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Grainfather Glycol chiller review
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- čas přidán 17. 08. 2024
- In this video, I run through what you can expect it to do, how it works, what is involved in setting it up and using it and of course why you should be thinking about buying one in the first place! I put the unit through its paces in the form of a test where I show a time-lapse video of it in action.
Channel links:-
groups/Brewbeer
www.teespring....
Introduction music:- Drink Beer (Till The Day That I Die) by Dazie Mae
Thank you so much, David! I guess I never told you, but your reviews are the reason why I bought the Grainfather Connect and the Glycol Chiller alongside with the Conical Fermenter. I'll never regret these decisions, it is a perfect home brewing system and I - once the kids are old enough - will probably buy even more Conical Fermenters. Please keep on producing your great high quality videos!
Great to hear that ive been helpful :) Yes I am still happy with mine. I try to release a new video every week, usually works out well :)
Great video(s). I really like your calm, slow easy to understand voice. Im a Grainfather fan and find your videos are very informative and descriptive. I now have one of these glycol chillers and fermenters on my shopping list.
Many thanks Joe. Much appreciated :)
Thanks David, I watched both reviews, after the first I purchased 2 fermenters and the glycol chiller. I saw the second video after setting up the system. I would point out that I found Grainfathers instructions regarding the attachment of the hoses to the fermenters rather vague, and caused me to have leaks on both fermenters. The Instructions just say to attach the hoses, without adding the washers, you have added that in your video, but I soon realised that the washers (PTFE?) would be needed, but I didn't realise that they have to be seated in a recess within the ports, and consequently I damaged the washers and had leaking glycol! I managed to reseat the damaged washers but had to also add PTFE tape to the threads of the connectors, I was very mindful of the risks of slivers of PTFE tape being carried to the chillers pump, so I left the first two threads without any tape applied. This cured the leaks but not my frustration! Perhaps you could forewarn of the issue.
Hi Eve, I am glad my videos helped you out. Yes I agree that the instructions have missed the odd point. Sounds like you had fun and games there! It would be worth contacting GF directly about this, they have a focus on great customer service.
2022 and this is still a very useful review. Thanks much for the info and stay safe in the current times.
Thank you, much appreciated 🍻
Thanks. I'm looking forward to trying one of these too.
Great, thank you Larry :)
Thanks for a very informative video and thumbs up to the Grainfather company for putting another seeming great product on the market. Been dreaming of building something like this for a while however I don't think it will be a good DIY project... Now they just need to figure out how to double the capacity of the Grainfather itself and further figure out how to make it a bit more affordable for all of us sitting down in South Africa... It certainly is a good age to be a home brewer.
Great, thank you and yes it certainly is :)
As a semi-casual channel viewer…you MUST do YOU.
As a creative, this is what is required, whether we want it or not.
My unsolicited advice…brew a batch FOR YOU AND YOURS. No video, no b-roll, just lock yourself into it the (metaphorical, creative) reinheitsgebot zone, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. imho❤
Totally agree. Most of my brews are test batches. Never filmed.
Great video and very informative. I am saving up for the conical fermenter at the moment so that I can ferment my beer in the garage and not have to struggle carrying a fermenting bucket up steps to a warmer location.
Sounds like a back saving plan :) Glad you enjoyed this and thanks for the feedback.
Excellent video thanks for making one. Just got my Glycol chiller with two fermenters, can't wait to make my first lager ever. Cheers!
Great, thank you :)
Also one question. Is it better to use RO or distilled water to mix with Glycol. Take into account that we here have very hard water.
Hi David Great video and a wonderful bit of kit , thanks Ivan
Many thanks Ivan, much appreciated :)
Thanks for a great video. I am missing some comments on cleaning.
🍻🍻🍻Much appreciated 🍻🍻🍻
Good video thanks David, well worth taking in. There are a couple of points you mentioned though I'd counter-point on, but not on an open channel.
Thanks Peter. Feel free to start a dialogue on these via fb messenger then :)
Hi David.
Firstly, thanks for all the nice video's.
In one of your videos, you are talking about taking out old yeast but I am not sure how much and how often I have to take out and I don't want to ruin my lovely "delayed" Christmas beer.
About the glycol cooler, firstly I was doing something DIY in stainless steel, but was interrupted as always and now it is up in a pile of all other project which is on holde indefinitely. Anyway I believe I will invest in the glycol cooler in late spring next year.
Also if you have the time and interest, I believe a video how to use the app for the grainfather, special the time for the mash and the boiling temp, that would be popular:)
Thanks Again For Your Time And Effort
Allan
Thank you Allan, much appreciated. Initial dumping is something that I would suggest you do early on in the fermentation. Personally for me this is a day or so after fermentation start and then once again after the main storm stage of fermentation is over, usually after 4-6 days. When doing this it is easy to see what is yeast and what is trub. I perform split second openings of the valve and usually I am removing 100ml of material maximum per dumping session. What's at the very bottom is dead yeast and trub, so it's good to remove it.
