Braumeister/Grainfather Conundrum

[DoctorMick]

I have a GrainFather which I'm really pleased with, does a cracking job and is easy to use. The Braumeister does look like it would be better but it is waaaaaaay more expensive and I can't convince myself that it is worth the extra amount.

That said, if I had no budget constraints I'd get a BM.

 

[F00b4r]

What do you clean it with?

I've got quite a stock of leaf hops at the moment but will move over to pellets as I can imagine they are easier to use and clean up after with the hop spider.

If you blast it with the jet setting on the hose immediately after use that takes everything off, although I usually give it a very quick 2 minute scrub in hot sodium percarbonate solution as well when cleaning the other stuff.

 

[Braufather]

ok, thanks for the feed back guys, i think i am going for the BM, just have to decide 10 litre or 20 litre.

Does the hop spider work with both?

Also so i can get up and running smoothly from the off, apart from a chiller, a hop spider, FV, some kind of brew fridge (heat pad, fridge and temp controller) set up- is anything else needed apart form a couple of recipes?

 

[Hoddy]

ok, thanks for the feed back guys, i think i am going for the BM, just have to decide 10 litre or 20 litre.



Does the hop spider work with both?



Also so i can get up and running smoothly from the off, apart from a chiller, a hop spider, FV, some kind of brew fridge (heat pad, fridge and temp controller) set up- is anything else needed apart form a couple of recipes?

If it helps I have a 20L BM and also a 10L malt pipe for it. I would go for a 20L all day long after having mine for over a year and 40 odd brews. I do all my YouTube videos on my channel with it so you might pick up some helpful info.

Here's my latest one.

https://youtu.be/1OOyPIixk3E

(Sorry chips I can't remember how to do the embedded video thing)

Sorted that - CT :wink:

If anyone else is having trouble all you need to do is copy the address from the top of the youtube page (not the address you get if you click "Share") and paste it directly into your post.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OOyPIixk3E&feature=youtu.be[/ame]



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[Braufather]

cheers for that hoddy, had a look last night, and will have another look when the BM arrives. not sure i followed all of it , from a complete beginners perspective looked a bit complicated when you started making calculations and changing the sparge etc. so for my first few brews it may be simpler to forget the Sparge and stick to a direct recipe, at least until i am up to speed with everything else. also cant remember seeing any whirlpool after cooling- is this unneccasary? going to order it today- what else will i need to get going properly( hop spider? something to whirlpool? anything else?)

 

[Hoddy]

cheers for that hoddy, had a look last night, and will have another look when the BM arrives. not sure i followed all of it , from a complete beginners perspective looked a bit complicated when you started making calculations and changing the sparge etc. so for my first few brews it may be simpler to forget the Sparge and stick to a direct recipe, at least until i am up to speed with everything else. also cant remember seeing any whirlpool after cooling- is this unneccasary? going to order it today- what else will i need to get going properly( hop spider? something to whirlpool? anything else?)

I think if you watch some of the vids from the start (on my channel) allot will come clearer.
I think your right to keep it simple on your first go. If anything I would suggest one of the BM recipe kits from Brewuk. Mosaic IPA is a winner [emoji106]

There isn't any "whirlpool" as such. Only a spoon/mash paddle. Which I don't rate personally.

Other than all the normal paraphernalia you need for AG brewing I think your good to go. Unless your using leaf in which case you will need a spider/hop guard. The tap WILL block on a BM without it. And some Irish moss/protofloc tablets.

Anything else I've forgotten?


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[Braufather]

Haha, Ordered he BM starter kit from those guys this afternoon, with the mosaic. Also ordered the paddle. do I need to get A short ode for the chiller? It was a bit unclear. Will need to get some Irish moss then and maybe a grain shovel or something. On hols tomorrow do should be there when I get back!

 

[Braufather]

Ok, equipment is all here.

Just watched your first 3 clips, really helpful actually for the uninitiated. So Just a couple of questions

Is Just using Hot water only for cleaning is still ok?

I also was sent the hop slide thing, so when do you fit that? Just before draining?

Do you really need a sieve for draining to fermenter?

Do I need to check ph, or gravity or am I best going with the flow?

I ordered two recipes, one came with dry yeast which it looks like you don't rate, the other is liquid but that also looked very complicated from the video?

Finally any tips for my first brew day, that's first brew with BM, and first brew day ever!

 

[Hoddy]

I would suggest that you watch a few more. Particularly no 16 or 17 (last minute brew day) and some of the others.

I don't use the sieve these days. And I also add the hop guard as soon as I start boiling. Stops any grains blocking the tap.

You'll notice I'm using all dried yeast these days as an experiment to prove if liquid vs dried is any better.

As you'll see on my videos. Check the gravity post mash. Post sparge. Post top up. Mid boil and end of boil. I've found that's best so you can correct for any numbers.

Let me know how you get on with your first brew.


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[Braufather]

Cheers. Will do

 

[TheRedDarren]

Just a thought Hoddy, don't you set the boil to 102*? That's what I do and I don't get that dip in temp when I put the chiller in.

 

[Hoddy]

Just a thought Hoddy, don't you set the boil to 102*? That's what I do and I don't get that dip in temp when I put the chiller in.

Hmm I tried that. but without the lid on it couldn't get to that temp consistently.

And I 'thought' I could detect more caramelisation in the beers as the element was on allot more at that temp.

But it's all about gathering and sharing knowledge. So if your having success at that temp I might give it another go.

Hey I've not won any medals like you [emoji12] so what do I know.


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[Braufather]

Right, so job done, I hope and it's fermenting. Few issues. Put the top sieve above the top plate instead of below it. Post and pre gravity readings were the same- 1060 which is odd isn't it?

It was the mosaic ipa with a target of 1055. One issue I had is that the recipe said top to 27 litres pre boil. As I added 23 litres originally I just added 4 more at that stage, didn't now how much to allocate for evaporation so didn't. Also just added cold water, didn't sparge as didn't mention it just said top up.

Bit worried with what it will turn out like, any ideas anyone?

 

[TheRedDarren]

That'll be fine mate, you had good efficiency anyway so not sparging was probably better to keep the beer a bit more balanced.
I'm fine tuning my technique now and I think I'm getting 84% bhe. This will vary from user to user though. I mill my own grain right before I dough in.
For a 23 l batch I have 23l in the BM and a further 9 in the hlt for sparging. I usually make pale ales and after a 70 minute boil I find this work out as a 23l yield (varying only for losses to hops).
A dark beer which calls for a longer boil I add a litre.

 

[Braufather]

Ok cheers. Not sure what volume I was left with. Will find out when I bottle.

 

[Braufather]

I posted this on another thread, but after 6 days in the fermenter this is the sample. Cloudy and milk like to say the least. The wort was OK as far as I remember. Not sure if it's anything to do with not topping up enough or what? Probably leaving it for another 4 days or so. Took sample from tap end so maybe picked up some yeast.

Left that sample in fridge over night and it cleared a bit when put it through a sieve and left a milky semi solid residue in the glass.

My ideas?