I understand completely David. A while ago someone accused me of advertising for FastFerment. I really took it hard and haven't posted many videos since. I just thought it was a great alternative to expensive stainless ones. Its hard to just give your opinion today without someone being suspicious. I've always thought the SS Brewtech with all their HUGE valves were a bit overkill. But who am I to say?? Great Review.
+Brad Watson Yeah its pretty hard, especially when this video took a crazy amount of time and effort to put together. I thought it was balanced but there you go. Perhaps I will stick with non review videos in the future if this is how some people will take it. Still, on the upside they are a vast minority. Thanks for the positivity and understanding, its great to hear :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew David, please continue with the great reviews. This one was fantastic and answered all my questions as I am seeking to purchase a conical fermenter. You supply people with information, which is important as part of the purchase process. Please keep up the great work!
I own a 155 liter SS Chronical Conical Fermenter and I brew every 3 months. My hybrid system consisting of heater, glycol chiller and temperature controller produces wonderful beer everytime. My system was put together on a budget and 'man cave' innovation as I believe it should be for a really great beer to not only to behold but also to drink.
The SS is great at 14 gallon. for making 2 wine kits in America .The coil is where I hang oak and grape skin . I stir the must with a pump. the coil is used with the pump to cool hot ferments with a bucket of cool water. 2 kits off gas is keep under control by stirring from the sample valve to the bottling valve with it pointed to swirl the must for the pitch of yeast until 7 to 10 days
New to the hobby, and already have 3 Grainfather :) (No chiller yet) only bad thing is the legs and access to the grainfatern, wish they would provide an option with metal "legs" like the SSB.
Well after being extremely disappointed with an SS Brewtech mash tun and it's temp control system and having their help desk insult me, as I dared to question their claims, there is no way I would go near any SS Brewtech equipment again. I traded my system for the grainfather.
Good review and I too have the Grainfather fermenter. My only complaint with it so far is the bottom tap. It only has about 1.5" ground clearance so if you want to take a small 100ml sample then it is very awkward. What it needs is some sort of leg extension to raise the whole unit higher (anyone seen one?). I have a makeshift solution but something proper and stable would make it almost perfect.
Thank you Andy. Yes I agree that this can be an issue. What I do is add silicone pipe to the end and put the fermenter on a chair. This gets around this issue nicely.
Many thanks for adding this video. Before watching this, I was going to buy the SS Brewtech with temperature control for £680. I really dislike the chiller coil being stuck in the middle of the vessel and the need to dismantle it for cleaning. It seems like more places the vessel could leak from. I love the Grainfather simple and well thought out design. The grainfather with temperature control with duel tap comes out at only £525. Seems like the slight difference between the two is the fact you can supply your own chilled water source for the Brewtech via a water cooler, which means you don't need the £800 glycol chiller. But of course this means cold crashing is not likely and it's a major faff having to keep a cooler full of chilled water on hand. I do like the fact the Grainfather glycol chiller can control four fermenters which makes up scaling a more viable option.
Once I saw that the grainfather glycol system was big enough to run 4 fermenters simultaneously at $1k, it dawned on me that if Grainfather developed a lower cost/lower power unit that could only run 1 setup; the pricepoint they could likely reach would open the world of Glycol Conicals to a whole new segment of brewers. Myself included. The current setup is still MUCH more affordable than competitors, but a 1k chiller is out of my reach for the foreseeable future.
Yes, I can understand this Ben. I wish that money was not a barrier for brewers but it clearly is sadly. Hopefully this will be addressed by new products.
Grainfather actually sells a cooling pump kit for 60-70 bucks. You can hook it up to a cheap freezer. You could hook the freezer up to several Conical F's.
Hey David. I can’t find any info on wether you can attach a spunding valve on the GF pro fermenter? If so to what pressure? Thank you as always for your videos!
TY David for a good review of both fermenters . I am very grateful for the effort you have to make these types of revisions. I am evaluating the purchase of a conical fermenter and also valuing as an important aspect the possibility of it being isobaric. Have you thought about doing a review on isobaric fermentors like SS Unitank, Fermentasaurus or others? As a professional brewer and brewmaster, do you consider it important to take a step forward and evaluate the purchase of one of them? It would be interesting if GF had an upgrade and brought a new isobaric fermenter to market in the near future :) Cheers and TY for all
Glad you found it useful. Yes I have used some of them. I would suggest waiting for fermentasarus 2. I will be covering it quite soon. Gf have no plans at all for this sadly.
Stig Berntsen Thanks :) Are you sure you are checking the brewmaster version? SS Brewtech also sell more basic conicals but this was a like for like comparison.These are the price of these in Norway, as I stated in the video.
Great comparison and interesting video. It's hard not to like the Grainfather conical fermenter. I've managed to find the GF conical including the dual tap and the temperature controller for €544 (Italy) :)
2 years have passed now - The SS Brew Tech has the ability to pressure ferment, which is a big plus. Would you still choose the Grainfather Conical over the SS Brew Tech?
@@DavidHeathHomebrew thank you for the quick response! I have the fermzilla for pressure fermentation but was considering the SS over the GF since it does both. Perhaps using the fermzilla for pressure and the GF for the rest would be a good value in my case.
I like the video, however I think the biggest problem with the grainfather is the tap has a very small pipe and doesn't accommodate getting rid of the trub.
Well done David respect and thumbs up to you as always. Available in South Africa from Brewcraft for R9850.00 incl VAt not bad considering all the features that you described.
Sadly, imho, the Grandfather fermenter is just too tall. They would have done better to make it wider and shorter. But then they can't force people to buy a glycol chiller. Also the 2 way tap at the bottom with the red handle seems to be a cheap "hardware store" solution. I think it could be better. As a package I think your review hits the nail on the head. Great review.
+Adam I guess its a question of taste really but I am glad that you agree with my review. I guess for me its just great to have an affordable conical that has proper insulation.
David, I was curious as to how your grain father conical has held up since you made this video. Considering purchasing one myself, but thought I’d ask now that a few years have passed. Thank you!
Great video David. Quality will always sell itself. On another tack, in a previous video you asked for brewing requests. How about a Westvleteren 12 clone with a complete fermentation and conditioning schedule.
Got the grainfather fermenter a couple of months ago , actually 1 of the first in nz. I was looking at the ss brewtech but was waiting for a shipment to turn up . Luckily i ordered the gf instead. I absolutly love it . Easy to clean , easy to control.They also have released the basic cooling kit for $99 nzd so will be getting that instead of the glcol chiller.
Great vid David! Sadly, I'm waiting for my replacement unit from GF... it was damaged during shipping. I do have to say the customer service has been a pleasure to work with so far.
If one is brewing in a pot on the stove and fermenting in plastic buckets on the floor, what would be the best investment in your opinion: a grainfather brewing system or the grainfather fermenter?
There really is nothing that will impact your beer more than improving your fermentation. An all in one brewing system will make your brewing experience easier.
Thank you David ! One disadvantage the GF has in comparison to the Ss u fortunately is the scaling. Ss offers larger fermenters as well. I was wondering, how many litters of beer can you ferment with GF in practice and how many litters remain in the fermenter that can't be collected by the tasting valve ?
Thank you Gerti. Yes, they still only offer this one 30L size. These are designed to hold 25L with losses of up to 1L. Though most of this will naturally be trub and not desirable for transfer for drinking.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew So maximum input of wort 25L without any overflow during high growth phase and output ~22L after the yeast dropping and leaving turb behind ? I also wanted to know if this fermenters are feasible for bulk/batch priming in your experience ?
You can get at least 24L out of a 25L batch. You could fill it more of course but then you should use a blow off instead of an airlock :) You can batch prime but you will need to be very careful to not add in oxygen.