It has been hard for me to pull the trigger on the glycol chiller. The cost just doesn't seem to match up for me- but I am sure it does for other brewers and applications. Yes, glycol chillers, in general, are expensive but I would have thought the unit would be able to get to colder temperatures than that. Another route is a water chiller for hydroponics and the pump cooler kit for the grainfather fermenter. It may not be as sleek as the Glycol chiller but it keeps my wort around the same temperatures (45 degrees F when ambient is 60-65 F) for a fraction of the price. Great video as always. Cheers
.
A few cautions.
-Glycol can be skin irritant.
-Over time the water can evaporate. Its good to get an anti-freeze hydrometer to check the coolant once and awhile.
-The instructions say 1 part Glycol, 2 part Water.
-If the coolant gets to watery or too glycol it can fail to cool properly. It can even hurt the chiller if it get to the extremes.
*Don't leave the cap off* The water will evaporate very quickly.
Thanks for your input, it is appreciated :)
On my dream list
Cheers Bill 🍻🍻🍻
An outstanding source of information as always. I eagerly await future videos showing it's use. A+++++
Thank you for the feedback, very much appreciated.
Not a comment on this review but I would love you to do a video on the recipe process from Beersmith to Grainfather. What settings and adjustment you put into the Beersmith software (mash water volume, sparse profile etc) and then the exact process to copy this to the Grainfather connect app. Having a bit of trouble here and love your videos - I sure you can save me a lot of headaches
Thanks Daniel, I will get this put forward :)
For the Beer Smith/Grainfather Adjustments try going to File, Add-ons, Add, scroll down for grainfather, then click add grainfather.
M Row I recommend using a tweaked grainfather profile available on forums. Apparently he straight GF add on is a modified brew in a bag and not entirely accurate to the real GF.
Great video as always.... FYI that picture at 13:49 looked aweful familiar.. thats my MUG #30 up there. Local craft beer place in Madison Alabama... strange seeing it here. Cheers.
Great, thank you. Yes I was searching for relevant pics online for that part and that one stood out! Looks an awesome place :)
I am going to buy one but i already know that since i got 3 conical fermenters :) Thanks for a great video yet again David keep them coming :)
Thank you Jarle, glad you found it useful :)
Good point about fermenter fridges but with the pump kit and a secondhand $50 bar fridge I’ve put a bucket of water in the fridge, drilled an in and out hole into the side of the fridge and the pump kit pumps pumps the cold water around the fermenter plus I now have a small freezer compartment in the bar fridge for hops and I can also store yeast slurrys for a fraction of the cost. It’s nice bit of kit though.
Thanks. Yes that will work Alex. The Glycol has some advantages, especially for those with more than one conical fermenter.
You could easily drill 16 holes in the fridge and install 8 pumps cooling 8 fermenters.
Alex Anderson Sure you could. You would need to use the specific hosing for the gf conical and these can be bought separately. The gf cooling pump kit could be used for each also. This kit is glycol friendly.
Mid 2023, and still a valuable review! Question from a 'late majority' prospective Grainfather buyer ;)
I was wondering about cooling the wort (in a g30). Maybe i missed it in the video, but is it possible to cool the wort by the glycol chiller in combination with a counterflow chiller (wort in g30), before you transfer it. Seems more efficient than use your tapwater and counterflow chiller. Cheers from the Netherlands.
Great to hear 🍻🍻🍻
No, this is not something that this or other home use glycol chillers are suitable for. They can cool from 30 or maybe a little higher but that is it. I hope this helps. 🍻🍻🍻
Thanks Dave appreciate the help you're awesome
No problem, happy to help :)
Great video! I'm ready to pull the trigger on this and the conical fermenter to add to my grainfather. Hope they do a bundle discount!!
Great, hope you get yourself a deal :)
Hi David,
There has beeen some very long delays in North America with the glycol chiller. With that being said, and the release date here being changed on different occasions, I wondered if you had come across any information on a different glycol chiller that could be setup to work with the Grainfather Conical Fermenter and controller? So you are aware the setup I have with the fermenter is only with the pump added to a cooler and ice water. I am aware it might take some modifications to make this happen , but it would be useful to see if anyone else has gone this route with some success and see what limitations it presented.
Thx for your time
Hi Hal, as I understood it the GF glycol chiller was landing in the US this year. Sorry to hear that its delayed. As I understand it GF have a document on their main website in how to use other glycol chillers on their website. I have seen people who , as you mention , have put the cooling pump kit in a fridge but no examples of people using other equipment. Perhaps try the NA GF FB group?
