too long with the sparge. I don't have an easy way to heat the sparge water and was faffing about boiling kettles and pans and getting enough water to the correct temperature as I was sparging. The Connect app sets the GF to 98C when you start the sparge, so that it is near boiling when you finish the sparge, saving time. I think with all my faffing during sparging the wort might have been sitting at 98C for quite a long time and I will have lost more volume than expected to evaporation.

I may have lost some volume in the transfer to the FV as well. I only read afterwards that you can get a bit more out by tilting and not giving up when the flow reduces to a trickle, as the last little bit can take a while to filter through the hops.

Is there a way to get the last bit of wort out of the counter flow cooler?

So, for next time I am going to keep a close eye on the water volumes, try and speed up my sparge (I have borrowed a tea urn to heat the sparge water), and try and get the last dregs out of the GF by tilting.

I have ended up with a 6.2% brew rather than 5.2%. A higher than expected ABV is not a terrible problem to have, of course. But should I just keep an eye on this, and if I continue to get high efficiency maybe reduce the amount of grain?

 

[chewie]

It's worth checking the grain weight on these kits when you get them, you could easily end up with 1/2 a kilo more grain than you should have which could explain higher gravity and less wort.

Don't worry about getting the last drop out, this usually contains a bit of debris that is best left behind and the calculators should allow for that deadspace.

Check the volume pre boil is at or about the amount needed to hit your final post boil total.

 

[DoctorMick]

I can have a brew done from start to finish in 4.5 hours.

Used the connect controller for the first time yesterday and I'm impressed by it, going to use the timer feature on my next brew so the water is ready when I get in from work which should shave another 30 mins off a brew day which is welcome as I brew on an evening.

As chewie said, check your volume pre-boil, for a 23l brew you want to have 28l. I was short yesterday so added an extra litre and hit my targets spot on.

 

[Pawlo7671]

Congrats on your first GF brew, 6 hours is a bit up there but I think it took me about the same on my virgin gf brew, I did brew 6 yesterday in under 4 hours.
A few tips to speed things up :

If you got the GF sparge water heater then use this to heat up your mash water as it clocks in at 2.5kw compared to the 2.00kw of the GF, if you have a combi boiler then you can use hot water from your tap.

Batch sparge instead of fly. The GF continuously sparges throughout the mash by re circulating the wort so a slow fly sparge really isnt necessary

While sparging tell the connect your done with the sparge and it will switch to a full output for the boil.


Happy GF brewing

 

[Dr_Unkenly]

I clean the kitchen and then set up the Grainfather. All other brewing prep is done after I've set it off and it takes me a little over 4 hours.

I end up with nothing to do during the boil other than add hops and give the element an occasional scrape.

 

[Leon103]

The more I read these grainfather threads the more I want one.

 

[DoctorMick]

Congrats on your first GF brew, 6 hours is a bit up there but I think it took me about the same on my virgin gf brew, I did brew 6 yesterday in under 4 hours.
A few tips to speed things up :

If you got the GF sparge water heater then use this to heat up your mash water as it clocks in at 2.5kw compared to the 2.00kw of the GF, if you have a combi boiler then you can use hot water from your tap.

Batch sparge instead of fly. The GF continuously sparges throughout the mash by re circulating the wort so a slow fly sparge really isnt necessary

While sparging tell the connect your done with the sparge and it will switch to a full output for the boil.


Happy GF brewing

Under 4 hours is impressive, was that from getting the water in to the GF or the sparge heater?

Does the batch sparge save much time? I'm usually done sparging before the GF has reached the boil anyway. I can imagine it's a lot less effort.

Great tip on the sparge heater, never realised it was more powerful.

Also, if you have a sparge heater use it to heat the water for cleaning to 60c, saves waiting for water to come to temp in the GF once it's emptied.

 

[Pawlo7671]

Under 4 hours is impressive, was that from getting the water in to the GF or the sparge heater?

Does the batch sparge save much time? I'm usually done sparging before the GF has reached the boil anyway. I can imagine it's a lot less effort.

Great tip on the sparge heater, never realised it was more powerful.

Also, if you have a sparge heater use it to heat the water for cleaning to 60c, saves waiting for water to come to temp in the GF once it's emptied.

I find the batch sparge saves some time yeah, maybe its because I can be busy doing something else and therefore dont realize.
I got yesterdays brew done in just short of 4 hours from set up to to clean up.
I used water from the combi boiler for the mash so that shaves of some time also i use the water from the counter flow chiller as my cleaning water, its pretty much up to temp from the get go but i do collect it in the sparge heater.
Yesterdays brew was only a 4kg grain bill brewed to 20L so maybe a bit of time saved there although not much.

 

[Pawlo7671]

Its worth pointing out too that the grain coat or equivalent insulation works wonders in getting temps up quicker, I'v also insulated the sparge heater with a yoga mat cut to size, little things ad up

 

[Slid]

I clean the kitchen and then set up the Grainfather. All other brewing prep is done after I've set it off and it takes me a little over 4 hours.

I end up with nothing to do during the boil other than add hops and give the element an occasional scrape.

You might try to learn how to iron. Since this is in effect flattening stuff, it is easy. You can listen to the radio, or even watch a TV, whilst monitoring a beer machine doing its job.

This is the future.

