Any Grainfather users? HELP!

[SkuterB]

Looking to make sure I'm not messing up, with any of my mash process....when I fit in the top screen and then put my overflow attachment on the overflow pipe and pushed it down, I felt that it was seated correctly, but when I turned my pump on and began to recirculate, it pushed a little bit of grain up through the top screen, I turn down my ball valve, so that the wort on top of the screen does NOT overflow back into that tube for fear it would mess something up. I don't think I am, but being a rookie with the unit...I don't know....Any Help

 

[skraeling]

some people use a sink strainer filter over the overflow pipe. a little bit of grain shouldnt be an issue.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ6IZAgd_us[/ame]

 

[radek]

It's ok if a little bit of grain goes through, it'll happen. I see more and more people on YouTube and websites use things like sink strainers help prevent this.

The idea being you flip it over so it acts as a lid over the overflow attachment.

 

[skraeling]

also here is the grainfather megathread. it should probably have any answers you want.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=550870

 

[SkuterB]

I finished my sparge, however, as soon as I lifted my inner basket up and to rest, for the sparge, I switched my heating element to NORMAL and my control switch to boil, prior to sparge. How long is it going to take to reach my boil? it does not seem to be rising in temp or its rising very very slow...HELP? my wort is just sitting there....You really cannot control this process...should I raise my temp controller up higher?

 

[radek]

It's not a rapid process unfortunately you may find you'll need to insulate the unit. As long as you see the temp increase and you should be able to hear the heating element working, it'll get there. It usually takes me 20 mins or more to hit boil and that's after getting the GrainCoat.

 

[skraeling]

I finished my sparge, however, as soon as I lifted my inner basket up and to rest, for the sparge, I switched my heating element to NORMAL and my control switch to boil, prior to sparge. How long is it going to take to reach my boil? it does not seem to be rising in temp or its rising very very slow...HELP? my wort is just sitting there....You really cannot control this process...should I raise my temp controller up higher?

This unit is the very definition of controlling the process...

If it heated to mash itll heat to boil. itll be pretty obvious that its heating. Setting the switch to normal and boil overrides the temp setting and just gives max power to the element.

you panic really easy... its just beer man not open heart surgery.

Does your keurig heat up instantly?

did you like read any directions or watch any videos before trying this today? did you even try a water run to get everything checked out for leaks and what not either?

 

[SkuterB]

I did all of the above...out of the box, I did a complete cleaning process , even through the counterflow chiller with PBW and then a cycle of water at 155*...they recommend a thorough cleaning before first use...its just a very very slow process

 

[skraeling]

I did all of the above...out of the box, I did a complete cleaning process , even through the counterflow chiller with PBW and then a cycle of water at 155*...they recommend a thorough cleaning before first use...its just a very very slow process

I dont suspect this will be any slower than my propane setup to be honest. Plus ill be inside so I really wont care heh. Slow is relative I guess.

with a graincoat I was at mash temp from filling 6mins quicker and hit a boil 10mins quicker.

went from 17mins to 11mins to hit strike and from 44mins to 34mins to hit a boil.

this was just a quick and dirty test with like 6g of water though.

Benefits of being inside you can fill it with hot water a hell of a lot easier.