Hi David thanks for your channel I learned a lot from you. Just a minor adjustment could you bring the volume level of the intro down a little bit, it's somewhat louder than your voice.
Hmm ok, sorry to hear that. I have been doing more with the audio recently and part of that is filtering and smoothing. I will look at the into and voice mix more carefully for the next one. Thanks for letting me know. :)
I'm waiting for my chiller! Hopefully I'll get it at the beginning of the next week.
Awesome :)
Another great review David! It would struggle to get to 4 degrees C here - we don’t have air conditioning :) I guess it becomes even more useful if you have more conicals. I tried my first Pilsner in a number of years today and it was rather nice. So this might be something for the future!
Thanks Ken. It is not cheap but it does work well and right now there is nothing to rival it. That could be changing soon though as Kegland have something new coming. Worth seeing how that works out first.
David Heath Homebrew yes it seems like some sought of fermentation chamber. I could actually get one of their new kegerators and turn my old one into another chamber. I could actually buy 4 kegerator fridges for the price of one GF conical and the Glycol chiller.
Plenty to think about ;)
Thank for the video, always best informed about! I think this is a good system useful with at least two fermenter when for lager beer take one fermenter for a long time and you can use same time the other fermenter , till now I use a cheap fridge with glycol (vodka?).
Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated :)
Hi David,thanks so much for the great review.I am struggling to get the glycol chiller to work properly,it keeps bipping every 20 minutes and I can't get to the required 8C temperature required for my lager,please advise Regards Nyiko from SA
It sounds to me like you may have a fault there. I suggest reaching out to where you bought it.
Hi David, when adding a second fermenter to the chiller do you add only extra glycol, no extra water?
The instructions detail the difference
Thanks for video, how many Grainfather conical fermenter can you run at same time with the chiller?
Cheers. Four in total.
Hi David, Thank you for your great videos, hands down, your channel has been the most informative
for a budding new brewer.
Like yourself, I am an ex-pat living in Norway. So you understand our shared climate.
I wish to build a brewery in my basement that holds an ambient outside temperature.
I'm looking at the glycol chiller and two fermenters, my question is, will the heater on the
fermenter handle 3 to -6 ambient temperature (my Vestlandet minimum during winter)
and still manage brews styles that require higher temperatures for optimal fermentation.
Cheers,
Hey Hamish, nice to hear from a fellow ex pat living in Norway :) I have been using a basement in Bergen without any real internal heating and I only had issues when the temps went lower than -5 approx. Then I used an electric heater in the area to take the temps up a little.
Thanks for the reply David, I will schedule my cold months for lower temperature fermentation, and/or get a heater.. Cheers 👍😊
Just received my GF Chiller and Fermenter... I noted the chiller you received came with glycol and insulation jacket. My chiller did not come with either (USA).
Okay, that was standard at the time I got it in Europe.
Thanks. One of the questions on glycol at home, was that the power draw and noise from glycol chillers was prohibitive for home use.
How were those two aspects?
Power draw is similar to a small fridge from what I can tell. Sound level is similar.
Hello David, I have a question about using a glycol chiller. Can I pitch the yeast at higher temperature than the intended fermentation temperature and let the glycol chiller cool the fermenter down asap? Yesterday I did a batch, pitched at 25C and cool it down to 20 (took less than an hour i think). The beer is fermenting very well now but I'd like to know if this is best practise or it's better to avoid...
Hi! Yes , no problem at those levels but I would not recommend much higher temps.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew and what is the maximum pitching temperature that you would suggest for ales and lagers?
25c really.
Awesome videos! I have a Grainfather and I love your whole channel. Any thoughts on how this would compare to a temp-controlled fridge + a carboy with a thermowell? That's the setup I'm using currently and it seems to keep my brew within 1 degree C of the set temp in any environment.
The problem with non commercial fridges is that there is a pretty wide temperature variation within the whole area. So as much as your thermowell area is within 1 deg c of its position this does not represent your entire wort during fermentation.
Recently bought one and did not receive a condensation jacket reviewing the website it appears this is no longer supplied with the unit.
Not listed in the what's included section however the pictures illustrate it is supplied
Hmm that is odd. I would suggest contacting GF directly. They will fix it for you :)
If i am not making lagers, is this system useful?
Cold crashing and temperature control :)
how noisy is it? and how many times a day does it turn on in your 21c environment? hope you will review the results of the bundle together with tilt hydrometer
Its very similar to a fridge in terms of noise. Its on and off every 1-3 hours depending on target temp, yeast heat etc.
just tested. for an ambient of approx 25C, set to chill to 18C, the chiller starts about each hour for about 5 minutes. the noise is about 2 times of a fridge. (sound of a ventilator)
Hmm I guess it depends which fridge you are comparing it to. Its no louder than the 3 fridges I have in the house.