Good video overall. Since you were discussing degree change in your video, I thought it prudent to mention 1 degree CHANGE in Celsius is actually 1.8 degrees change in farenheit, not 33.8.
Hey David, I generally enjoy your content; brew videos, reviews, kveik yeast info etc. however I feel you missed the mark with this battle of the conical fermenters video. As you say in your previous videos, you really like the Grainfather fermenter and it represents a brand new and innovative product etc. and I tend to agree with you based on your previous review of it. However, I can't help but feel that you made some misleading comments regarding the Ss Brewtech. When you talked about having to put in a code for the temp controller on the SS Brewtech, this made it sound like there was a clumsy pin code or something, when in reality the code is just like any old STC display which serves to tell the user what mode they are looking at. This is a feature of the older display and UI/UX technology. Your comment about the butterfly valves on the SS Brewtech were a little funny too. It's an empty fermenter with a dry butterfly valve, I'm not surprised that it was moving around on the table. Your costings for like fermenters also seems a little out of wack. You said in your comments that they were 'like' models but I'm not 100% sure how you qualified that). The non brewmaster version has almost the same functionality and is significantly less than the cost of the Grainfather conical. Yes, it doesn't have a heating element like the Grainfather, but these can be added as you said in your video (bringing the cost very close to the the GF conical if you go for an official solution), or much less if you go a secondhand fridge and a temp controller. I mention these things as there is obviously a little confusion over the intent of this video. You have over 3k subs and are regularly featured in Grainfather newsletters etc. so it is only natural that some people suspect something along the lines of kickbacks etc. when you present a seemingly one sided comparison. This exposure also aligns you with a figure of some authority on home brewing (whether intentionally or otherwise), so I don't think it's unreasonable for people to voice their opinions if they feel that you haven't given either side a fair go in a comparison video. Lastly, how can it be a comparison video of fermenters if there is no actual fermentations being compared? That's like comparing cars and not taking them for a drive? Anyway, that's my $0.02. Cheers, Stass
+Stass Brewing Hi, I am sorry you feel that way. I did not give anything other than my opinion and observations . I am of course happy to hear the opinions of others and discuss this topic, just as I do with other questions that I get. I choose to compare with the brewmaster because it was the nearest like for like comparison.As for the prices, these are direct from websites in Norway, which is where I live. I did set a disclaimer about that. The intent of the video I set in the opening minute and that was to compare the systems. I used 90% facts and 10% opinion. I thought that was a reasonable balance. I don't believe it was a one sided video. I made it clear many times that both units are very capable and good quality. Most people so far have taken this video as was intended thankfully but I am not ignoring anyone who has voiced otherwise. I think the problem here is that people seem to feel that their choices are being criticised. Far from it. I made it very clear that people should make up their own minds, I gave my opinions, at the end I invited people to share their opinions also. My testing was around simulations of brewing and from that I was able to see how well both units would perform. Do you not see why I favour the GF conical? I spent alot of time comparing.
David Heath I'm not at all upset about you choosing the gf over the ss brewtech, if I were about to drop big money on a fermenter, and was choosing between these two, I'd probably arrive at a similar conclusion. I still ferment in carboys in a fridge. I own a grainfather and not a single piece of ss brewtech gear. Perhaps I felt the need to comment as the conclusion of the video felt more like a "why WOULD you buy the as brewtech over the gf???" Rather than a fermenter shoot out or show down. Perhaps a few people are getting all upset about syntax and context? My comments were intended as observations/feedback and not intended as a personal attack. Happy brewing!!
+Stass Brewing Thats fair enough, I take it all in my stride. I guess I view the review differently but its all about people having a say and opinion. Its fair to say that your comments were viewed more favourable than one others but I never expected these kind of accusations over one mans opinion in a video. Still the overwhelming majority saw the video well, so thats something but it has made me think twice about doing product comparisons in the future. Shame really as I had alot of requests for it and it took alot of work.
David Heath don't sweat it mate. You're never going to please everyone. Do what ever you like. People will continue to watch the content if they like it, and stop if they don't. It's only home brewing. Cheers
+Stass Brewing Sure, of course:) But I do care greatly about peoples opinions. I think I will stick with brew day videos:) My latest will be uploaded pretty soon, hope you enjoy it :)
It does depend on where you live for pricing. two years ago when this video was made the grainfather conicals were about twice the cost of the ss brewtech brewmaster setup in the states. . right now the grainfather is almost half the cost it was then when I first priced them and about the same cost as the ss brewmaster series setup at $19 difference for the ss brewtech with cooling and heating vs grainfather.
im completely torn as to what to do at the minute - can't decide whether to to go conical or just the SS brew bucket /w temp probe - I've a temp controlled fridge, but the conical would not fit and i'm not quite ready to upgrade to glycol chiller setup just yet
Hi David, great video thank you. If you wanted to brew 40L batches, which temperature controlled fermenting product would you recommend? Will Grainfather be producing bigger conical units in the future? kind regards Ian
Wow, another great video and review. I really appreciate these in-depth and honest reviews, especially since the items in question are such large investments for the regular homebrewer. *Cheers
DrHans Brewery Not possible with either system. Really tricky to release a product worldwide that will do that. I suggest adapting a corny keg if you want to do this.
Thanks for the video David. I wonder if there is a hack with the GF that would allow you to run ice water through the chilling ports with a small pump like the FTSs uses. It would be nice to not fork over the coin for a glycol chiller if all but lagering could be done with the use of chilled water. Great comparison but based mostly on cost I might consider the SS brewmaster bucket fermenter with the heating chilling option. I could spend the$1400 for a glycol chiller elsewhere.
Mike C. that’s my plan. I also want to recirculate ice water from a cooler with an aquarium pump using my ink Bird controller with a thermowell. I can’t see why it wouldn’t work… plug the heater and the pump and bypass the GF controller. My only snag is finding the correct fitting size here in the USA.
Very interesting reviews David, I had been waiting for this to appear. I don't have an SS Brewmaster Conical, but do have the cheaper Brewbucket which is also a conical design. However I had problems with it's single valve, particularly the racking arm on the inside. Thats what prompted me to add to the Grainfather system and get their conical fermenter. I was very lucky being one of the first 10 in the UK to order and received the valve and controller free under their promotional offer. Very pleased with the system and the build quality. It's heavier and taller than I expected and as I mentioned to you recently needed two of us to lift it to a decent height when it was time to keg. Pressurised transfer will make things a lot easier which I believe will be coming soon along with suggestions of more things in the pipeline making it a true modular system. I can't afford the glycol chiller, the wife you string me up I think, so I am hoping there will be either cheaper water based cooling methods offered either by grainfather themselves or some third party.
Thanks for the video David. This is perfect as I'm trying to decide between these two exact units at the moment myself. I was wondering though how you go about taking test samples from the grainfather if there is only one tap? Is it a case of taking from the top? The ss brewtech has the tap above the yeast but the grainfather does not. Thanks in advance.
+Darren Haworth Glad you liked the video:) Both units operate the same in this regard but with a different setup. The GF tap is in two parts. Firstly one valve that opens from the bottom of the cone for yeast harvesting and trub removal. The bottom tap collects from above the sediment line being above all yeast and trub. This is used for gravity samples and beer transfer. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the vid, David. I've got a quick question... and that is about the suitability of the Grainfather Conical for smaller batches of, say, 10L? I'm guessing the heating would be fine, but am unsure whether the cooling would work. It looks like the cooling belt might be a bit too high for small batches?
