The GrainFather

[daryl]

Does anyone use this all-in-one electric brew setup?

Pricey, but it seem like the complete deal - available in 110 V and 220 V versions.

Thoughts/opinions would be appreciated.

[czubak]

Seems like too many proprietary components for my tastes. Slick however.

I am seriously leaning to an electric BIAB setup for space and simplicity and am having a hard time not pulling the trigger on this setup over building an electric 3 keggle bottom drain setup, blah blah blah. Hell I will have nearly $800 in bulky kettles before I even get to the panel aspect of it all.

http://www.cobrewingsystems.com/collect ... stem-ebiab

[UndeadFred]

Interesting.. for about $750 for what I would want, if I had it to do all over again, it seems like a great idea. My (completely) BIAB batch I did (a small 3 gallon Amber ALE) was probably the best AG I did, so the process does work.. One had to like the simplicity of the process...

Thanks for sharing..

Fred

[daryl]

I am going to create my own GrainFather-like induction system.

I have access to 208/240, so I am going to use an Avantco 3500W induction cooktop.
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/avantco ... Yw#reviews

With one of the following:
An 8-gallon stainless Bayou setup ($196):
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-800 ... rew+kettle

A 10-gallon version ($221):
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-Gal ... +10+gallon

Or a simpler 10-gallon kettle (basket instead of false bottom, and no thermometer) ($150):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TV ... e=UTF8&me=

The first two, could be used to mash and sparge.

The last one would be sufficient as my boil kettle and for BIAB. I would sparge by pulling up the basket and pumping sparge water over the top.

I have a keg that has been converted into a kettle that I could use for either HLT or boiling. It will be fitted out with a 208/220V water heating element and a temperature controller (STC-type for 220V).

I typically do 5 to 6 gallon batches, but I am also interested in doing partigyle; in which case I will opt for 8+ gallons for hot liquor in order to get two batches of wort (3 and 4 or 3 and 3 gallons).

I am thinking my best bet is to go the 10 gallon route.

Thoughts/critics/suggestions are welcome.

[wyzzyrdd]

I have a friend in St Louis that got one just before Christmas. I think he's done a couple of batches so far. But I haven't heard any real feedback yet.

[TappedOut]

The last kettle option you posted does not look to work w/ induction. If you expand the Q/A portion on the amazon page:


Question:
Is this pot induction-ready?
Answer:
No. Other reviews for similar Bayou Classic pots indicated that the stainless used was magnetic and they were induction capable. I just ordered and returned the pot because the one I received was non-magnetic and not induction capable.
By mj on March 20, 2015

[daryl]

The last kettle option you posted does not look to work w/ induction.

That is a really good and important point Tom.

And I have e-mailed and called a Bayou-direct vendor about the induction issue....I was not comfortable with their response. And trolling some of the homebrew websites....there are owners that have successfully used a Bayou-Classic with induction, and others that found some units did not work. It seems to be all over the place.

I plan to contact the manufacturer with part numbers and if I can not get a guarantee the units are induction ready - I'll have to look else where.

I hope they are induction-ready, as I really do like the price....and feedback on them hasn't been too critical on pot-strengths.

[andrewmaixner]

On this topic, does anyone in the club currently use a all-in-one recirculating BIAB setup like these? Do you use gas, electric, induction? What controllers and pieces? How well does it work for you for temperature stepping, etc?

(I'm trying to decide between 1, 2, or 3 vessel setups for my next upgrade.

[czubak]

On this topic, does anyone in the club currently use a all-in-one recirculating BIAB setup like these? Do you use gas, electric, induction? What controllers and pieces? How well does it work for you for temperature stepping, etc?

(I'm trying to decide between 1, 2, or 3 vessel setups for my next upgrade.

Currently 2 vessels, have built a single tier 3V system and will be going single vessel BIAB at some point in the future. There is nothing about it I do not like. Saves time, saves money, saves cleanup, saves space and you could easily do a double brew day in under 10 hours. Just need to determine how big of a kettle to go.

[andrewmaixner]

On this topic, does anyone in the club currently use a all-in-one recirculating BIAB setup like these? Do you use gas, electric, induction? What controllers and pieces? How well does it work for you for temperature stepping, etc?

(I'm trying to decide between 1, 2, or 3 vessel setups for my next upgrade.

Currently 2 vessels, have built a single tier 3V system and will be going single vessel BIAB at some point in the future. There is nothing about it I do not like. Saves time, saves money, saves cleanup, saves space and you could easily do a double brew day in under 10 hours. Just need to determine how big of a kettle to go.

Saw your posts in the Colorado Brewing Systems eBIAB thread on HBT. Looks like a nice one, though a slightly more expensive panel that controls the pump also would be pretty.

[czubak]

Yeah I am unsure why the control panel for the cheaper system is just the PID. Maybe that's one of the upgrades? Price goes up very fast when you get into the Pro Level with a stand, etc.

[andrewmaixner]

Yup. I'm putting some stuff in a spreadsheet to compare the major products in the ReBIAB setups. The android controlled panel from brew boss is certainly an interesting alternative.

[czubak]

Zero interest in anything more techy than a PID and pump switch. Time will tell what I end up doing. I can't even wire up what I have, so buying something turn key is very appealing to me


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[bf514921]

I have seen that ebrewsupply has a brew in a bag controller that looks pretty good, you could also use it to control a 2 or three vessel if you are willing to switch cables during brew day

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[czubak]

I have seen that ebrewsupply has a brew in a bag controller that looks pretty good, you could also use it to control a 2 or three vessel if you are willing to switch cables during brew day

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Yeah, almost wish I had went that route, but where I am at now, once complete will have cost me very little in retrospect.