Hade you had any problems with the conical sucking air back while cooling or is it safe at just about 4c?
I found a previous answer! Thanks! Plato valve!
Yes, this I recommend. S style airlocks offer some protection also.
Do you know if there is any issue having the chiller under a bench with the conical fermenter on top of the bench. Just worried about workload on the pump.
That should be fine. I actually often have my fermenter direction on top of the glycol chiller and that has been just fine.
Hi, is it possible to get the fermenter temperature down to 1-2 degrees? Has anyone used this in a hot environment with about 30 degree C room temp? How does it handle?
Hi Rob, not with the GF conical it isnt no. Min of 4C.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew ok thanks. Whats the min temperature the chiller can be set to?
You can go to minus 6
I'm thinking on getting a Aquarium Chiller. The GF chiller cost € 1000 euro. A Blue marine 800 aquarium chiller € 550 euro 260 W (1/4 HP).
I have no idea if this will work in all honesty. If it does then please do let me know :)
With the cooling portion in the middle of the fermenter, what is the minimum batch size where cooling could be used? I prefer brewing smaller 10L batches.
It really works best with 19L sadly
I've seen various statements about the glycol chiller being "less efficient" if you have under 19L in the fermenter, but how much less?
I brew Imperial Stouts exclusively (so far), and since I am still in the learning stages I prefer to make smaller ~12L batches, often (I have two fermenters, so 1-2 times a month I make a new batch)
I don't mind too much going up to 19L, but I'd prefer to try to stay as close as possible to ~12L.
Any thoughts David?
My understanding is that you really want a minimum of 19L in the fermenter. I also favour smaller batches myself, to brew more and have more variety in my beer racks. I am yet to test how this works for batches that are much smaller.
Hi again David. Having purchased the GF glycol chiller and tried it with a pale ale fermentation first, I'm ready to try my first ever all grain pilsner (brewing tomorrow, if the weather gods are with me). My question relates to later in the process, as I normally do "natural" carbonation in Corny kegs. So... should I lager in the conical fermenter first, or just package, carbonate in a warmer place and then lager the pressurised keg in my kegerator? Thanks as always.
Lagering in the conical would be my suggestion for ease if you are looking at short term lagering.
Hello
I want to ask you when I reach the temperature that I want in the conical pro (which is connected with the glycon chiller) then... How I keep that temperature in the conical? I sould have the clycon on the pump or the other function(sounds like freezer) ?
I hope you understand me!
Thanks in advance
Hi Rous, All you need to do is set the target temperature. Once this is done then the system will heat or cool according to what is needed.
Hi David, Once the chiller is disconnected from the fermenter does the glycol leak from either the fermenter or pipes, Many Thanks
In the early models yes but then the connectors had a redesign to stop this.
Nice. In Denmark The temperatures in winter months allow for lagering so to pricy for me.
Thats not so stable though of course.
What do you do with glycol chiller when it's not is use? Also how often does it need to be topped off/replaced?
I leave it switched off. I tend to find it needs topping up subject to use. Averagely for me that is every 3-4 months.
Hi David, just installed the fermenter and chiller set. I wonder how you deal with the 10 liter batches. If you look at the chiller zone in the fermenter it seems you only have a efficient chilling if you have a batch of at least 19 liters.
Yes, you need a batch size of 19L. I mentioned this in my reviews.
David Love love love the video please keep them coming...I recently hooked up my chiller....followed all the priming instructions and it was working great. Then when I went to hook up a fermentor to it nothing....the fermentor was hooked 2 degrees lower than the temp of the wort...and nothing its like the fernmentor isn't communicating I have wrote the retailer and the company just hoping it is a silly mistake any ideas?
Thanks Mark :) That fault can be various things, probably something they can fix for you quickly.
in the manual, I found that it is recommended to change the glycol each year. do you have any info regarding the process to remove the glycol from the chiller?
I am moving house soon and plan on using a syphon to remove it. You cannot tip it out.
Finally it arrives! Clearly an awesome product although I have two issues with it. 1) I struggle to drink through one batch of 19L beer in a healthy and timely way....and this does 4 fermenters! Do you sell/ give away at least some of the output?! 2) For single batches a beer shelf cooler hooked up to temperature controller does same job for a fraction of the price. I crashed down to 2 degrees easily using this method.
1) I give away a lot of beer yes. 2) No , it really doesn’t Liam. I covered this in the video :)
1) Do you sell your beer and if so I'm interested?! and 2) I did of course watch the video. My point is that I have a SSBrewtech fermenter hooked up to a full temperature control system including shelf cooler. The whole lot is fully automated including the fermenter and insulation- everything still costs less than the GF cooler. It works like a charm. My point was if cooling one fermenter at a time- more than enough for many home brewers- the Grainfather cooler does not represent good value for money. It's value is when you have multiple fermentation vessels needing independent temperature control. I wish I had that kind of capacity.....alas I don't...yet.