You can but due to the insulation it will not work as quickly. The cooling pump kit is cheap. Check that out here :- ua-cam.com/video/nFK1yw2rvuw/v-deo.html
would like to know more why you think the valving on the grainfather is better tech. i don't understand how it works by looking at this. looks like it's very small and yeast dumping would clog it. also how does the bottling end keep trub out vs a rotating racking arm?
Personally I fancy the grainfather but this equipment, fermenter and chiller, is not available in Europe for almost 6 months. And there is at this moment, february 2018, no improvement in availability. This will probably force me to go for the SS Brewtech equipment.
What's this tanks gauges of sheets SS pressure tanks. Please send technical aspects of the product. Can we have unitanks. Comy fermentation and laggering 2in 1 tanks Pressure vessels. Tested for 45psi and temperature minis2°C to 120°C. SS 316 grade prefered with lid , glass window hole , temperature, pressure gauges, sample points bottom cone etc with drainage valve 2 inches and 4 Inches, spunding Valve CIP line with fuzzy Ball . Adjustable 4 legs sleek 12kl capacity. Front and top loadings chamber lids. PRV Valve tube attached top.. sampling Port.. All ports with butterfly valve and extension flange provided. Glycol cooling coils similar way copper pipe line or SS coils for chilling as given above...
David i brew now for 3 years and use 2 years the Grainfather which is a great brew system for a reasonable price. Since a year I use 3 SS Brew buckets for fermenting these are also reasonable priced buy them in the Netherlands for €195 each. Have 3 chillers bought on used goods for €50 each . Reconfigured these chillers with 3 st1000 controllers for €25 to control the temperature and 3 heating elements for €30 all at Alliexpress. With this setup I can brew every 7 days for a fraction of the setup you reviewed. Normally I always love your videos but with this video I get the feeling that you are not a independent reviewer, I'm sorry to say. In my opinion the Grainfather conical fermentor with the glycol chiller is over priced when you have in mind that the Grainfather brew system is responsible priced system.
+Frank Sluijter Its great to hear that normally you love my videos. I can assure you that I am totally independent. I merely gave my opinion and my reasons for it. I don't expect everybody to agree but this was my comparison. I had many people ask for it. This was not the SS Brewtech brewbucket series. This was the brewmaster series, which is the closest competitor to the GF conical. These are both high end systems. The price can be justified by some but not all, just like other high end products. I have fermented many a best of show winner in very cheap equipment, plastic fermenters with brewbelts. This GF conical is the very first SS conical that I have ever bought for the reasons I mentioned in my main review. Before that I did not see enough advantages to warrant the cost. I am not looking to offend anyone with my opinion, just share my honest thoughts to those that are interested. I am not saying that your setup is bad nor anyone elses. I am simply comparing 2 high end products here and giving an honest opinion and explaining why. Alot of time and effort went into this video. This is my first ever product comparison and most likely my last. Thankfully most people liked it but it bothers me to hear such accusations from anyone.
David Heath As former broadcast video editor I know how much work and time it cost to produce a product video. So I hope you will continue with your tips and tricks videos relating the Grainfather brew system and stay away from product comparing.
+Frank Sluijter Thats interesting to know. Yes I think this will be the future for sure! Thank you for your understanding. My latest brewing video is going to be uploaded in a matter of afew days time. I hope you enjoy it :)
It really depends on your taste and situation in some ways, though the GF conical is much more advanced with its controller and is easier in many ways.
Nah you didn't. I also purchased it and you can buy the brewmaster and get going with heat for less than the cost of the grainfather. If you need cooling just buy a mini fridge/freezer and get the ftss2 kit. Should be about the cost of grainfather then.
Great video Dave! And I thought you were fair and impartial in presenting the facts with a little bit of opinion thrown in there. Sure, we know you are a fan of GF but you didn't make any claims that weren't true. And if Brewtech supporters prefer the chilling coil of the Chronicle to the chilling jacket of the GF then that's an opinion too. I have a different question concerning the GF glycol chiller. I have a SS Brewbucket fermenter with the FTSS chiller coil and was wondering if you thought the GF glycol chiller could work on my Brewbucket. Again, great product comparison video!Don't let a few negative voices persuade you out of doing any more. Then we all pay the price.
+Kevin Dillon Thanks Kevin, that was my feeling also. I guess its impossible to please everyone:) As I understand it the GF conical will work with the SS Brewtech. I think there is information relating to this on the GF website.
David Heath Sounds great thanks for the tip. So had you ever tried converting a refrigerator or freezer to a fermentation chamber? I'm just wondering if there are advantages to this method versus just dedicating a chamber to controlling fermentation temps. Especially considering price.
Sorry, but I agree with the others who felt your "battle" was quite biased. I don't recall you pointing out a single feature where the SS was superior to the GF. This wasn't a battle, it was a massacre against an unarmed opponent. So let me address a few issues that you missed. First - pricing. Yes, you did recommend that viewers check prices in their own area. Well I can say that the difference in the USA is FAR less than your difference in Europe. Brewmaster with heating and cooling units is currently $769 while GF is $695. So less than 75 dollars difference. All that equipment that took you a WHOLE HOUR to assemble is high quality pro style stainless steel valves and tri-clamp accessories. You fawned on and on about new tech temp controllers, but not a word about the tri-clamp connections. What does virtually every pro brewery use? Yeah, tri-clamp. All those expensive accessories EASILY make up the price differential, and then some. Also, all those pieces that you had to put together - they can also be taken apart if needed for an extra thorough cleaning. And we all know how important it is that we are fermenting in an immaculately clean environment. And speaking of those tri-clamp butterfly valves. They look to be SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than the valves on the GF. I don't pretend that I know whether that single valve is more or less functional, but I do know that when looking at dump valves, bigger is definitely better. And your point regarding difficultly in operating the valves was ludicrous! The fermenter was EMPTY! Those valves operate with the greatest of ease when the fermenter is full of beer. This was one of the worst examples of bias in your comparison. Butterfly valves are the industry standard in commercial brewing for ease in transfer and cleaning. Sod once again, I address the cleaning aspect. I have no idea to what extent you can break down that complicated GF single valve system for cleaning. So unless you have further information to provide, this looks like another win for the Brewmaster. You stated that the most influential feature of the GF to sway your opinion was temperature consistency. Have you actually fermented in the Brewmaster? Do you have FACTS to back up your claim that the GF was FAR BETTER in this regard? I don't think you do, because I HAVE fermented in a Brewmaster, in a 95 degree garage in South Texas in the middle of the summer. And I CAN state that maintaining consistent fermentation temperatures IS NOT A PROBLEM. Is a jacketed fermenter preferable? Sure. But does it insure brewing better beer? Of course not. Another feature of the Brewmaster that you completely ignored is the ability to do pressure transfers. Can the Grainfather do that? We have no idea since you didn’t mention it. So in conclusion, while it's certainly true that some will prefer the GF, it's also true that some will prefer the versatility and pro style setup of the SS. At one point you stated that many accessories were optional with the SS as if that was a disadvantage, when in fact it's an advantage because the Brewmaster has far greater versatility. I would say that anyone who wants a conical that is much more like those used in commercial brewing will prefer the SS. In a "battle" you present the pros and cons of both units and let the viewer make their own decision. This was not a battle, and it also was not an even handed or fair review of the SS Brewmaster. It was a commercial for the Grainfather.
