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Grainfather Conical Fermenter Pro Edition - 7 gal.
FE231

Grainfather Conical Fermenter Pro Edition - 7 gal.

$694.98
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Description

PLEASE NOTE: The supplier of this product has temporarily halted shipments to addresses within the state of California. If you are a CA resident, please note your order will not be fulfilled and will ultimately be canceled. We hope to have this issue resolved with the supplier as soon as possible.

 

Whether you’re new to their products, or you’re a Grainfather Electric Brewing System diehard, this fermenter is sure to take the quality of your brew to new heights. MoreBeer! is proud to offer the Grainfather Conical Fermenter Pro Edition. But be warned: this is not your Granpappy’s fermenter.

Brewer’s turn to conical shaped fermenters when they desire an easy way to dump and harvest yeast, and Grainfather took that mentality a step further with the purpose built dual-valve bottom tap. Where other dump valves can leave a mess behind, this uniquely designed bottom tap makes yeast harvesting, sampling, and transferring a clean and convenient process.

Temperature control has been well documented as an essential part of the fermentation process, and the Grainfather Pro Edition Conical turns this critical stage into a leisurely enterprise. Not only can you adjust the temperature with the push of a button, the Temperature Controller on the Pro Edition can be programed with up to four unique schedules, so you don't have to remember to step up the temp on days 3 and 5. Set it, and forget it! For even more control, upgrade with the Cooling Pump Kit (FE234) to manage cooling.

With an 8 gallon maximum capacity, you can ferment even the highest gravity 5-gallon batches without the risk of krausen blowing out the top. And thanks to the double-walled 304 stainless steel body, this unit aims to remain in the family for generations to come.

For temp controlling the Grainfather Conical, we recommend pairing it with the Cooling Pump Kit.

 
Features:
 
Double Walled: A stainless steel double walled skin is filled with a thick layer of polyurethane foam for insulation. This is what keeps the wort at a constant stable temperature with minimal influence from any external environmental temperature changes, providing insulation for your fermentation that a standard jacket cannot achieve.  
 
Integrated Gentle Heating: In the cavity of the fermenter between the outer body and cone sits a 30 Watt, 12V heating element. Unlike standard heating elements/sources that directly heat the liquid, this heat source is designed to heat the environment in between the walls of the fermenter, which in turn heats the liquid. It is similar to controlling the temperature in a temperature controlled room. The fermenter acts as an artificial environment which can be heated, meaning the temperature is raised in an even and controlled manner which is much better for the yeast. 
 
Integrated Cooling Sleeve: In between the two stainless steel walls sits a cooling sleeve (also made of stainless steel). This cooling sleeve is welded onto the inner wall of the fermenter and can be hooked up to the additionally purchased Glycol Chiller. Temperature is dialed into the Temperature Controller and as the cooling liquid travels through this sleeve, it cools the stainless steel which in turn evenly cools the beer in the fermenter. The cooling sleeve never comes into contact with the beer, it is completely concealed, built into the fermenter and never needs cleaning or sanitizing - a true innovation for a fermenter of this scale.
 
Easy Access to the Interior for Hassle Free Cleaning: The Grainfather Conical Fermenter has a smooth interior with no additions such as cooling coils or additional sampling valves meaning it is easy to clean and minimizes the risk of infection.
 
Golden Angle Conical: The conical shape of the fermenter is typical for professional breweries. Our conical has been designed with the 'Golden Angle' of 60º. This is the optimum angle for yeast and sediment to drop down to the bottom of the cone without getting stuck to the sides, allowing you to transfer from above the sediment line, resulting in clearer beer. The conical shape also allows for better mixing during fermentation due to the path of convection currents that it enables to occur. 
 
Dual Valve Tap: Make the yeast dumping, transferring and sampling process more professional with this innovative all in one valve. Sampling and transferring is done through an inlet above the sediment line, allowing for clear, sediment free beer. Easily collect your yeast from below the sediment line with the same unique valve for recultivating and pitching. The innovative design of the valve allows for this dual functionality and less cleaning for you. 
 
