Robobrew and Grainfather false bottom

[Keruso]

Hi everyone, I just did my first brew with one of these and it did not go very smoothly to say the least. Like others on here the hook ring on the top was too big and it caused my bottom GF perf plate to keep moving around when i was mixing the mash. It got so bad the plate must have lifted up because at the end of the brew there was a lot of grain at the bottom and the seal had come off.
I also had the problem of it being so light and loose that it kept lifting when I was whirlpooling. It actually almost flipped over. This was really annoying and because of this there ended up being lots of trub underneath the plate anyways.

I'm going to try to find a smaller ring for problem 1. If i can't find one, I'll bend it or not use the hook ring at all (i've got some small metal hooks I can use instead).
For problem number 2, does anyone have any suggestions? I tried to fit the GF gasket around the plate but the plate is a lot bigger than the GF plates and the gasket doesn't stay on very well. If i can't fix this issue, I might not just use it again which would be a waste of $25

You can fix the ring upside down so that it doesn't interfere with the grain basket, it is a little tricky to lift it out though, but I managed to do it okay. I have the Robobrew version which fits snuggly, I don't bother to whirlpool so didn't have that issue. The problem I had, and the reason why I don't use it anymore, is that apart from the first time I used it, on every brew the heating element safety cut-out tripped, which was a massive pain because I stand the GF on the floor and had no access to the reset button on the base. I had to pump out the entire contents ! I never had that problem before and haven't had it since I stopped using the false bottom.

 

[Harbey]

@coling I'd just snap the ring off. I just press on one side of the false bottom when the time comes to clean up and it lifts the other side enough to pull it out with all the debris on top.

Regarding the whirlpool, one thing I do is leave my paddle in the wort during the boil. That way, it rests on the false bottom and holds it in place (stainless steel paddle, not plastic). I then only whirlpool once the wort has cooled a little, following the boil. I find that if the wort is not bubbling away, the bottom stays in place during this process.

I think most of us that use one have had a few teething troubles but stick with it. I use mine with every brew now and would definitely replace it if it broke.

 

[Summer Lane Brewery]

Hi everyone, I just did my first brew with one of these and it did not go very smoothly to say the least. Like others on here the hook ring on the top was too big and it caused my bottom GF perf plate to keep moving around when i was mixing the mash. It got so bad the plate must have lifted up because at the end of the brew there was a lot of grain at the bottom and the seal had come off.
I also had the problem of it being so light and loose that it kept lifting when I was whirlpooling. It actually almost flipped over. This was really annoying and because of this there ended up being lots of trub underneath the plate anyways.

I'm going to try to find a smaller ring for problem 1. If i can't find one, I'll bend it or not use the hook ring at all (i've got some small metal hooks I can use instead).
For problem number 2, does anyone have any suggestions? I tried to fit the GF gasket around the plate but the plate is a lot bigger than the GF plates and the gasket doesn't stay on very well. If i can't fix this issue, I might not just use it again which would be a waste of $25

I’ve done tons of brews but never had a problem with the basic filter and nothing else (well there was once but I put that down to stupidity!!). On the transfer to the fermenter, I use the GF mash paddle to gently scrape the front of the filter making sure I only apply pressure in the direction of the outlet pipe. It doesn’t come off and I can scrape away loads of trub/hops with no issues.

 

[coling]

Yeah, I was talking to a friend of mine about it last night and he asked why I would need to bother doing a whirlpool at all with that filter in place and I'm like "uhhhh.....good point". So I guess I'll just snap that hook ring off (or bend it really low and just not whirlpool going forward.....

 

[Deathstar]

I just bent the ring over, I done a test fit first and realised there was interference.

 

[coling]

I just bent the ring over, I done a test fit first and realised there was interference.

Yeah, something I should have done

 

[Brewista]

Does anyone have the dimensions of the Grainfather/Robobrew false bottom?