Hi David. No need to apologise for having an opinion David :) Thank you for taking the time to give me feedback. It is appreciated, even though we clearly do not agree. I will go through the points you made here now. I believe that what you are suggesting is biased is actually the difference between our opinions on these two products. Two people are not going to agree on everything, thats life but to call in bias is unreasonable . I have owned and used SS Brewtech products, including this one. They never hit the spot for me and I end up selling them on. Have you used the GF conical? Perhaps you would need to do this to understand fully much of what I said in this video. I have also worked as a commercial brewer for most of my working life and frankly, I do not see that it matters which connection systems are or are not adopted by the industry in comparison to homebrew equipment.In the end, it simply comes down to ease of use and experience. I much prefer the experience and ease of use with the GF conical. I am not alone in this either but people need to decide for themselves. I am not seeing that my opinion of the valves was ludicrous, it is simply my opinion. The dual valve tap of the GF conical breaks down super fast, its super responsive and easy to get exactly what you want from. This is not the case with this SS Brewtech unit at all. Yes I did run tests comparing them both in temperature control. I did this in several ways and frankly the SS Brewtech was way behind. It needed to heat and cool much more than the GF conical. Hardly a surprise though when you realise that the SSB unit is just a single skin unit, where as the GF conical is dual skin with insulation built in.....just as used in breweries. Yes the GF conical can do pressure transfers, there is a kit available for this...also reviewed on this channel. What I actually said about accessories was that you need to buy more of SS accessories to match what you get included with the GF conical. Heating and temperature control being a large part of that. That part of the SS Brewtech is really showing its age also of course. I am not seeing that the SS has greater versatility at all, how can you justify that? I am not seeing that I didnt present pros and cons in this video. I think your issue here is that you just do not have the same opinion. Feel free to reply back, I am more than happy to discuss things, as long as we can keep the tone right.
They are two different products. How can you compare apples to oranges one has all in one heating and cooling and one doesn't with out add ons , maybe you should review two of same products two all in one fermenters.
The single tap is not a great piece of technology. It's cutting corners, in no way is that tap system an advantage. The real advantage is the built in heating and cooling, certainly.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew You only means to taste is held under a trub layer you may not be willing to disturb. You only means of access is to effect the pressure and risk oxidizing the beer. You cant add anything in later stages without cracking the lid and depressurizing. For a new model it seems based around saving money rather than providing capabilities.
The grain father fermenter is more of a bucket fermenter and not a true conical. It would be More accurate to compare the Ss brewtech brew bucket with the temperature control add on than the chronical line of fermenters. The chronicle is more expensive because it uses professional grade valves and the the GF unit does not. Also if your heating control fails at any point you cannot easily replace it. Just makes me question the longevity of their products and if they would replace a unit 5 or even 10 years down the line since it can not be taken apart and replaced. Also in my experience yeast can have a difficult time being dumped through such a small opening. It seems their was a touch of favoritism in this video.
Thanks for your comments Lyndon. Firstly I would have to wonder why you would think that this is not a "true conical"? It has the "magic angle" as it is known. You are right that the Chronicle does use professional grade valves and this is part of the reason for its end price but my point was (this was made in July 2017, so some time ago now!) that is this really a requirement for the home brewer? I think not, why not just make it easier for people? In terms of replacing parts in the GF conical this is really not a problem as the unit can actually be taken apart (screws on the base) and replacements can be made. The heater on mine actually failed and I replaced it myself with a minimal of fuss or time. As for favouritism, I can assure you this is not the case. See my recent coverage of the GF G70, for good example. It should never have been released as it is and I am more than happy to say it. Personally I would say that the GF conical is their best product to date. When a product is good I will say it is good but the same rules apply to when it is bad. In the end it is a simple case of opinion though :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Hi David. Thanks for the great videos. QUESTION: Is until now something new that's better than the GF Conical F? This video was made 2017. so almost 3 years from now. Thanks
Good video but I do t agree with your assessment. Not an SSBT fan boy but you fail to mention the scalability of both fermenters. I love my GF and SSBT conical and where it shines is in its massive yeast dump and possibility to do more than the GF fermenter.
While I am a subscriber to his channel here on youtube, I've noticed the bias as well. To each their own I guess. However, I would think for full disclosure, David should disclose to his viewers if he sells the Grainfather products or benefits in any way from their sale.
I would only call this bias or sponsored if David is getting kickbacks from GF (iMake). Since there's no disclaimer, we can only assume David is gaining nothing from these reviews.
+MEGAtun Brewing Thank you. My videos are totally independent. I would never do a paid review. I merely explain and share my opinion like every other reviewer on UA-cam. I only do the occasional review of course, the vast majority of my content is brewing videos. All I gain from my videos is satisfaction.
I understand completely David. A while ago someone accused me of advertising for FastFerment. I really took it hard and haven't posted many videos since. I just thought it was a great alternative to expensive stainless ones. Its hard to just give your opinion today without someone being suspicious. I've always thought the SS Brewtech with all their HUGE valves were a bit overkill. But who am I to say?? Great Review.
+Brad Watson Yeah its pretty hard, especially when this video took a crazy amount of time and effort to put together. I thought it was balanced but there you go. Perhaps I will stick with non review videos in the future if this is how some people will take it. Still, on the upside they are a vast minority. Thanks for the positivity and understanding, its great to hear :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew David, please continue with the great reviews. This one was fantastic and answered all my questions as I am seeking to purchase a conical fermenter. You supply people with information, which is important as part of the purchase process. Please keep up the great work!
I own a 155 liter SS Chronical Conical Fermenter and I brew every 3 months. My hybrid system consisting of heater, glycol chiller and temperature controller produces wonderful beer everytime. My system was put together on a budget and 'man cave' innovation as I believe it should be for a really great beer to not only to behold but also to drink.
Great to hear Leslie. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
The SS is great at 14 gallon. for making 2 wine kits in America .The coil is where I hang oak and grape skin . I stir the must with a pump. the coil is used with the pump to cool hot ferments with a bucket of cool water. 2 kits off gas is keep under control by stirring from the sample valve to the bottling valve with it pointed to swirl the must for the pitch of yeast until 7 to 10 days
Thanks for your input
New to the hobby, and already have 3 Grainfather :) (No chiller yet) only bad thing is the legs and access to the grainfatern, wish they would provide an option with metal "legs" like the SSB.
Yes, I agree. That would be great.
Well after being extremely disappointed with an SS Brewtech mash tun and it's temp control system and having their help desk insult me, as I dared to question their claims, there is no way I would go near any SS Brewtech equipment again. I traded my system for the grainfather.
Andy N Yes ive heard mixed reports from owners for sure also. I felt like complaining about their instruction manual, thats for sure!
Good review and I too have the Grainfather fermenter. My only complaint with it so far is the bottom tap. It only has about 1.5" ground clearance so if you want to take a small 100ml sample then it is very awkward. What it needs is some sort of leg extension to raise the whole unit higher (anyone seen one?). I have a makeshift solution but something proper and stable would make it almost perfect.
Thank you Andy. Yes I agree that this can be an issue. What I do is add silicone pipe to the end and put the fermenter on a chair. This gets around this issue nicely.
Many thanks for adding this video. Before watching this, I was going to buy the SS Brewtech with temperature control for £680. I really dislike the chiller coil being stuck in the middle of the vessel and the need to dismantle it for cleaning. It seems like more places the vessel could leak from. I love the Grainfather simple and well thought out design. The grainfather with temperature control with duel tap comes out at only £525. Seems like the slight difference between the two is the fact you can supply your own chilled water source for the Brewtech via a water cooler, which means you don't need the £800 glycol chiller. But of course this means cold crashing is not likely and it's a major faff having to keep a cooler full of chilled water on hand. I do like the fact the Grainfather glycol chiller can control four fermenters which makes up scaling a more viable option.
+Adam Cheal Actually there is a cooling pump kit for the GF conical also now. You will find a video about it on my channel :)
David Heath just seen it and the pump is available here for less than £60 which totally negates any advantage the SS Brewtech may have had. Cheers.