No, I do not sell my beer anymore, that time passed when I quit commercial brewing. These days I give it away to friends and family! I cannot drink all I brew! I can see your point with your set up. If you had just plastic fermenters then the gf conical and glycol would be a huge upgrade if it was realistic to your budget. This set up would improve your temperature control for the reasons I mentioned in the video but it comes at a cost as you mention. In this review I set out to just give people the facts. I explained briefly why I bought it and who it would best suit. I like the look of Rolex watches but could never justify paying that price. For me this set up is worth it but everyone needs to weigh it up for themselves. I could of bought something way cheaper that is perhaps 75% as good but I would not be as happy.
Thanks for personalised response David as always. I'm in the opposite camp in that I long to start commercial brewing....just not quite yet. It would be great to see a video from you on how best to start out on the commercial scene....it's a bit daunting! I use a Grainfather system for my brewing (excluding fermentation) and it is consistently outstanding. For me, Grainfather cooling/ fermenting (and totally agree that decent temperature control is a must) is geared towards bridging that gap between home brewing and commercial brewing. For a four fermentation vessel system Grainfather is the only dedicated system available outside the US capable of independent temperature control for multiple fermentation vessels that I am aware of. Maybe I am just a tad bit jealous, although I do love my SS Brewtech single system! Please keep up the great work- you're an excellent ambassador for Grainfather.
Isn't the point of glycol that you can go below 0degC?
No, temperatures that low are not needed. Sure it will be a little quicker when it comes to a cold crash but that is the only downside. Certainly you would not want to lager a beer that low.
great video have two fermenters waiting for the glycol cooler .when you clean do you disconnect the hose of the fermenter ?
Thanks, yes I unhook it when its not in use :)
no leaking off glycol out of the hose en fermenter ?
No, the inserts into the fermenter are self sealing :)
Thanks David. I would be really interested but can't even get the conical fermenter here in the US - keep wondering when grainfather will get things together for here in the USA.
I'm wondering if they stopped selling them until the chiller is ready in the US. Then they'll sell both again.
I really have no idea on that. Best to ask GF US when they are expected. Soon hopefully!
The fermenters will be available in May. Grainfather is still working on the certifications for the chiller for the US.
It's not in the states yet. Have you heard if and when it might be here? Big Fan of your channel.
Thanks. I reached out to GF on this because this question came up early in posting this video. Whilst there is no set date just yet for the glycol, the conical fermenter is set for a May release for the US. Hope this helps! :)
Hi David. Thanks for a really useful video.
Do you have any experience with how much noise the glycol chiller creates?
Thanks Kasper. The unit operates at 50-60 DB. So ok for the room next to your bedroom but not in your bedroom type of noise.
Hi David. Thanks for this. I've already done the deed and purchased the chiller this morning, having used the water-based system for a few brews. This lower cost option is great... but I have to be around to swap freezer blocks in my cool box, to keep the water cold enough. I think the recent hot weather in the UK has persuaded me. I had also been wondering about the possibility of using the chiller to cool wort to pitching temperature without using the counterflow chiller (and therefore saving water), which you also covered in the video - do you think the GF Conical could cope with hot wort straight from the kettle and cool it to typical fermentation ranges?
...or would this cause too much "stress" on the structure of the FV?
Hi Andrew, Yes it would be way too much stress. The GF glycol chiller is not suitable for chilling down from boiling temps.
when do you change the glycol and how do get the old glycol out the easy way?. Love youre video’s
You just top up as is needed :)
Hi David... Is the Grainfather Glycol Chiller a compressor chiller or a thermoelectric?
It has a compressor. I would not be able to sleep in the same room with it on but I manage in the next room.
Hi David, thanks for the review. Have you come across any issues over the last year or so using this? I am thinking of getting one now that they are selling in Canada.
No, its been very smooth running.
What about cleaning?
You just wipe down the exterior as needed. Thats it 🍻
They are finally in the USA! Mine arrived, and I was wondering... have you ever used it to lower wort temperature to yeast pitching requirements? I am still running a submergible wort chiller and figure I can skip this step out by putting the hot wort directly into my fermenter and turning the glycol system to desired temperature. Cheers.
Great to hear :) I have spoken directly to GF about this and they say that the glycol chiller should not be used in this way. It can cool down from temps of 95 deg f though.
David Heath Homebrew I knew you were the man to talk to about it, I wonder where the issue is, perhaps the rubber gasket between the tasting port and fermenting tank, or it could mess with the heat thermometer or maybe even be the plastic tubes that carry the glycol?
I wonder now: Grainfather conicals and the glycol... or a Catalyst Fermenter with a brewjacket... 🤔
Cost aside I believe brewjackets are not a great option compared.
