About to get a Grainfather, couple of Qs

jceg316 · Feb 28, 2017

Hey everyone,

I'm about to get a Grainfather, teetering on the edge getting ever so closer to buying.

I don't like the whole DIY aspect to brewing. I've tried this and failed miserably. Things keep breaking and I have to spend time fixing it when I just want to brew. On top of this, I don't have the space for my 2 vessel HERMS anymore, so this looks like a good option.

I'm trying to find where I can get a good deal. Was going with Brew UK but they just upped the price this morning and are throwing in a "free" sparge water heater. I don't particularly want the sparge water heater. I have seen one shop selling for ~ÃÂ£675, but does anyone know any deals on at the mo which don't include the free sparge water heater?

Has anyone fly sparged with the grainfather? It looks like people slowly pour water on manually. This seems kind of time consuming, wondering if there's a reason why people are doing this over setting up a fly sparge?

It would be good to hear anyone's take on it from those who own one. Am I making a mistake? Will my life be changed for the better? etc.

Thanks.

shepp · Feb 28, 2017

I am sure you won't find a cheaper price than that.

Aphid · Feb 28, 2017

jceg316 said:
I'm trying to find where I can get a good deal. Was going with Brew UK but they just upped the price this morning and are throwing in a "free" sparge water heater. I don't particularly want the sparge water heater. I have seen one shop selling for ~Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£675, but does anyone know any deals on at the mo which don't include the free sparge water heater?

I am in a similar situation so have been monitoring Grainfather prices online. At the moment they all seem to come with the old program box with the new, much better version, as an extra, bundled or otherwise. The Home Brew Shop has consistently been the best price i have found. Would love to hear of anything cheaper if you find anything, though.
=====
Just noticed that the Grainfather from The Home Brew Shop (link above) now comes only with the new control box. The likelihood is that other vendors will also be selling with just the new box?

petecock · Feb 28, 2017

saw this on amazon earlier looking for the same thing seems to good to be true then it probably is looks dodgy to me !
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00V6XSLAG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

sdt7618 · Feb 28, 2017

petecock said:
saw this on amazon earlier looking for the same thing seems to good to be true then it probably is looks dodgy to me !
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00V6XSLAG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

That's a crazy price, they even have the new control box version for just over 500. Can't see how amazon would honour it but the selllers name look weird.

Leon103 · Feb 28, 2017

Please read it. Took me two seconds to see the issue with that. Firstly it's Amazon marketplace so not Amazon selling and this ad sells they don't deliver to all places, which basically is all the places in the world.

It's a con, people buy and then they say they can't deliver

chewie · Feb 28, 2017

Lovebrewing still have the Grainfather with old control box at Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£594.00, there Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£679.00 with new control box. http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/grainfather/

Prices will probably only continue to rise due to weak pound at the minute as these are imported.

For sparging i just use a peco with an inkbird, it sits on a shelf that's high enough to sparge the grainbasket as it's draining whilst the wort is coming up to the boil.

jceg316 · Feb 28, 2017

I spoke to Brew UK and GEB and asked if it's possible to not have the boiler and get a cheaper price, and they said no, they are shipped like that. So I think any shops which buy new stock of the GF have to buy the sparge heater.

What I think I'll do is buy from The Home Brew Shop where it's still ÃÂ£679 and no heater is included.

MyQul · Feb 28, 2017

Remember you get 5% off at GEB and HBC using the forum discount code which makes it.....umm, I'm too cack at maths to work it out

:lol:

Pawlo7671 · Mar 1, 2017

I got mine from GEB, ÃÂ£750 also came with free sparge heater (which i needed anyway ) also got the coat, cleaner and hop spider.
I saved around ÃÂ£40 using the discount code. I dont see why you wouldn't be able to fly sparge, I was thinking of setting something up to this end.

Manxnorton · Mar 1, 2017

I bought the GF Mk II, and for all will save up for the new green tooth box, think you got a deal.
Specially the GF hlt etc. There is a gf mods in YouTube..on the pump.
Not a GF actual mod, but the sparge water is interesting.
Tbh manually jugging from my GF hlt into the grains is calms me down lol and I can get a great efficiency.
Mind was thinking of using my old HLT with a inkbird and controlling the output getting it flow right!
In fact I'll try it today lol
Tbh the GF is the best thing I've bought..but the price is what you pay for, specially documented brewhouse effiency.

Slayer · Mar 1, 2017

jceg316 said:
Hey everyone,

I'm about to get a Grainfather, teetering on the edge getting ever so closer to buying.

I don't like the whole DIY aspect to brewing. I've tried this and failed miserably. Things keep breaking and I have to spend time fixing it when I just want to brew. On top of this, I don't have the space for my 2 vessel HERMS anymore, so this looks like a good option.

I'm trying to find where I can get a good deal. Was going with Brew UK but they just upped the price this morning and are throwing in a "free" sparge water heater. I don't particularly want the sparge water heater. I have seen one shop selling for ~Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£675, but does anyone know any deals on at the mo which don't include the free sparge water heater?

Has anyone fly sparged with the grainfather? It looks like people slowly pour water on manually. This seems kind of time consuming, wondering if there's a reason why people are doing this over setting up a fly sparge?

It would be good to hear anyone's take on it from those who own one. Am I making a mistake? Will my life be changed for the better? etc.

Thanks.

+1 for me. I'm looking to go this way after the summer, when I've saved the readies to keep SWMBO quiet!!

jceg316 · Mar 1, 2017

I bought one from the Home Brew Shop! I'm now having an existential crisis after splurging that much money on myself :-?

Fingathing · Mar 1, 2017

I've just purchased the new grainfather from the home brew company using the forums discount. It work out at about ÃÂ£660 after discount and you get a free mash kit worth between ÃÂ£12-ÃÂ£18 and a free bottle of sanitiser. Looks like it will arrive tomorrow or Friday. Can't wait.

dafbach · Mar 1, 2017

petecock said:
saw this on amazon earlier looking for the same thing seems to good to be true then it probably is looks dodgy to me !
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00V6XSLAG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I enquired by sending a question to the seller regarding dispatching to my location, I have received a reply from the seller stating that their Amazon account has been hacked, there is no Grainfather at the advertised price of ÃÂ£419.

Chippy_Tea · Mar 1, 2017

dafbach said:
I enquired by sending a question to the seller regarding dispatching to my location, I have received a reply from the seller stating that their Amazon account has been hacked, there is no Grainfather at the advertised price of Ã¯Â¿Â½ÃÂ£419.

Thanks for the heads up dafbach.

Leon103 · Mar 1, 2017

What about my heads up? I pointed out it was fake hours ago. I also pointed it out in the other thread talkin about the same thing.

dafbach · Mar 1, 2017

Leon103 said:
What about my heads up? I pointed out it was fake hours ago. I also pointed it out in the other thread talkin about the same thing.

it was you post that prompted my further enquiry :whistle:

Chippy_Tea · Mar 2, 2017

Leon103 said:
What about my heads up? I pointed out it was fake hours ago. I also pointed it out in the other thread talkin about the same thing.

Sorry Leon, I don't read every post in every thread for obvious reasons so a belated thank you. :wink:

MagnusTS · Mar 2, 2017

Sorry to be dim, but where do I find the forum discount code for HBC?
I've been wrestling with my conscience about spending so much money an a lovely GrainFather.
But all this talk of prices going up because of exchange rate has persuaded me I need to do this sooner rather than later.

Edit: sorry, just looked this up found link to code posted by MyQul and Chippy_Tea (thanks folks!) in a similar thread. Is the code that ends in '16' still valid?

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=64575

About to get a Grainfather, couple of Qs

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