+Adam Cheal Exactly :)
Once I saw that the grainfather glycol system was big enough to run 4 fermenters simultaneously at $1k, it dawned on me that if Grainfather developed a lower cost/lower power unit that could only run 1 setup; the pricepoint they could likely reach would open the world of Glycol Conicals to a whole new segment of brewers. Myself included.
The current setup is still MUCH more affordable than competitors, but a 1k chiller is out of my reach for the foreseeable future.
Yes, I can understand this Ben. I wish that money was not a barrier for brewers but it clearly is sadly. Hopefully this will be addressed by new products.
Grainfather actually sells a cooling pump kit for 60-70 bucks. You can hook it up to a cheap freezer. You could hook the freezer up to several Conical F's.
Very true, covered this in a different video :)
Hey David. I can’t find any info on wether you can attach a spunding valve on the GF pro fermenter? If so to what pressure?
Thank you as always for your videos!
This fermenter can offer pressure transfer, but not pressure fermentation sadly.
Thanks David. after watching I have just purchased one on line for $750.00 AU incl del. cant wait to get pixxxd
Great, I am sure you will be very happy with your choice :)
TY David for a good review of both fermenters
. I am very grateful for the effort you have to make these types of revisions.
I am evaluating the purchase of a conical fermenter and also valuing as an important aspect the possibility of it being isobaric.
Have you thought about doing a review on isobaric fermentors like SS Unitank, Fermentasaurus or others?
As a professional brewer and brewmaster, do you consider it important to take a step forward and evaluate the purchase of one of them?
It would be interesting if GF had an upgrade and brought a new isobaric fermenter to market in the near future :)
Cheers and TY for all
Glad you found it useful. Yes I have used some of them. I would suggest waiting for fermentasarus 2. I will be covering it quite soon. Gf have no plans at all for this sadly.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew OK TY.
Do you know approximated date when FS2 will be available?
Nice video, and nice compare, but the prices for the SS - where did you get those? They are way above what these fermentors are priced at.
Stig Berntsen Thanks :) Are you sure you are checking the brewmaster version? SS Brewtech also sell more basic conicals but this was a like for like comparison.These are the price of these in Norway, as I stated in the video.
scandinavianbrew.no This is a retailer that I found with many SS Brewtech products.
Great comparison and interesting video. It's hard not to like the Grainfather conical fermenter.
I've managed to find the GF conical including the dual tap and the temperature controller for €544 (Italy) :)
Wild Boar Brewing Thats a very good price! Norway pays more for everything sadly.
2 years have passed now - The SS Brew Tech has the ability to pressure ferment, which is a big plus. Would you still choose the Grainfather Conical over the SS Brew Tech?
Yes I would :) Not to say that this is my only fermenter though of course.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew thank you for the quick response! I have the fermzilla for pressure fermentation but was considering the SS over the GF since it does both. Perhaps using the fermzilla for pressure and the GF for the rest would be a good value in my case.
I like the video, however I think the biggest problem with the grainfather is the tap has a very small pipe and doesn't accommodate getting rid of the trub.
Thanks cole. There is actually a valve for trub and yeast dumping on the GF conical.
thank you for your hard work, you have made some great points, happy brewing to you too.
Cheers Robert 🍻🍻🍻
Well done David respect and thumbs up to you as always. Available in South Africa from Brewcraft for R9850.00 incl VAt not bad considering all the features that you described.
+Ceco du Plooy Great, thank you. I am glad that it helped you make an informed decision.
Sadly, imho, the Grandfather fermenter is just too tall. They would have done better to make it wider and shorter. But then they can't force people to buy a glycol chiller. Also the 2 way tap at the bottom with the red handle seems to be a cheap "hardware store" solution. I think it could be better. As a package I think your review hits the nail on the head.
Great review.
+Adam I guess its a question of taste really but I am glad that you agree with my review. I guess for me its just great to have an affordable conical that has proper insulation.
Eye-opening review! Thank you.
Cheers 🍻🍻🍻
David have you done A REVIEW on the Hopcat MK3 MEGA
Hopcat MK3 MEGA BrewZilla Killer 65L Brewing System - With Chiller
Hopcat - The Best Guten System
Not yet, I have been promised one for review several times but it has not shown up yet.
David, I was curious as to how your grain father conical has held up since you made this video. Considering purchasing one myself, but thought I’d ask now that a few years have passed. Thank you!
Yes good, especially with the new controller which I reviewed a week ago. ua-cam.com/video/FQhr5fXaaK4/v-deo.html
Great video David. Quality will always sell itself.
On another tack, in a previous video you asked for brewing requests.
How about a Westvleteren 12 clone with a complete fermentation and conditioning schedule.
+Mervyn Borjanovic Thank you :) Yes that would be interesting! I will see what I can do on this in the future:) Thanks for your input:)
Got the grainfather fermenter a couple of months ago , actually 1 of the first in nz. I was looking at the ss brewtech but was waiting for a shipment to turn up . Luckily i ordered the gf instead. I absolutly love it . Easy to clean , easy to control.They also have released the basic cooling kit for $99 nzd so will be getting that instead of the glcol chiller.
+wayne b Great, I did a video about the cooling pump kit recently if you haven't seen it then check it out :)
hows the cooling kit working for pls let me know cheersnbeers
Great vid David! Sadly, I'm waiting for my replacement unit from GF... it was damaged during shipping. I do have to say the customer service has been a pleasure to work with so far.
+Chris Genest Thank you. Ahh thats a shame. Good to hear that you are being looked after , hopefully you will get your replacement soon.
If one is brewing in a pot on the stove and fermenting in plastic buckets on the floor, what would be the best investment in your opinion: a grainfather brewing system or the grainfather fermenter?
There really is nothing that will impact your beer more than improving your fermentation. An all in one brewing system will make your brewing experience easier.
I guess I have to decide if I want to make things easier or make better beer :) Thanks for all great videos and all the best to you!/Anders
Exactly, though in time perhaps you will do both :P
Hehe, probably.... especially since I need the fermenter to start making perfect lagers to get better acceptance from my wife :)
Thank you David !
One disadvantage the GF has in comparison to the Ss u fortunately is the scaling. Ss offers larger fermenters as well. I was wondering, how many litters of beer can you ferment with GF in practice and how many litters remain in the fermenter that can't be collected by the tasting valve ?
Thank you Gerti. Yes, they still only offer this one 30L size. These are designed to hold 25L with losses of up to 1L. Though most of this will naturally be trub and not desirable for transfer for drinking.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew
So maximum input of wort 25L without any overflow during high growth phase and output ~22L after the yeast dropping and leaving turb behind ?
I also wanted to know if this fermenters are feasible for bulk/batch priming in your experience ?
You can get at least 24L out of a 25L batch. You could fill it more of course but then you should use a blow off instead of an airlock :)
You can batch prime but you will need to be very careful to not add in oxygen.
Good video overall. Since you were discussing degree change in your video, I thought it prudent to mention 1 degree CHANGE in Celsius is actually 1.8 degrees change in farenheit, not 33.8.
Thanks, glad you liked it. Yes that mistake is known to me now :)
Hey David, I generally enjoy your content; brew videos, reviews, kveik yeast info etc. however I feel you missed the mark with this battle of the conical fermenters video. As you say in your previous videos, you really like the Grainfather fermenter and it represents a brand new and innovative product etc. and I tend to agree with you based on your previous review of it. However, I can't help but feel that you made some misleading comments regarding the Ss Brewtech. When you talked about having to put in a code for the temp controller on the SS Brewtech, this made it sound like there was a clumsy pin code or something, when in reality the code is just like any old STC display which serves to tell the user what mode they are looking at. This is a feature of the older display and UI/UX technology.