Hey David can this chiller work with a Braumeister ss fermenter tank.
Does it have inputs for glycol cooling? If so then it should do, as long as you can convert the hosing. I am aware of people doing this for ss brewtech tanks.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew thanks David👍🏻🤟🏻 i hope it Will work on my bm fermenter 👍🏻
It would be worth checking with the two companies to be sure :)
Hi David,
I have been looking for a solution just like this. Due to the tropical weather I have here, my recent venture into brewing has been a tough one. Can I ask, once fermentation is complete, can you then use this same system for secondary / carbonation? If I simply bottled straight from this, the bottled liquid would eventually get to room temp and be too warm
Hi Daniel, the nice thing about the conical from GF is that you can dump all trub if you wish but the bottom tap is designed to bypass this for transfer to bottles or kegs.
That’s great. My issue here is being too warm once bottled…. Really chose the wrong climate to brew in haha
🍻🍻🍻
can i connect my ss brewtech to it?
Yes, GF have a guide on their website but I believe that you need an extra pump.
Hi David! I’ve just set up my new glycol chiller according to the instructions. However when I’ve connected to the fermenter and set temperature to 4 degrees Celsius the fermenter displays “cooling” it does not seem to cool. It has been in the same “status” and temperature for 2 hours now. Have you’ve ever heard of such situations and if so any tips&tricks?
Hi Trond, sounds like something you should speak to GF about directly. Could well be faulty but they will guide you through testing it and replacing it if needed.
David Heath Homebrew cheers David and thank you for your reply. I’m in dialogue with homebrew stores where I bought them so we’ll see. Not the most important things right now but would be nice to fully utilise the GF fermenter/chiller solution. Have a nice weekend and keep up the good work!
David, this May sound like a silly question but could I use the glycol chiller to turn the conical fermenter into a “fridge” that can be used to condition mini 5 litre kegs? I don’t have enough fridge space to condition 4 of these kegs and wondered if I could use the fermenter for this dual purpose...?
.
What is the ratio between glycol and water that you use/recommend? And, how often do you replace the glycol/water mix?
I have been using 1 part glycol , 2 parts water. This leads to 67% water to 33% glycol. This is the GF recommendation. It works well :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew and how often do you change It? Cause i have seen that someone writing to change It every year...
@knacrr You can do, personally. I keep an eye on the levels and top up when needed. I would only change if cooling was failing but its been some years and it never has.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew so i'll try to do as you do, tyvm :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew One more question, which temperature do you set your chiller at?
Hi David...thanks for the review. I have a question.... when cold crashing in the Grainfather Conical Frementer, how do you stop the oxygen being sucked back into the frementer?
There are two methods that I can suggest that are both pretty cheap solutions. Firstly S style airlocks offer some protection and then there is this solution that I use myself:- czcams.com/video/ngLLz3-a8PI/video.html
Hi David thanks for the info and I have had look at your video. It sounds like the perfect solution. I am having trouble trying to purchase these in Australia. Amazon don't ship to Au either.Any ideas please?
Oh sorry I see in your video that Plaato ship worldwide.
You could try an S airlock first, probably have one?
Hi David, great video! I'm looking at getting a Grainfather conical fermenter, but I have an SS Brewtech glycol chiller. Do you know if you could easily adapt the Grainfather Conical fermenter to other chillers?
Thanks Andrew. There was a PDF document that was on the GF website that showed how to use exactly this. I just tried finding it on my phone (im out) but could not see it. See if you can find it. If not then I would suggest emailing GF. It could be they removed it but in your circumstances they would probably provide it. I have a feeling that you need to add a pump.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thanks David! I sent an email to Grainfather, and in case anyone else is curious about this question, it can work with the SS Brewtech chiller. Grainfather stated I would just need to purchase the cooling addon that includes a pump which can be placed in my glycol reservoir.
Great :)
Can you give some more info on the procedure to use as a wort chiller. Thanks.
Sure. Chill your wort as far down as you can using the counter flow chiller. Then add to your conical and chill from there. No glycol chiller can chill from boiling temps but cooling from temps of high ground water will work.
Thanks
hello david,
Once the temperature has been set, within what range is it kept?
in case of errors, is the maximum difference between the actual temperature and the value shown by the machine lower than one degree Celsius?
Thank you
The standard temperature is minus 4 deg c. This is fully adjustable.I find that sometimes this can drop down to minus 5. It will maintain itself to ensure temperature is held.
Ok thank you david.
So if i set the temperature at 17 deg,for example,the temperature will be stay at 17 deg? Or it will fluctuate between 16 and 18 deg?
Sorry are you talking about the glycol chiller here or the conical fermenter? The glycol chiller is always set very cold to be used to cool quickly. If you set the conical fermenter to 18, then it will stay at 18. You can set how quickly this change is made also. I set mine to react to temp changes of 0.5 deg c usually but sometimes less.