Temperature Control: The Temperature Controller easily snaps on and replaces the standard Temperature Display via magnets and pogo pins. Allowing you to accurately dial in a temperature and even set a temperature schedule/profile (you can set up to 4 profiles each with 5 stages). It can control the heating of the integrated heating element and the cooling (if you have upgrade to the Glycol Chiller).
 
What's Included:
  • Conical Fermenter 
  • Fermenter Lid
  • Rubber Bung
  • Airlock
  • Cone Plug
  • Cone Plug Seal
  • 2" Tri Clamp
  • Digital Temperature Display
  • Power Adapter and Wall Plug
  • 6.5 ft M12 3-Pin Power Cord
  • Dual Valve Tap
  • Digital Temperature Controller
  • 304 Stainless Steel Body (polished inner and brushed outer)
  • 8 gal. max capacity (volume markings on inner body up to 7 gal.)
  • 30 W, 12 V heating power
  • 1.5" ferrule on lid (for pressure transfer attachments)
  • 2" ferrule on bottom of cone
  • Dual Valve Tap with 4.3” inlet
 
Dimensions:
  • Diameter with handles: 14.25 inches
  • Height (without airlock): 36 inches
  • Height with airlock: 43 inches

 

Drop Ship: This product will ship directly from the supplier. Delivery may take 1–4 weeks depending on the vendor. Blichmann products are typically shipped in under a week.
 
Shipping Limitation: This item does not qualify for free shipping.
 
 
Item # FE231
Weight 2 LBS
Community Q&A

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Browse 3 questions Browse 3 questions and 3 answers
Why did you choose this?
MoreFlavor Store
Price and quality
Dennis P on Jan 8, 2021
Gift Request
Steve L on Dec 24, 2020
Price and quality
Dennis P on Jan 8, 2021
My husband wanted it
Alexis on Jan 5, 2021
Gift Request
Steve L on Dec 24, 2020
I need for my ferminatantions to be at a constant temperature and I'm hoping this does the trick.
Gus L on Nov 10, 2020
I felt the Grainfather was the best choice for the price on conical fermenters
Dan W on Aug 13, 2020
Reviews showed this was the best for temperature control
John David Z on Jun 24, 2020
After reading a lot of reviews, decided this was the best fermentation system on the market for the home brewer.
Lawrence R O on Feb 13, 2019
My husband wanted it
Alexis on Jan 5, 2021
I need for my ferminatantions to be at a constant temperature and I'm hoping this does the trick.
Gus L on Nov 10, 2020
Does this have the new Wi-Fi controller or is this the older model now that the Wi-Fi model has been released? Thanks.
Mark B on Nov 30, 2020
BEST ANSWER: I bought this model back in June 2020, it did not have a Wi-Fi controller. Has not been an issue for me.
Will this fermenter work with the Brew Built chillers or only the Grainfather one?
Peter Danish on Jul 5, 2021
BEST ANSWER: This system can be used with any source of cooling fluid. It is suitable for use with any glycol system or other cooling system with a pump.
What are sizes of the Tri-clamps on the lid and the bottom of the conical?
Dinakar Jayarajan on Dec 28, 2020
BEST ANSWER: Lid is 1.5", bottom is 2"
Reviews