Your comment about the butterfly valves on the SS Brewtech were a little funny too. It's an empty fermenter with a dry butterfly valve, I'm not surprised that it was moving around on the table.
Your costings for like fermenters also seems a little out of wack. You said in your comments that they were 'like' models but I'm not 100% sure how you qualified that). The non brewmaster version has almost the same functionality and is significantly less than the cost of the Grainfather conical. Yes, it doesn't have a heating element like the Grainfather, but these can be added as you said in your video (bringing the cost very close to the the GF conical if you go for an official solution), or much less if you go a secondhand fridge and a temp controller.
I mention these things as there is obviously a little confusion over the intent of this video. You have over 3k subs and are regularly featured in Grainfather newsletters etc. so it is only natural that some people suspect something along the lines of kickbacks etc. when you present a seemingly one sided comparison. This exposure also aligns you with a figure of some authority on home brewing (whether intentionally or otherwise), so I don't think it's unreasonable for people to voice their opinions if they feel that you haven't given either side a fair go in a comparison video.
Lastly, how can it be a comparison video of fermenters if there is no actual fermentations being compared? That's like comparing cars and not taking them for a drive?
Anyway, that's my $0.02. Cheers, Stass
+Stass Brewing Hi, I am sorry you feel that way.
I did not give anything other than my opinion and observations . I am of course happy to hear the opinions of others and discuss this topic, just as I do with other questions that I get. I choose to compare with the brewmaster because it was the nearest like for like comparison.As for the prices, these are direct from websites in Norway, which is where I live. I did set a disclaimer about that. The intent of the video I set in the opening minute and that was to compare the systems. I used 90% facts and 10% opinion. I thought that was a reasonable balance. I don't believe it was a one sided video. I made it clear many times that both units are very capable and good quality. Most people so far have taken this video as was intended thankfully but I am not ignoring anyone who has voiced otherwise. I think the problem here is that people seem to feel that their choices are being criticised. Far from it. I made it very clear that people should make up their own minds, I gave my opinions, at the end I invited people to share their opinions also. My testing was around simulations of brewing and from that I was able to see how well both units would perform. Do you not see why I favour the GF conical? I spent alot of time comparing.
David Heath I'm not at all upset about you choosing the gf over the ss brewtech, if I were about to drop big money on a fermenter, and was choosing between these two, I'd probably arrive at a similar conclusion. I still ferment in carboys in a fridge. I own a grainfather and not a single piece of ss brewtech gear. Perhaps I felt the need to comment as the conclusion of the video felt more like a "why WOULD you buy the as brewtech over the gf???" Rather than a fermenter shoot out or show down. Perhaps a few people are getting all upset about syntax and context? My comments were intended as observations/feedback and not intended as a personal attack. Happy brewing!!
+Stass Brewing Thats fair enough, I take it all in my stride. I guess I view the review differently but its all about people having a say and opinion. Its fair to say that your comments were viewed more favourable than one others but I never expected these kind of accusations over one mans opinion in a video. Still the overwhelming majority saw the video well, so thats something but it has made me think twice about doing product comparisons in the future. Shame really as I had alot of requests for it and it took alot of work.
David Heath don't sweat it mate. You're never going to please everyone. Do what ever you like. People will continue to watch the content if they like it, and stop if they don't. It's only home brewing. Cheers
+Stass Brewing Sure, of course:) But I do care greatly about peoples opinions. I think I will stick with brew day videos:) My latest will be uploaded pretty soon, hope you enjoy it :)
It does depend on where you live for pricing. two years ago when this video was made the grainfather conicals were about twice the cost of the ss brewtech brewmaster setup in the states. . right now the grainfather is almost half the cost it was then when I first priced them and about the same cost as the ss brewmaster series setup at $19 difference for the ss brewtech with cooling and heating vs grainfather.
🍻🍻🍻
Have to give you a big thumbs-up David!
+Peter Scandlyn Thanks alot Peter, much appreciated.
But you forgot the fashion points, that SS brewtech one looks bad ass as fk! I’d almost buy it just to put it in on show in my kitchen
Haha fair point Bryan :)
im completely torn as to what to do at the minute - can't decide whether to to go conical or just the SS brew bucket /w temp probe - I've a temp controlled fridge, but the conical would not fit and i'm not quite ready to upgrade to glycol chiller setup just yet
Hi David, great video thank you. If you wanted to brew 40L batches, which temperature controlled fermenting product would you recommend? Will Grainfather be producing bigger conical units in the future? kind regards Ian
.
Wonder if my tilt hydrometer signal would make it through the Grainfather double wall?
Yes, no problems there with any of the floating hydrometers I've tested, including the Tilt.
Wow, another great video and review. I really appreciate these in-depth and honest reviews, especially since the items in question are such large investments for the regular homebrewer. *Cheers
Great to hear :) Many thanks :)
Great video David, I think you have just confirmed my original thoughts. All I need now is some money!!
+richardcampbell6972 Haha yes :) Glad you found the video useful.
Nice video but how about fermenting under preassure?
DrHans Brewery Not possible with either system. Really tricky to release a product worldwide that will do that. I suggest adapting a corny keg if you want to do this.
Have a look at the WilliamsWarn BrewKeg 25/50
Thanks for the video David. I wonder if there is a hack with the GF that would allow you to run ice water through the chilling ports with a small pump like the FTSs uses. It would be nice to not fork over the coin for a glycol chiller if all but lagering could be done with the use of chilled water. Great comparison but based mostly on cost I might consider the SS brewmaster bucket fermenter with the heating chilling option. I could spend the$1400 for a glycol chiller elsewhere.
+Mike C Glad that you found it useful. No hack needed to run ice water instead of using the glycol. Stay tuned for further details.
Mike C. that’s my plan. I also want to recirculate ice water from a cooler with an aquarium pump using my ink Bird controller with a thermowell. I can’t see why it wouldn’t work… plug the heater and the pump and bypass the GF controller. My only snag is finding the correct fitting size here in the USA.
+Chris Genest It will work and a fittings kit will be available soon.
Thanks David! looks like Oct. for the U.S.
+Chris Genest Nice, not long now then :)
Thanks for this video. I was looking exactly a comparison like this.
Great to hear :) Cheers 🍺🍺🍺
The prices have come down on the SS unit a LOT recently.
They did need to :)
Very interesting reviews David, I had been waiting for this to appear. I don't have an SS Brewmaster Conical, but do have the cheaper Brewbucket which is also a conical design. However I had problems with it's single valve, particularly the racking arm on the inside. Thats what prompted me to add to the Grainfather system and get their conical fermenter. I was very lucky being one of the first 10 in the UK to order and received the valve and controller free under their promotional offer. Very pleased with the system and the build quality. It's heavier and taller than I expected and as I mentioned to you recently needed two of us to lift it to a decent height when it was time to keg. Pressurised transfer will make things a lot easier which I believe will be coming soon along with suggestions of more things in the pipeline making it a true modular system.
I can't afford the glycol chiller, the wife you string me up I think, so I am hoping there will be either cheaper water based cooling methods offered either by grainfather themselves or some third party.
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what about pressurized fermenting?
Not with these. Plenty more on this channel about pressure fermenting though 🍻🍻
@@DavidHeathHomebrew the SS brewtech wont pressure ferment?
With the right extras it will but the GF system cannot.
Sick intro and great video! Been looking at both of these
VapeAndBrew Thanks alot, I am glad you liked it :)
so the grainfather has a very small yeast dump port and if the valve were to fail you would be screwed. Where as if the SS you have a way out.
True, not that is has ever failed though after years if weekly use.