Ok! So it is very stable in mantaining any temperature. Thank you again,i really appreciate your videos.
Hi David, I am planning to buy the chiller and a couple of fermenters.
In my country we do not have a Grainfather distributor, so I plan to order this form the UK as I have done with the Grainfather 30.
My main concern here is reliability, as I will not be able to have any service on the chiller unit and shipping it for repair is not an option due to its weight and size.
What are your thoughts after three years in use, did you have any issues that required servicing the unit?
Thanks!
Ive not done anything except vacuum the vents to keep them as dust free as possible.
Is it possible to set the temperature of the fermenter at 0 C for exemple?
No, 4 deg c is the minimum but perfectly acceptable for cold crashing and lagering. There is really no need to go lower.
Are you the voice of Flstudio demos ? :D
Not me 🍻
I don't think you covered it in the video, I have a question about the connections. Is there any issue with leaking the glycol out of the fermenter when you disconnect the hoses? Or are they check valve type connections that don't leak. Nice video as always David! Cheers! 👍🍻
Thanks a lot Brian, glad you liked it :) Yes the connectors are self sealing, so all good there :) Cheers :)
The disconnect's have a valve in it. I have two no leak on disconnect ;-)
Hi David
Great informative videos.
Can i ask you about the two seals that are included as part of the glycol connection kit. I am guessing that each seal goes in the threaded section of the self sealing coupler prior to screwing the coupler into the grainfather conical. I am asking because glycol is weeping from each of my couplers... it is very small but still a weep. I have my first batch in the fermenter so cannot check until i have dropped my beer in 10 days or so. Have i been unlucky or am i doing something wrong?
Yes those seals go in before you screw in the coupler fittings. That will cure the weeping :)
Hi David... thanks for the reply... I have put the seals in before screwing in the coupler fittings... but still have a small weep... more pronounced on the outlet side... i will try reseating once I can get my fermenter emptied... so that i can place on it's side so no glycol discharges when I unscrew and rescrew the errant valve
If there was a single fermenter version (I dont know if it's even possible :D ) at a lesser price I would have bought it immediately but sadly it's too costly for me right now..
primalmatter I think that would be a great idea. I personally would also like to see their conical fermenter in a smaller size as well, say a four gallon one for smaller batches like I prefer to do.
I think the difference in cost would be minimal for such a product. Its also nice to have that upgrade potential.
Yes, I would buy a small batch version myself :)
What is the noice level on this system? Thanks for all the great videos btw
The noise level is up to 60db. You would not want it in a bedroom but the spare room next to your bedroom will work :)
David Heath Homebrew Thanks. It will work perfectly for me then 🤔👍
Great :) Works for me :)
Unfortunately i’m having issue with the accuracy of the temperature. I’m fining a big difference in temperature range from what the GF screen tells me to what the tilt Hydrometer and other digital thermometers say the actual temp is.
The problem with the tilt is that it measures temps just at the top of the wort.
David Heath Homebrew Hi Dave thanks for the reply. Your Videos are the best. I guess my concern is there is a big variation difference by up to 4.4 degrees, especially when the tilt is on top measuring colder than where the probe is measuring. At the moment i’m getting minimum of 6.4 degrees with the GF and the tilt saying 1.4 degrees and another electric digital thermometer saying 3.4 degrees from top water level. I have not started fermentation yet with the new GF and Glycol Chiller only testing with 23 L of water first. I have the GF company lodged a ticket with their technical to find out why the big variation. I love the Vides keep up the good work. I’m excited to try a new Plaato airlock when it arrives from Norway. I would be happy to purchase one and send it to you if you willing to do a review on one some day?
Great to hear thank you. There will be temperature differences in any vessel with liquid in it. Those will vary depending on if it is static, being heated or chilled. Yes I will review the Plaato :)
And I still can't get one in the US :-(
Hopefully It wont be long :)
I appreciate an honest review, can you tell me wether all of the Grainfather products you have reviewed have been sponsored by the company or just this one?
Alex Anderson None have been sponsored by anyone or company. Some items have been sent to me on loan, where I can buy them after evaluation or send back. I do not have any interest in reviews that contain anything but my full honest opinion. Like I said in the disclaimer, my opinion is not for sale, nor will it ever be.
...so when you buy them after evaluation, do they give you a bit of a cut on retail price?
No. The advantage I gain is trying a product in advance (sometimes) and being able to try it before committing. In truth I do not produce many review videos. I am mostly about sharing knowledge and recipes. This is my aim with the channel.
Hi David, sorry to keep bringing up these old videos. I’ve just taken delivery of my glycol chiller and conical fermenters today, i will be doing a couple of brews in the coming days. I have just a couple of questions for you if that’s ok?