I have the Brew Monk 30L and the bazooka filter at the bottom just blocks with the hop crud that settles on it after a brew and I have to syphon the wort out. I use muslin hop socks but enough gunk still gets through to prevent me from draining via the incorporated tap. I've thought about maybe popping the hops in nylon straining bags to prevent the hop debris escaping but I think that would adversely affect extraction (unless I just add more hops)?

I don't whirlpool at the moment and am also considering the Grainfather Whirlpool Drill Attachment but am not sure which would work best. Anyone have any thoughts?

Cheers,

Brewista

 

[Deathstar]

This post popping to the top just reminded me.
I have used the “false bottom” twice now and both times on the boil it’s lifted, allowing hops to get underneath. Also point of note, forget about whirlpooling, as again that just lifts it off the bottom.
In all honesty, a post boil whirlpool being careful not to knock of the GF filter, is probably best without the false bottom. Mine will probably be for sale soon.

 

[Graham Simpson]

Does anyone have the dimensions of the Grainfather/Robobrew false bottom?

I have the Brew Monk 30L and the bazooka filter at the bottom just blocks with the hop crud that settles on it after a brew and I have to syphon the wort out. I use muslin hop socks but enough gunk still gets through to prevent me from draining via the incorporated tap. I've thought about maybe popping the hops in nylon straining bags to prevent the hop debris escaping but I think that would adversely affect extraction (unless I just add more hops)?

I don't whirlpool at the moment and am also considering the Grainfather Whirlpool Drill Attachment but am not sure which would work best. Anyone have any thoughts?

Cheers,

Brewista

A 13" mesh splatter screen from Ikea at £3.00 fits the bottom of the Brew Monk, (i use one with my Peco Boiler) BUT it interferes with the boil in the Brew Monk and would need some s/s screws to raise it up off the bottom before you could use it effectively. For my Brew Monk l use a hop spider and that works fine.

 

[Brewista]

A 13" mesh splatter screen from Ikea at £3.00 fits the bottom of the Brew Monk, (i use one with my Peco Boiler) BUT it interferes with the boil in the Brew Monk and would need some s/s screws to raise it up off the bottom before you could use it effectively. For my Brew Monk l use a hop spider and that works fine.

Hi Graham,

How much hop debris do you get when using the hop spider? Is it so little that you can drain the kettle with bazooka in place withour any blockage?

Brewista.

 

[Graham Simpson]

Hi Graham,

How much hop debris do you get when using the hop spider? Is it so little that you can drain the kettle with bazooka in place withour any blockage?

Brewista.

Hi
There is so little debris that you can use the pump and recirculating pipe to empty the wort.
Regards
Graham
ps l whirlpool first

 

[Brewista]

That's good to hear. I'll get a hop spider. What size do you have?
I'll also get the Grainfather Whirlpool drill attachment. Do you find you get a cone of debris after your whirlpool?

Cheers,

Brian.

 

[Graham Simpson]

That's good to hear. I'll get a hop spider. What size do you have?
I'll also get the Grainfather Whirlpool drill attachment. Do you find you get a cone of debris after your whirlpool?

Cheers,

Brian.

Hi Brian
The hop spider cost £17.95 from eBay and is 6" diameter and just under 14" long with two arms that hook over the side. After the boil l hook the hop spider over the fermenting bucket and drain through it into the fermenter via the pump and recirculating arm, so l don't use the tap.
I have a Brew Monk whirlpool arm but not too impressed with it, it does move any debris away from the sides, but not by much! + l have read that you shouldn't switch the pump on at above 80C, so most of debris is already settled.
Hope that helps.
Graham

 

[Brewista]

Hi Brian
The hop spider cost £17.95 from eBay and is 6" diameter and just under 14" long with two arms that hook over the side. After the boil l hook the hop spider over the fermenting bucket and drain through it into the fermenter via the pump and recirculating arm, so l don't use the tap.
I have a Brew Monk whirlpool arm but not too impressed with it, it does move any debris away from the sides, but not by much! + l have read that you shouldn't switch the pump on at above 80C, so most of debris is already settled.
Hope that helps.
Graham

Hi,

Great info thank you so much.
I had seen the whirlpool arm but doubted it would manage to do much as the pump doesn't seem that powerful.