 

[Manxnorton]

Hi pal,
Congrats with your brewday.
We've got to realise one thing! It's only going to get better...
Tinkering and getting used of the system is the biggest thing.
There's a lot of experience here, and your joining in with the GF.
It's took me a few brewdays, with my one hand and minimum mobility to get a brewday under 5hrs...lol and that's with no chill..GF Hlt to assist also.
At first the the volumes I like you over shot the volumes, and the SG readings...but boy!! In time I was getting exact 23l if I wanted it!
The SG readings also!! Much harder..
I've got the MkII and I'm looking at the wifi controller and grain coat.
I found out a simple thing! And it was the room temp effecting my boil temp!!
One day I couldn't get the even boil...stuck on 99c..not the usual HH..
Then I looked at cold day..all the windows open..
The next time hotter day..adjust the windows..boom! Emazing boil.
The third time just to make sure...all windows open etc...back to crap boil.
So for me thinking graincoat...specially doing a brewday outside will benefit.
Sorry if I'm foffling on, as the guys have documented spot on.
I got the small piping aswell for small batches..n it good aswell.
I use the gf online for sparge water and mash water.
Tbh using a recipe app etc is getting less n less! As long as the recipe looks right all the right amounts, grains n hops right...think it's more experience that what works before..if u know what I'm saying? Lol
We're all finding out the ways you like to do your brewdays, and tinkering..
I'll finish my foffle! If I can use it...anydidy can..the GF is the system I love and looking at the progression of the GF it's only going to get better! The GF team actually listens to the people that matter.
Look at the probs at the MkI up to now the pump and loose hops..clocking up the pump! Been there..now hops backet, and still whirlpool.
I can't wait to get the wifi controller and graincoat.
Looking fwd to next brewday!
Bri

 

[DoctorMick]

Just for clarity, it's a Bluetooth controller not wifi...the range is cack but other than that it seems very good.

 

[Slid]

Woke up for the last time 7:30
Downstairs and start clearing up the kitchen and getting the kit out 8:00am
Start doughing in 8:25
Start Mash 8:50
Iron for mash time, which goes on for ages, due to so many (insert expletive of choice) shirts
Start Sparge with ramp up on GF 9:10
Start Sparging 9:40
Bung in first wort hops 10.:10
Boil commences10:40
Boil Finishes 11:40
Start sterilisation and cooling process 11:45
Start transfer to GF 12:05
Finish transfer to FV 12:50
Complete clear up 13:45

OK, so I eat breakfast and lunch and sort out the random demands of SWMBO in the process, but I still only finished up in time to watch the second half of Bath vs Brieve.

 

[MagnusTS]

Folks,
Thanks for all the awesome advice, tips, and encouragement. Really helpful and really appreciated.
Inspired by this, I am looking forward to GF brew #2 which I am going to do tomorrow.
#2 is going to be the Hop Fiction recipe from BrewDog's DIY-Dog recipe book.
300g of American hops makes it the most expensive brew I have done since I started.

 

[MagnusTS]

Hi pal,
Congrats with your brewday.
I can't wait to get the wifi controller and graincoat.
Bri

Thanks Bri,
I think you'll love the Connect controller. Really cool how the online recipe generator, iPhone, and GF controller all sync together. I love gadgets.

 

[DoctorMick]

Thanks Bri,
I think you'll love the Connect controller. Really cool how the online recipe generator, iPhone, and GF controller all sync together. I love gadgets.

Piece of cake to get a recipe from beersmith loaded on to the app as well, it's a good bit of kit.

 

[Manxnorton]

Just for clarity, it's a Bluetooth controller not wifi...the range is cack but other than that it seems very good.

haha! i usualy say greentooth anyways:mrgreen:

 

[Manxnorton]

Thanks Bri,
I think you'll love the Connect controller. Really cool how the online recipe generator, iPhone, and GF controller all sync together. I love gadgets.

"ME LOVES GADGETS!":lol::lol::lol:

 

[MagnusTS]

I just had a sneaky bottle of GF brew #1: the HBC American Pale Ale. This is after 2 weeks carbonating in bottles at room temperature, before I put them in the shed to condition.

First impression: it is a very nice beer, but the alcohol content is too high for me, and maybe too high for this pale ale; it is overwhelming the taste (for my palate). The GF mash efficiency was very high and the abv came out at 6.2% (expected 5.2%). Maybe I will think about reducing the grain bill if mash efficiency stays this high.

Also, some of the hop flavours are not to my taste. Nothing that would stop me enjoying drinking this beer, but maybe something I would tinker with in future brews. But since this is an all-grain ingredient kit I'm not sure exactly what hops went in, so I'm not sure what to change or avoid next time. I think I might have to move on from ingredient kits and get more control over the brews.

Re-reading this, I sound a bit negative, but my quibbles are very minor ones, this is a great beer and I can't wait to see how it matures with conditioning.

 

[Spapro]

I just had a sneaky bottle of GF brew #1: the HBC American Pale Ale. This is after 2 weeks carbonating in bottles at room temperature, before I put them in the shed to condition.

First impression: it is a very nice beer, but the alcohol content is too high for me, and maybe too high for this pale ale; it is overwhelming the taste (for my palate). The GF mash efficiency was very high and the abv came out at 6.2% (expected 5.2%). Maybe I will think about reducing the grain bill if mash efficiency stays this high.

Also, some of the hop flavours are not to my taste. Nothing that would stop me enjoying drinking this beer, but maybe something I would tinker with in future brews. But since this is an all-grain ingredient kit I'm not sure exactly what hops went in, so I'm not sure what to change or avoid next time. I think I might have to move on from ingredient kits and get more control over the brews.

Re-reading this, I sound a bit negative, but my quibbles are very minor ones, this is a great beer and I can't wait to see how it matures with conditioning.

Maybe try a simple Single Malt and Single Hop (SMASH) pale ale next time and then grow from there, maybe adding a small amount of crystal malt for your brew the time after.

5kg of Marris Otter
100g of your favourite hop should produce a very good pale ale around 5% and is an easy recipe to put together for your first recipe.