Thanks for the video David. This is perfect as I'm trying to decide between these two exact units at the moment myself. I was wondering though how you go about taking test samples from the grainfather if there is only one tap? Is it a case of taking from the top? The ss brewtech has the tap above the yeast but the grainfather does not. Thanks in advance.
+Darren Haworth Glad you liked the video:) Both units operate the same in this regard but with a different setup. The GF tap is in two parts. Firstly one valve that opens from the bottom of the cone for yeast harvesting and trub removal. The bottom tap collects from above the sediment line being above all yeast and trub. This is used for gravity samples and beer transfer. Hope this helps.
David Heath Got it. Thanks for the reply
+Darren Haworth Great :)
Thanks for the vid, David. I've got a quick question... and that is about the suitability of the Grainfather Conical for smaller batches of, say, 10L? I'm guessing the heating would be fine, but am unsure whether the cooling would work. It looks like the cooling belt might be a bit too high for small batches?
+Scott Clarkson The cooling sleeve dictates batches of 19L plus for the full effect. You could go abit less but then the cooling would be slower.
why would you want less beer??????? drink more pixx!!!!!!!!!!!!
if i were to buy one can i put it in a fermenting fridge to controller temps until I can afford add on.like tape probe to side of unit
You can but due to the insulation it will not work as quickly. The cooling pump kit is cheap. Check that out here :- ua-cam.com/video/nFK1yw2rvuw/v-deo.html
Awesome video David.
Thank you :) Glad you enjoyed it :)
The grainfather in my opinion is definitely a superior product.
Great, thanks for sharing. Yes, I would agree.
would like to know more why you think the valving on the grainfather is better tech. i don't understand how it works by looking at this. looks like it's very small and yeast dumping would clog it. also how does the bottling end keep trub out vs a rotating racking arm?
Sure, no problem. Check this video out:- ua-cam.com/video/RFvX708R_a8/v-deo.html
Personally I fancy the grainfather but this equipment, fermenter and chiller, is not available in Europe for almost 6 months. And there is at this moment, february 2018, no improvement in availability. This will probably force me to go for the SS Brewtech equipment.
Hi Jac, I dont think it is far off now :)
1 degree C per hour is 1.8 degree F per hour.
Ok thanks max, I struggle with imperial as you can see :) Metric my whole life!
What's this tanks gauges of sheets SS pressure tanks.
Please send technical aspects of the product. Can we have unitanks. Comy fermentation and laggering 2in 1 tanks
Pressure vessels. Tested for 45psi and temperature minis2°C to 120°C.
SS 316 grade prefered with lid , glass window hole , temperature, pressure gauges, sample points bottom cone etc with drainage valve 2 inches and 4 Inches, spunding Valve
CIP line with fuzzy Ball . Adjustable 4 legs sleek 12kl capacity. Front and top loadings chamber lids. PRV Valve tube attached top.. sampling Port.. All ports with butterfly valve and extension flange provided. Glycol cooling coils similar way copper pipe line or SS coils for chilling as given above...
I suggest contacting the manufacturers.
in the U.S., it looks like the GF 'pro edition' will be the same price as the Ss Brewmaster edition with FTSs.
+Charlie Hustle I am surprised to hear that but then local products vs imported makes all the difference of course.
Great video, hard to compare those two
Art of brewing Thank you, yes true :)
David i brew now for 3 years and use 2 years the Grainfather which is a great brew system for a reasonable price.
Since a year I use 3 SS Brew buckets for fermenting these are also reasonable priced buy them in the Netherlands for €195 each. Have 3 chillers bought on used goods for €50 each . Reconfigured these chillers with 3 st1000 controllers for €25 to control the temperature and 3 heating elements for €30 all at Alliexpress. With this setup I can brew every 7 days for a fraction of the setup you reviewed.
Normally I always love your videos but with this video I get the feeling that you are not a independent reviewer, I'm sorry to say.
In my opinion the Grainfather conical fermentor with the glycol chiller is over priced when you have in mind that the Grainfather brew system is responsible priced system.
+Frank Sluijter Its great to hear that normally you love my videos. I can assure you that I am totally independent. I merely gave my opinion and my reasons for it. I don't expect everybody to agree but this was my comparison. I had many people ask for it. This was not the SS Brewtech brewbucket series. This was the brewmaster series, which is the closest competitor to the GF conical. These are both high end systems. The price can be justified by some but not all, just like other high end products. I have fermented many a best of show winner in very cheap equipment, plastic fermenters with brewbelts. This GF conical is the very first SS conical that I have ever bought for the reasons I mentioned in my main review. Before that I did not see enough advantages to warrant the cost. I am not looking to offend anyone with my opinion, just share my honest thoughts to those that are interested. I am not saying that your setup is bad nor anyone elses. I am simply comparing 2 high end products here and giving an honest opinion and explaining why. Alot of time and effort went into this video. This is my first ever product comparison and most likely my last. Thankfully most people liked it but it bothers me to hear such accusations from anyone.
David Heath As former broadcast video editor I know how much work and time it cost to produce a product video. So I hope you will continue with your tips and tricks videos relating the Grainfather brew system and stay away from product comparing.
+Frank Sluijter Thats interesting to know. Yes I think this will be the future for sure! Thank you for your understanding. My latest brewing video is going to be uploaded in a matter of afew days time. I hope you enjoy it :)
I JUST bought the SS brewtech brewmaster 7.5... I might have made a mistake... maybe.
It really depends on your taste and situation in some ways, though the GF conical is much more advanced with its controller and is easier in many ways.
Nah you didn't. I also purchased it and you can buy the brewmaster and get going with heat for less than the cost of the grainfather. If you need cooling just buy a mini fridge/freezer and get the ftss2 kit. Should be about the cost of grainfather then.
Any ideas on costs to run either of these units?
That would be something to contact those companies about. I have no information on that sadly only to say that it draws very little.
But I don't brew beer. I just make mead and red wines.
No problem 🍻
Great video Dave! And I thought you were fair and impartial in presenting the facts with a little bit of opinion thrown in there. Sure, we know you are a fan of GF but you didn't make any claims that weren't true. And if Brewtech supporters prefer the chilling coil of the Chronicle to the chilling jacket of the GF then that's an opinion too.
I have a different question concerning the GF glycol chiller. I have a SS Brewbucket fermenter with the FTSS chiller coil and was wondering if you thought the GF glycol chiller could work on my Brewbucket.
Again, great product comparison video!Don't let a few negative voices persuade you out of doing any more. Then we all pay the price.
+Kevin Dillon Thanks Kevin, that was my feeling also. I guess its impossible to please everyone:)
As I understand it the GF conical will work with the SS Brewtech. I think there is information relating to this on the GF website.
David Heath Sounds great thanks for the tip. So had you ever tried converting a refrigerator or freezer to a fermentation chamber? I'm just wondering if there are advantages to this method versus just dedicating a chamber to controlling fermentation temps. Especially considering price.
+Kevin Dillon I have never had the need. I generally have focused on ales and have used heat belts and temperature controllers in cold areas.
David Heath Ah, I see. I'm in a basement where temps hover in the mid 70s Fahrenheit and I'm always trying to cool.
+Kevin Dillon Yes I guess many people are in the same boat.
Sorry, but I agree with the others who felt your "battle" was quite biased. I don't recall you pointing out a single feature where the SS was superior to the GF. This wasn't a battle, it was a massacre against an unarmed opponent. So let me address a few issues that you missed.
First - pricing. Yes, you did recommend that viewers check prices in their own area. Well I can say that the difference in the USA is FAR less than your difference in Europe. Brewmaster with heating and cooling units is currently $769 while GF is $695. So less than 75 dollars difference.