Once I’m ready to transfer my wort, should i have to connect my fermenters up prior to this so the solution is already in the fermenters? In case of any air bubbles etc ( of course I’ll be running the system through first as per this video)
Secondly as ill be connecting 2 up, will the 6 liters be enough? Or do i need an extra amount on top of the 6 already added?
Appreciate all your help 👍🏻
Many thanks
James
Hi James, no need to be sorry, all videos are relevant for comments and questions. Yes its a good idea to connect up to the glycol and get the solution primed and ready. You will need to top up the glycol in the tank so that the level marker is at the top. Hope this helps :)
David Heath Homebrew you’re a star thank you. This weekend both fermenters will be getting a thorough clean ready for brew day. I have no excuses now, full temperature control? All the gear and no idea
You should be fine :)
@@James-sf5bb Am in the process of setting up my single conical fv and glycol chiller too. Any additional FV will require a top up of 600ml of glycol/water mix. I am guessing that once you have primed the chiller and you connect both FVs the displacement of the glycol water mix to two lots of chiller hoses, the marker should indicate that a top up is needed. At this point there should be room for the post priming top-up.
Peter Davis thank you, i was wondering actually how much I’d need? and I come up with the same figure as you suggested. I’m currently in the process of priming the chiller, fermenters are soaking and a whole week off work. So I have 2 brews planned for the coming week ; ). Hope all goes well your end.
Many thanks
James
I haven't gone through your entire catalog of videos yet but I was wondering if you have a video on the protein rest, when to use it or why to not use it?
The protein rest was for high protein beers. Mostly wheat beers. These days many people skip this because the malt these days is so very highly modified that there is little need for it :)
I was thinking it could be useful for making the beer clearer, to get rid of the haze
For clarity my preferred method is as follows:- Irish moss at boiling stage. After fermentation, Gelatine added at 10 deg c. Usually its clear in a day or two after adding.
There is also chill haze. Avoid putting ales into the fridge until 30 minutes before you intend to drink it. Certain styles have haze as part of their DNA. New England IPA and wheat beers for example :)
I see. I've used Irish Moss before but not the gelatine trick.
I'm not brewing at the moment. I did it for a while years ago and I'm starting to get the urge again so I've been watching tons of videos about it lately. There's so much great information out there nowadays, your channel and others. CZcams didn't even exist back when I was doing it!
Now that I found out about the Grainfather, how can I resist?
Your channel has been very helpful, thanks a lot!
Ok, it works well. Yes the internet had really pushed information availability for sure. CZcams in particular can provide a home classroom. Brewing products that we have now would of been unbelievable when I first started over thirty years ago. It's a great age to live in :)
I though you have said that the Grainfather conical due to its dual wall insulation, it does not need an external insulation like the ss brewtech tanks want. Wow Grainfather included an external insulation this time! Also there are glycol coolers with nearly half the price, like the speidel one, that can crash the fermenter down to 0 C.!
I did say that yes and it is true. You have internal insulation so why would you need ineffective external insulation? This GF jacket is NOT insulation. It is labeled and explained in my video as a condensation jacket. As for the Speidel cooling unit. In my market the price is very comparable. Hardly any retailers here stock it because it only suits 60L plus fermenters and seems to be limited to one per fermenter. On Speidels website they give very limited information. I see it is on sale right now, so I guess they arent selling well. If you feel this is a better solution for you then thats totally your choice!
With the internal insulation you should not get condensation, but you get because the glycol jacket part is not insulated, it is just covered with the external stainless cover. The speidel chiller is up to 240l, yes it comes with only one input but with a little job it can support for more.
I have not tried the Speidel unit, so really cannot comment. Sure you could adapt it but then you are going against its design. There is probably good reason why they restricted it like this. You will also kill your warranty. The choice is yours all round Vadilis :)
all the professional beer coolers have one output and you make a glycol network for all your fermenters so you dont void anything, that is how they work. It is just an extra work to make the network. But the companies for the ease of the homebrewers make 4 outputs.
Speidel are clearly not adding this ease for you. The choice is yours. Personally I would not go against a products intention. This Speidel chiller is not suitable for what I want but if it is for others that´s great.
2-4 degrees is ideal for cold crashing, At 4-6 degrees the grainfather is certainly not ideal for cold crashing.
It would be nice if it went lower for sure.
Cold crash at 4.7C is not very effective... :(
You can go as low as 3. Really even at 4 it works just fine and doesn’t potentially remove flavour either. To test this do a couple of bottles worth and try at 1 and 4. You will see what I mean :)
Found it 😂
Great :)
Wort is pronounced WERT :)
Not in my language and dialect it isn't! :p
It’s ‘wort’ here in Ireland as well. 😚
Exactly :) I proudly say wort also.