Being a beginner shouldn’t mean that you can’t use a cool brewing kit with seamless settings and functions.
Whether you’re an all-grain convert or just trying out homebrewing for the very first time, what you’ll need is a brewing system that can take care of the hard work for you.
In that case, the Strange Brew The Grain Father Brewing System is the crowd favorite for a superlative brewing experience.
Wonder why?
In this comprehensive review, we’ll cover:
- Strange Brew’s jam-packed features;
- 304 grade stainless steel exterior;
- Accessories including a counterflow wort chiller;
- Homebrewing tips and tricks;
- Lots more…
So if what you’re looking for is a heck of an all grain brewing package, you might just like this dude.
Sit back and crack a cold bottle.
Let’s get started.
Strange Brew Grain Father Brewing System
- Capacity: 19.8 pounds grain capacity, designed for 5 gallon batches
- Dimensions: 29 x 17 x 19 inches
- Temperature: 152 Degrees Fahrenheit for mashing
- Power / Voltage: 1600 watts
- Manufacturer: Grainfather
Overall Score:
84
The Bottom Line:
A simple and straightforward all in one brewing system that can be used by both beginners and experienced homebrewers. It’s not only packed with the necessary tools (the wort chiller’s quality is top notch!), it also comes with a couple of safety features.What’s Good
- It has a built-in scorch protection feature
- The wort chiller it comes with it very powerful
- Heavy Duty and can handle big batches of beer
- The app records all your recipes for future reference
What’s Bad
- The placement of the reset button at the very bottom of the vessel is not very safe
- It sometimes clogs when chilling the wort
Our Verdict: Strange Brew The GrainFather – All-Grain Home Brewing System
At first glance, you might agree that this homebrewing system looks as hardcore and monstrous as it gets…
…because why not? With its all stainless steel exterior with the minimalist black accents, it screams nothing but business.
That and the wort chiller it comes with along with other accessories, it’s easy to get intimidated by this baby.
But let me tell you…
This Strange brew BC 50900 is made with the newbies in mind, too!
Let me show you how.
The 50900 The Grain Father brewing system combines the simplicity of the classic mash boiler we’ve known for so long – with a few technologically advanced features.
Let’s start with the usual components.
The Strange Brew BC 50900 consists of a tempered glass lid, magnetic drive pump, pump filter, an expandable grain strainer or grain basket, bottom mesh, gauze filter for grains and hops, recirculation pipe with an insulated handle, and a counterflow wort chiller with an inner copper coil.
Now if that intimidates you, you should be glad because the stuff that I’ve just mentioned are the most basic and important components you’ll need for brewing your own suds at home.
One of the features I’ve come to like in this brewing machine is the built-in scorch protection in the form of a switch at the very bottom of the vessel.
How does it work?
Basically, once your grain bag trips that switch, it will pop out to automatically turn the heating element off.
Need to override it?
Well, you’ll just have to tilt the whole vessel of hot wort to be able to reach the switch and restart the machine, so you might want to be careful about tripping the anti-scorch switch.
What’s cooler, the Grainfather Strange Brew BC 50900 also has a bluetooth connectivity feature, which allows the user to monitor their brew while multitasking and doing different things around the house, without worrying too much about the boiling wort.
This feature is made possible by Grainfather’s very own Grainfather Connect App.
Aside from letting me monitor the status of my brew through my phone while I was sitting all too comfortably under the sun in our backyard, this app also neatly filed my settings and recipes so I won’t have to set them up again and again in the future.
Now that’s convenience at its finest.
Now you might be thinking…
Can I use this for extract brewing?
Well, I’ve tried and I can say that yes, you definitely can.
Just remember to dissolve your malt extract first in a separate container before introducing it to your brewing system as the thickness of the extract could mess with the anti-scorch switch that could result in the heating elements being shut off.
And how could I forget the wort chiller?
Apparently, it’s a crowd favorite so I was thrilled to be able to try it.
Once my boiling wort reaches 100 degrees celsius, the wort chiller takes the brew and it comes out to be around 17 to 19 degree celsius in just about 15 minutes!
Cleanup was a breezy affair which took me just over 20 minutes.
Now that’s a couple more hours to be added to happy time!
Looking for other all-in-one beer brewing systems for your home brew adventures?
Check out our comprehensive review of 10 products, click the button below:
Our Analysis Comparisons and Test Results
Comparing the Grainfather Strange Brew BC 50900 with our Editor’s Choice was quite a tough task. But what I can safely say is that this heavy-duty brewing system is a complete steal with all the features it’s packed with.
Let’s see how the Grainfather Strange Brew all-grain brewing system competes with some of the best brewing systems on the market in terms of the metrics we’ve set.
Value for Money
Value for money refers to how worthy the product is for the price you’ve paid for it. Does it deliver well? Does it go beyond what its price tag can offer?
In this metric, the GrainFather Strange Brew scores an almost perfect hit and it’s not difficult to see why.
Enclosed in its package are many unexpected treats and I was surprised to see they all worked so well!
How the Strange Brew Grain Father Brewing System stacks up in the value for money ratings:
Ease of Use
Made not only with homebrewing junkies in mind but beginners as well, this unit is made to never give its user a hard time.
The blend of its traditional components along with its bluetooth connectivity through the Grainfather Connect App make for a very seamless and even relaxed brew day.
How the Strange Brew Grain Father Brewing System stacks up in the ease of use ratings:
Durability
Made of high quality 304 grade stainless steel, the whole of the vessel is far from flimsy so you won’t have to worry about denting your brewing system. One issue lies with the famous wort chiller which clogged a couple of times.
Other than that, everything has a compact and solid feel.
How the Strange Brew Grain Father Brewing System stacks up in the durability ratings:
Energy Efficiency
Wrapping up our brew day in as little as 5 hours, this homebrew system is certainly a gem for energy freak homebrewers.
We’ve encountered no delays nor fluctuations with the temperature settings, thus we didn’t have to restart or wait too long for the brew to be finished.
How the Strange Brew Grain Father Brewing System stacks up in the energy efficiency ratings:
Features
Now the features is where it’s at. Seems like the Grainfather knows the perks of having jam-packed kits because the Strange Brew by the Grain Father only comes second to another Grain Father product in terms of features!
What more can we say?
The Strange Brew system comes complete with all the accessories needed for an easy breezy home brew time and it felt as though they’re made just to make the whole homebrewing task as seamless as possible
How the Strange Brew Grain Father Brewing System stacks up in the features ratings:
Strange Brew The Grain Father FAQs
Can You Ferment In Carboys Using Strange Brew The Grain Father?
Yes, you definitely can. As your brewing system can’t have any effects on the fermentation process of your homebrew, you can use any airtight container you please. But just remember to always make extra space to avoid a blow out.
Does It Need To Be Plumbed In?
As this unit comes with all the necessary accessories including hoses and other attachments, it doesn’t have to be plumbed in.
What Is The Smallest Batch Size The Grainfather Can Accept?
This monster can easily brew up to 5 to 6 gallons of beer per batch. But you definitely can limit that down to 1 to 2 gallons only. Just look out for the filter and thermostat at the very bottom of the vessel and make sure that the liquid covers the top of them.
What Is The Diameter Of The Silicone Seals For The Plates?
They are about 10 ½ inches for the screens. But you can also order a custom seal from their official website.
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