4.2 / 5.0
5 Reviews
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Star
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1
Rated 5 out of 5
Unparallelled functionally for the $
I put on the all-grain big boy panties about a year ago (this winter will mark my 3rd year of brewing). Once I crossed the all-grain threshold, I realized that one of the barriers of entry to making "brewery grade" beers was the ability to regulate temperature and keep oxygen and light out. Moving glass carboys around the house/basement was not sustainable... nor was lowering/raising the thermostat in the house to make the conditions more ideal for beer yeast! The early days of my brewing efforts recieved many a raised-eyebrow from the girlfriend.
Enter the grainfather conical fermenter. and later a second.. and even later, a third...
I've had three of these for about a year now and I will admit, while the dump valve is nicer than no dump valve, it isn't great. You will have to "pump" it to agitate the trub enough for it to find an exit. Another well-known phenomenon is that fruit flies like beer, seemingly, more than I do, because I certainly wouldn't start a family in leftover trub in the dump valve outlet... that was a fun day. Luckily that's not an issue in Wisconsin for many months out of the year (the cold ones, when bugs don't exist). My advice is to cap that when not in use.
I made a poor-man's glycol chiller by sealing up the bottom of a keezer, filling it up with 25 gallons of 20% glycol, and dropping the grainfather cooling pumps (kit) inside.
Even in Wisconsin weather, which can vary from 0 to 95, I can still maintain set temperatures in the fermenters in the garage.
Oh, but it gets better!
The App is crazy! You can set fermentation profiles: excellent for making lagers! You can configure your profiles to hold at temperature "A" for "x" days, ramp up to temperature "B" over the course of "y" days, then ramp down to temperature "C" over the course of "z" days. Press 'go', collect lager in approximately 6 weeks. Combine this with the Grainfather G-cast and, in addition to monitoring S.G., I can monitor and adjust fermentation temperatures, even while I'm away visiting clients on business trips. Priorities, people!
The only thing that would make it better would be the ability to pressurize it...and a better dump valve. Luckily, the bottom fitting is a 2" T.C. so I am in the process of converting one (for now) to use a Brewbuilt dump valve with their flex chamber: fingers crossed!
While I do like these, I would like to experiment with pressure fermentations and brew larger batches, and so, a Brewbuilt X3 is already penciled in the budget for this winter.

Despite some of its shortcomings, at roughly half the price of the X3, the Grainfather is still a sweet deal!
User submitted image
Added Sep 3, 2024
September 3, 2024
Rated 1 out of 5
Don't buy this this!
I mainly purchased this for the cooling/heating capabilities. They work great! However, the dual valve tape is terrible. The o-rings that came with it were dry and cracked. Fortunately, there was a spare set in the box. Following the instructions, I tried to dump trub after 3 days. Valve was clogged. Get the SS Brewtech Chronical 2.0, if you're looking for the capabilities claimed by this fermenter.
December 12, 2022
Purchased
over 2 years ago
Rated 5 out of 5
Fantastkc
I have had two of these for a number of years and dozens of brews, and used them in several configurations. I have the neoprene jackets and a glycol chiller and could not be happier. Precise temp control is a breeze any time of the year. There are several advantages I see to these. Since the heating/cooling elements are in the walls, the fermenter is smooth and easy to clean. The multivalve is a bit unusual, but very easy to use. I have the gauge attachment for the top opening so can transfer beer under CO2 pressure. My beers are much better and last longer as oxygen is no longer an issue. The set up is pricey, but I am very pleased.
October 22, 2022
Rated 5 out of 5
Quality, efficient and simple. I couldn’t be happier.
I have brewed once with this so far. I did a lot of research on conicals and read a lot of reviews about this one and it performed exactly as expected. The heating element worked perfectly and was very tightly controlled. The app was easy to set up and very cool that I can keep tabs on it from my phone or make changes, wherever I am. It’s still winter, so I haven’t had a chance to try the glycol chiller yet. The conical was very easy to set up, easy to use and easy to clean. I did add an aftermarket blow off set up that was a definite must-have for this system, in my opinion. As every other review seems to note, it is tight quarters working beneath the conical, but is totally doable. And I have pretty big hands. The valve combo is simply brilliant. I really love the fact that I can totally control my fermentation temperature but there is almost nothing inside the conical, so clean up is super simple. Lagering should be so much easier now with the glycol chiller. And with two conicals I don’t have to worry about one conical being tied up with a prolonged fermentation.
User submitted image
Added Feb 6, 2021
February 6, 2021
Purchased
over 3 years ago
Rated 5 out of 5
Steady temperature
Love that it keeps a steady temperature (within one degree if anything).
For the most part, steady.
November 16, 2020
Purchased
over 3 years ago