Grainfather conical fermenter Vs fridge?

[Tombo]

I currently have a fermenting chamber made out of a fridge, a tube heater and USB fan to circulate the heat of the heater when it's on. All controlled via an inkbird and it works very well even in the depths of winter in my unheated detached garage.

I am now contemplating getting a grainfather conical fermenter with digital controller but are they actually worth the expense or is it just marketing hype?
Thanks

 

[gyurmaember]

It depends, the footprint of the whole system is very small, so it's perfect for apartment brewers like myself. After the initial purchase you'll shortly realize, you'll need a second fermenter. If i have enough space I'd looking into some jacketed unitank, with custom glycol solution.

 

[Tombo]

It depends, the footprint of the whole system is very small, so it's perfect for apartment brewers like myself. After the initial purchase you'll shortly realize, you'll need a second fermenter. If i have enough space I'd looking into some jacketed unitank, with custom glycol solution.

I have no problem with the size of my fridge, it's in my garage so there is plenty of room. Just wondering if I'll gain anything significant in the ferment over the fridge?

 

[gyurmaember]

I have no problem with the size of my fridge, it's in my garage so there is plenty of room. Just wondering if I'll gain anything significant in the ferment over the fridge?

I would say no, maybe it's easier to clean, but that's it.

 

[Agentgonzo]

I would expect the direct contact with the glycol chiller can chill harder/faster than air contact in a fridge. As mentioned, it's more space efficient/easier to rearrange.

Whether those are worth the money is up to you

 

[SMP Brewery]

After the initial purchase you'll shortly realize, you'll need a second fermenter.

Why?

 

[Agentgonzo]

I'm guessing because you love the hobby and want to brew more!

 

[Tombo]

Thank you all for the replies. I can get the fermenter (second hand) with the basic water cooling pipes set up for £200 so I was obviously tempted but if I'm not gaining anything other than size I might leave it. Thanks again.

 

[Polcho]

I love my GF conical fermenter. Great control when it gets colder. My shed is like a cookhouse in the summer, but I haven’t needed the full set up.
I have a container of water with the pump dropped in. Before I go to work I drop a a few of those blue picnic freeze blocks from the freezer in.
Works a great.

 

[gyurmaember]

Why?

Imagine when you're halfway fermenting a lager(because it's so easy to do in these), and run out of beer, and you feel yourself ashamed to go to the supermarket to buy beer...

 

[gyurmaember]

Thank you all for the replies. I can get the fermenter (second hand) with the basic water cooling pipes set up for £200 so I was obviously tempted but if I'm not gaining anything other than size I might leave it. Thanks again.

Would you pass on the opportunity?

 

[Tombo]

Would you pass on the opportunity?

I've not fully decided yet and having one of these would mean I could have 2x temp controlled ferments on at the same time. I do believe he had 2 of these units though, if he has I will update if anyone is interested?

 

[Agentgonzo]

Before I go to work I drop a a few of those blue picnic freeze blocks from the freezer in.
Works a great.

If you have space in the freezer, you can fill plastic bottles (1L, 2L etc) as rudimentary cool blocks of needed. Greater cooling capacity than a smaller blue freezer block

 

[gyurmaember]

I've not fully decided yet and having one of these would mean I could have 2x temp controlled ferments on at the same time. I do believe he had 2 of these units though, if he has I will update if anyone is interested?

If he's in reasonable distance from me, or willing to post, yes I'm interested.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Its a great bit of kit no doubt, but temp control is far more important so unless you can heat and cool with the GF then I'd stick with a fermenter in the fermentation fridge. Is it worth the expense? Well you could ask that of any product...why do people buy anything other than the cheapest most basic product on the market?

Having said that I wouldn't buy a GF conical again. Its achilles heal is lack of pressurisation. I like my pressure transfers and when I tried to add a bit of pressure to the GF it was leaking CO2 as soon as the slightest bit of pressure was applied despite the strong lid clamps. The lid itself doesn't seem to have sufficient stiffness around its rim to maintain a seal in between the lid clamps...so for that reason I wouldn't get one if I were to have my time over. I think the cheaper plastic fermenters you can get now are far more versatile and fit in a fridge. You can do anything and everything with them.

But as far as heating and cooling is concerned its fine. I've got mine hooked upto a beer line chiller with a bucket of glycol, so the glycol is sucked out of the bucket, circulated through the chiller then the GF and returns to the bucket.

 

[Tombo]

Its a great bit of kit no doubt, but temp control is far more important so unless you can heat and cool with the GF then I'd stick with a fermenter in the fermentation fridge. Is it worth the expense? Well you could ask that of any product...why do people buy anything other than the cheapest most basic product on the market?

Having said that I wouldn't buy a GF conical again. Its achilles heal is lack of pressurisation. I like my pressure transfers and when I tried to add a bit of pressure to the GF it was leaking CO2 as soon as the slightest bit of pressure was applied despite the strong lid clamps. The lid itself doesn't seem to have sufficient stiffness around its rim to maintain a seal in between the lid clamps...so for that reason I wouldn't get one if I were to have my time over. I think the cheaper plastic fermenters you can get now are far more versatile and fit in a fridge. You can do anything and everything with them.

But as far as heating and cooling is concerned its fine. I've got mine hooked upto a beer line chiller with a bucket of glycol, so the glycol is sucked out of the bucket, circulated through the chiller then the GF and returns to the bucket.

I guess from your reply that's it's more of a want than a need and I'll see no real benefit over my current set up, which is kind of what I was expecting if I'm honest.

 

[Braumeister]

I think the cheaper plastic fermenters you can get now are far more versatile and fit in a fridge. You can do anything and everything with them.

Which plastic fermenters do you mean? I’m thinking about getting a new plastic fermenter and am not sure what to get.

 

[Agentgonzo]

so unless you can heat and cool with the GF

You can. It has an inbuilt heater and it attaches to a glycol chiller
https://help.grainfather.com/hc/en-...w-does-heating-work-in-the-Conical-Fermenter-

 

[hoppyscotty]

I guess from your reply that's it's more of a want than a need and I'll see no real benefit over my current set up, which is kind of what I was expecting if I'm honest.

That’s you’re head talking. Sometimes in life you need to follow your heart too!! I have the Gf fermenter and fermzilla and use them both equally and they produce great beer (I think so at least). I’ve just built up a larger capacity system and got a big unitank and it is a thing of beauty. I could have spent half on a more basic vessel style fermenter, but the heart won the day in this case!! So I’m not going to tell anyone not to buy what they want but there are plenty of options out there.

 

[Polcho]

I’ve just been on a site to order a few bits. It appears there is a pressure lid for the Grainfather:

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.u...ter-pressure-transfer-p-4757.html?cPath=2_261