I'm guessing pumping the wort out from height though the spider really oxygenated it as well.

Brewista.

 

[MartinHaworth]

Does anyone have the dimensions of the Grainfather/Robobrew false bottom?

I have the Brew Monk 30L and the bazooka filter at the bottom just blocks with the hop crud that settles on it after a brew and I have to syphon the wort out. I use muslin hop socks but enough gunk still gets through to prevent me from draining via the incorporated tap. I've thought about maybe popping the hops in nylon straining bags to prevent the hop debris escaping but I think that would adversely affect extraction (unless I just add more hops)?

I don't whirlpool at the moment and am also considering the Grainfather Whirlpool Drill Attachment but am not sure which would work best. Anyone have any thoughts?

Cheers,

Brewista

I'm in this position tto, with the Brew Monk. I've just checked on the Angel Homebrew site, who have the false bottom in stock, and they show photos of a tape against the product - 29cm wide, 3.5cm deep.

I haven't checked the dimensions of my brewmonk (its in the box in the garage at present). But I suppose that any excess diameter could be made up with split beer line.

I'd be interested in what you end up doing.

Martin

 

[Brewista]

I'm in this position tto, with the Brew Monk. I've just checked on the Angel Homebrew site, who have the false bottom in stock, and they show photos of a tape against the product - 29cm wide, 3.5cm deep.

I haven't checked the dimensions of my brewmonk (its in the box in the garage at present). But I suppose that any excess diameter could be made up with split beer line.

I'd be interested in what you end up doing.

Martin

Hi Martin,

Yes, I'll let you know what I do. FYI the Brew Monk 30L internal diameter is 35cm.
I also looked at the false bottom on Angel Brew and it would fit quite well. It would be above the tap and below the malt pipe so it's an option.

For now I'm opting for the hop spider and will possibly up my additions 5-10% to allow for any under utilization.
This coupled with the Grainfather Whirlpool drill attachment should help lots.

Will be brewing as soon as I get these bits so will report back then.

Brewista.

 

[Brewista]

Hi Martin,

Yes, I'll let you know what I do. FYI the Brew Monk 30L internal diameter is 35cm.
I also looked at the false bottom on Angel Brew and it would fit quite well. It would be above the tap and below the malt pipe so it's an option.

For now I'm opting for the hop spider and will possibly up my additions 5-10% to allow for any under utilization.
This coupled with the Grainfather Whirlpool drill attachment should help lots.

Will be brewing as soon as I get these bits so will report back then.

Brewista.

I've just re read this and obviously it's not a great fit!

 

[Harbey]

Regarding whirlpooling... Just giving a good stir by hand is surprisingly effective. Alternatively, I DIYed a whirlpool drill attachment by slightly modifying an old plastic mash paddle g shave a bit off the handle so it fits the chuck, then bend the actual paddle a little so it moves the wort about more. And having said that, I now use a false bottom (on a Grainfather).

 

[foxy]

No need to stir the mash, the reason I bought a Guten, Klarstein, Brew Devil etc was to prove the Braumeister was superior due to the pump breaks which in effect stirred the mash. I was wrong, I did a side by side brew same ingredients, same crush, same mash regimes and they both turned out the same.

I retract that statement, efficiency improves with regular stirring, so I have found on the last 2 brews. Brew Devil Hopcat etc etc, I use the bazooka on the top of my return pipe, for the filtering of the wort I use a helix, if you can't get a helix then use a pick up, tube but make sure you can reduce the radius to about 8 mm. Even then only crack the valve about half way open but before draining wait 3 to 4 hours to let everything settle. And don't use a hop spider, you will lose a fair bit of utilisationn, I know this from experience brewing a real hoppy beer. I have a hop spider free, only used once.

What happened to the thread Hopcat versus Robobrew, it was there last night then gone this morning?