3 vessel setup - moving to GF. Keep old gear?

Dear All,

I've loved brewing on my 3 vessel system. In fact, I was just planning on upgrading all the valves to stainless and adding cam locks...

But the fact is that I have a small house, and while my wife is positively supportive of my hobby, brew days are just too hard. If I had a garage, its a no brainer - but a 3sqm spare WC is just too cramped and clean up is too hard. Also, I'm very busy at work, so money isn't an imendiate problem if I buy one. I've heard such great things about the GF, so I'm gonna jump.

Question is - has anyone here ever gone back from a GF? Should I keep my 50L boiler, 33 litre HLT and Thermo Mash Tun (all bergman pots) / control panel / pumps (stainless mag pumpa and solar pump / mega immersion chiller, or should I just get shut of the lot. Also, where would I sell it? I'm happy to lose it all at a loss, as its been fun and I need the space. I reckon there's £400+ and a load of work and bits and pieces of stuff chucked in. Would anyone be interested in all that for £200 or am I best hanging on to it?

Still mulling the fate of the 3v, your thoughts are appreciated.

Rob

I have never had a 3 vessel system, not enough room, but I have a Grainfather, the only limit is the batch size, 23 litre is right on the limit, in the winter with boil off rates high, you can get around that but I think 27 is about the max. So if you want bigger batches keep the 3 vessel system.

Dear All,

I've loved brewing on my 3 vessel system. In fact, I was just planning on upgrading all the valves to stainless and adding cam locks...

But the fact is that I have a small house, and while my wife is positively supportive of my hobby, brew days are just too hard. If I had a garage, its a no brainer - but a 3sqm spare WC is just too cramped and clean up is too hard. Also, I'm very busy at work, so money isn't an imendiate problem if I buy one. I've heard such great things about the GF, so I'm gonna jump.

Question is - has anyone here ever gone back from a GF? Should I keep my 50L boiler, 33 litre HLT and Thermo Mash Tun (all bergman pots) / control panel / pumps (stainless mag pumpa and solar pump / mega immersion chiller, or should I just get shut of the lot. Also, where would I sell it? I'm happy to lose it all at a loss, as its been fun and I need the space. I reckon there's £400+ and a load of work and bits and pieces of stuff chucked in. Would anyone be interested in all that for £200 or am I best hanging on to it?

Still mulling the fate of the 3v, your thoughts are appreciated.

Rob

I have a GF and it's great but it does have it's flaws. Why don't you try a few batches before flogging your old gear as there might be some bits worth keeping (hop spider if you have one) I would keep your pumps if you can though. The pump on the GF can be a bit temperamental and it would be good to have a back-up just in case.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Hi chaps,


Thanks for feedback. Got it yesterday, and set it up in the afternoon.

I like what I see and its great that the app is so easy and sensible - brings recipes right in from xml (Brewer's friend), no stress!

I'm gonna try it tomorrow. Pumps can be kept, probably a 30L HLT too. TBH the old gear can live in the cellar in an airtight bag, as long as it isn't in the way. The only issue I have is the overflow inlet- it doesn't slide over the overflow pipe - is this normal?

R

I don't like this one bit!
Where are the photos!

Can you tell I'm jealous?!?

Here's the old gear, pile up ready for packing away.

existingsetup.jpg (210.26 KiB) Viewed 2021 times

There are plenty of grainfathers online you don't need to see another. Annoyingly though, it seems that there is a manufacturing fault on theoverflow pipe- the outlet thingy doesn't slide over the end of the overflow- so I can't use it. Until I get that sorted, I've basically got a really expensive tea urn!

And I've got yeast ready for Saturday. Oh well, will have to work take a day off next week instead.

R

Here's the old gear, pile up ready for packing away.

existingsetup.jpg

There are plenty of grainfathers online you don't need to see another. Annoyingly though, it seems that there is a manufacturing fault on theoverflow pipe- the outlet thingy doesn't slide over the end of the overflow- so I can't use it. Until I get that sorted, I've basically got a really expensive tea urn!

And I've got yeast ready for Saturday. Oh well, will have to work take a day off next week instead.

R

Not sure what you mean about the outlet thingy. Surely there's got to be a workaround? The recirculation should work without it if you can cover the hole in the base plate with a mesh of some kind. It shouldn't overflow much anyway unless you've got a stuck mash/sparge.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Wasn't a shed an option?

Stick a piccy up of the part you are struggling with?

The overflow pipe is bolted onto the bottom mesh plate, then the height adjustable pipe is pushed over this from the top with the springs at the bottom, then you have the grain stopper which slides inside.

Stick a piccy up of the part you are struggling with?

The overflow pipe is bolted onto the bottom mesh plate, then the height adjustable pipe is pushed over this from the top with the springs at the bottom, then you have the grain stopper which slides inside.

The issue is that the height adjustable pipe won't slot into the removal 'plug hole' part that sits in the mesh. I found a hack with a 1" length of silicon tubing, ao may brew Saturday. Otherwise they will replace one or both parts on Monday.

Wasn't a shed an option?

I wish. If I had a shed or garage, no brainer, but there is no outside space here to my house.

Stick a piccy up of the part you are struggling with?

The overflow pipe is bolted onto the bottom mesh plate, then the height adjustable pipe is pushed over this from the top with the springs at the bottom, then you have the grain stopper which slides inside.

The issue is that the height adjustable pipe won't slot into the removal 'plug hole' part that sits in the mesh. I found a hack with a 1" length of silicon tubing, ao may brew Saturday. Otherwise they will replace one or both parts on Monday.

Okay, glad you are getting it sorted, but did you mean slot over as it doesn't go inside.

Well I would say that if someone wants a 3V system £200 would be an absolute bargain for that lot.Coming from another GF owner that also has an 80 litre 3V thermopot brewery,although I like the simplicity,speed & compactness of the GF despite its faults.I keep the 3V system because I often feel the hankering to use it,space and time being the limiting factors.Both could change so as the 3V doesn't eat or drink,so costs nothing to keep...............mine is going nowhere !!!!! .

I tried to sell a Buffalo 40 litre based Biab rig complete with pump and controller for less than the cost of the build but no sale.

Your gear would probably be the same so unless you want to more or less give it away KEEP IT!

aamcle