All that equipment that took you a WHOLE HOUR to assemble is high quality pro style stainless steel valves and tri-clamp accessories. You fawned on and on about new tech temp controllers, but not a word about the tri-clamp connections. What does virtually every pro brewery use? Yeah, tri-clamp. All those expensive accessories EASILY make up the price differential, and then some. Also, all those pieces that you had to put together - they can also be taken apart if needed for an extra thorough cleaning. And we all know how important it is that we are fermenting in an immaculately clean environment.
And speaking of those tri-clamp butterfly valves. They look to be SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than the valves on the GF. I don't pretend that I know whether that single valve is more or less functional, but I do know that when looking at dump valves, bigger is definitely better. And your point regarding difficultly in operating the valves was ludicrous! The fermenter was EMPTY! Those valves operate with the greatest of ease when the fermenter is full of beer. This was one of the worst examples of bias in your comparison.
Butterfly valves are the industry standard in commercial brewing for ease in transfer and cleaning. Sod once again, I address the cleaning aspect. I have no idea to what extent you can break down that complicated GF single valve system for cleaning. So unless you have further information to provide, this looks like another win for the Brewmaster.
You stated that the most influential feature of the GF to sway your opinion was temperature consistency. Have you actually fermented in the Brewmaster? Do you have FACTS to back up your claim that the GF was FAR BETTER in this regard? I don't think you do, because I HAVE fermented in a Brewmaster, in a 95 degree garage in South Texas in the middle of the summer. And I CAN state that maintaining consistent fermentation temperatures IS NOT A PROBLEM. Is a jacketed fermenter preferable? Sure. But does it insure brewing better beer? Of course not.
Another feature of the Brewmaster that you completely ignored is the ability to do pressure transfers. Can the Grainfather do that? We have no idea since you didn’t mention it.
So in conclusion, while it's certainly true that some will prefer the GF, it's also true that some will prefer the versatility and pro style setup of the SS. At one point you stated that many accessories were optional with the SS as if that was a disadvantage, when in fact it's an advantage because the Brewmaster has far greater versatility. I would say that anyone who wants a conical that is much more like those used in commercial brewing will prefer the SS. In a "battle" you present the pros and cons of both units and let the viewer make their own decision. This was not a battle, and it also was not an even handed or fair review of the SS Brewmaster. It was a commercial for the Grainfather.
Hi David. No need to apologise for having an opinion David :) Thank you for taking the time to give me feedback. It is appreciated, even though we clearly do not agree. I will go through the points you made here now. I believe that what you are suggesting is biased is actually the difference between our opinions on these two products. Two people are not going to agree on everything, thats life but to call in bias is unreasonable . I have owned and used SS Brewtech products, including this one. They never hit the spot for me and I end up selling them on. Have you used the GF conical? Perhaps you would need to do this to understand fully much of what I said in this video. I have also worked as a commercial brewer for most of my working life and frankly, I do not see that it matters which connection systems are or are not adopted by the industry in comparison to homebrew equipment.In the end, it simply comes down to ease of use and experience. I much prefer the experience and ease of use with the GF conical. I am not alone in this either but people need to decide for themselves. I am not seeing that my opinion of the valves was ludicrous, it is simply my opinion. The dual valve tap of the GF conical breaks down super fast, its super responsive and easy to get exactly what you want from. This is not the case with this SS Brewtech unit at all. Yes I did run tests comparing them both in temperature control. I did this in several ways and frankly the SS Brewtech was way behind. It needed to heat and cool much more than the GF conical. Hardly a surprise though when you realise that the SSB unit is just a single skin unit, where as the GF conical is dual skin with insulation built in.....just as used in breweries. Yes the GF conical can do pressure transfers, there is a kit available for this...also reviewed on this channel. What I actually said about accessories was that you need to buy more of SS accessories to match what you get included with the GF conical. Heating and temperature control being a large part of that. That part of the SS Brewtech is really showing its age also of course. I am not seeing that the SS has greater versatility at all, how can you justify that? I am not seeing that I didnt present pros and cons in this video. I think your issue here is that you just do not have the same opinion. Feel free to reply back, I am more than happy to discuss things, as long as we can keep the tone right.
I think we know where you mean bigger is better. hen do I need a fire hose to fill a tumbler of water big guy
@@tibortoth6548 exactly my thought... how fast do you need to dump your yeast LOL
They are two different products. How can you compare apples to oranges one has all in one heating and cooling and one doesn't with out add ons , maybe you should review two of same products two all in one fermenters.
They are Chris but many homebrewers look at both of these side by side for consideration.
The single tap is not a great piece of technology. It's cutting corners, in no way is that tap system an advantage. The real advantage is the built in heating and cooling, certainly.
How is it cutting corners? Why is it a disadvantage? Ive been using it for years and enjoy the benefits presented in this video.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew You only means to taste is held under a trub layer you may not be willing to disturb. You only means of access is to effect the pressure and risk oxidizing the beer. You cant add anything in later stages without cracking the lid and depressurizing.
For a new model it seems based around saving money rather than providing capabilities.
Ok, thanks for your thoughts.
The grain father fermenter is more of a bucket fermenter and not a true conical. It would be More accurate to compare the Ss brewtech brew bucket with the temperature control add on than the chronical line of fermenters. The chronicle is more expensive because it uses professional grade valves and the the GF unit does not. Also if your heating control fails at any point you cannot easily replace it. Just makes me question the longevity of their products and if they would replace a unit 5 or even 10 years down the line since it can not be taken apart and replaced. Also in my experience yeast can have a difficult time being dumped through such a small opening. It seems their was a touch of favoritism in this video.
Thanks for your comments Lyndon. Firstly I would have to wonder why you would think that this is not a "true conical"? It has the "magic angle" as it is known. You are right that the Chronicle does use professional grade valves and this is part of the reason for its end price but my point was (this was made in July 2017, so some time ago now!) that is this really a requirement for the home brewer? I think not, why not just make it easier for people? In terms of replacing parts in the GF conical this is really not a problem as the unit can actually be taken apart (screws on the base) and replacements can be made. The heater on mine actually failed and I replaced it myself with a minimal of fuss or time. As for favouritism, I can assure you this is not the case. See my recent coverage of the GF G70, for good example. It should never have been released as it is and I am more than happy to say it. Personally I would say that the GF conical is their best product to date. When a product is good I will say it is good but the same rules apply to when it is bad. In the end it is a simple case of opinion though :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Hi David. Thanks for the great videos.
QUESTION: Is until now something new that's better than the GF Conical F? This video was made 2017. so almost 3 years from now. Thanks
Good video but I do t agree with your assessment. Not an SSBT fan boy but you fail to mention the scalability of both fermenters. I love my GF and SSBT conical and where it shines is in its massive yeast dump and possibility to do more than the GF fermenter.
It is pros and cons really and what is important to you.
google.com
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Another sponsored video brought to you by Grainfather. The bias in this video is amusing
chris wagner Bias? I gave my opinion and reasons for having the opinion.
While I am a subscriber to his channel here on youtube, I've noticed the bias as well. To each their own I guess. However, I would think for full disclosure, David should disclose to his viewers if he sells the Grainfather products or benefits in any way from their sale.
+w0wva Everyone has an opinion, I have presented mine here with my reasons. I do not understand why this is considered bias?
I would only call this bias or sponsored if David is getting kickbacks from GF (iMake). Since there's no disclaimer, we can only assume David is gaining nothing from these reviews.
+MEGAtun Brewing Thank you. My videos are totally independent. I would never do a paid review. I merely explain and share my opinion like every other reviewer on UA-cam. I only do the occasional review of course, the vast majority of my content is brewing videos. All I gain from my videos is satisfaction.