Braumeister VS Grainfather

Video Link?

 

I have a grainfather, it's a great piece of kit, the remarks about clogging are easily avoided once you lear the system... I think most of the complaints were from early adopters getting to learn the system inside and out.

Happy with my purchase, makes temp control easy, brewing indoors easy and small spaces (I live in a comdo) easy.

 

Interesting comment. In the user forums for GF and in the user community's Facebook group the impression of customer service is overwhelmingly positive. Customer issues seem to get resolved quickly, without question and in a professional manner. I don't know what specific issues you were asking them to resolve and why you consider them to be dodging them and thus have no respect for customers... But from experience as an actual customer, I have no complaints.

The system works as advertised, and the few small blips people mentioned in the early adoption phase were worked out as a community or though experience proven non-issues. It should be noted also that the current version of the GF is version 2, the company did make improvements based on user feedback back before it was brought to the North American market. Which sort of dispels the myth that they don't respond to customer inquiries...

They don't market themselves as equivalent to braumeister either. It is clear braumeister has taken a different approach and that may well be worth the investment to some... I'd enjoy one I'm sure but could not personally justify the cost and 220v would be harder for me to work with in a condo.

 

If the traditional homebrew kettle, mash tun and fermenter system was proprietary and had a forum were people could blame the manufacturer, there would be plenty of negative comments. User error is a common thing.

The Grainfather makes beer. Fact!

 

I can't remark on your impression that they are boorish or that they are a joke. I can only give you real world experience as a customer. Cooling is not an issue, with a CF chiller it's actually pretty easy to go from a just-boiling 6gallons into pitching temperature into the fermenter by adjusting the flow through the CF chiller to get the output temp you want. (I don't have to cool, then transfer as you must do with a braumeister) It's not a "problem" that requires fixing in my direct experience with the unit... It absolutely is not the same process as a braumeister with its immersion chiller I agree it's you. Regarding grain bill, I think ~18lbs is about the max... Perhaps some have fit a pound or so more but it is close with water and such. So if you need more volume than that then GF is not going to scale properly for you. Big beers are not a super issue as you can reduce batch size slightly to get the OG a bit higher.

I seriously looked at a braumeister for a long time, well before the GF came out. Besides price the other issues were it's limited distribution here, everything coming from Germany, the 220v requirement and even wi early braumeister users there were epic threads here and on Aussie forums it's mods, fixes, and adaptations to improve day to day operation.

I think it's to be expected a bit with any gadgety product.

It's unfortunate your initial inquiry was not addressed... Maybe it went to a spam folder? Maybe a technical glitch?

If you really want a braumeister, the GF is not a less expensive version, it is it's own thing. Similar goals, different execution. It's not flashy, solid German stainless steel. It's basically a giant coffee urn.

 

I would try contacting them again with another mechanism. I have had the "Contact" link fail on other websites, sometimes shit doesn't work. They probably have their website on a farm so they are not monitoring logs if mails don't come in. Try going thru contact mechanisms that @rawlus mentioned and see if you get a response, or try [email protected].

 

You're pretty riled up I see...
They have an email address and an 800 number right above that contact form you used.
I have no idea what your question(s) are/were but I've tried to help address what I could figure out from your earlier posts...

Maybe that has answered them or maybe it hasn't. But people are generally trying to help out on these forums and there's no ulterior motive involved.
I'm sorry that not hearing back from them has seemingly ruined everything and sent you down this dark path...

Given your reactions in earlier posts, I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend you don't purchase either system, because I honestly don't believe you will be content with either... There will be too many shortcomings or defects or ways in which others have wronged you which will just incense you more. These are systems which favor experimenters, they are not quite at the "Appliance" stage yet where nothing ever goes wrong and nothing ever breaks and they are 100% consistent. Users and early adopters accept that it's a journey and things will go wrong.

As someone earlier mentioned, homebrewtalk.com, has a thread with almost 1000 posts on the grainfather, aussiehomebrewer.com has a similar thread with 1000 posts on tips, problems and solutions for the GF. (Incidently they both also have very long threads on the braumeister too)
In each there is actual posts by actual users who have had direct experience with imake and I would hazard a guess that it is universally, overwhelmingly positive. From parts replacement to how they address shipping damage and so on.

There is no issue chilling, and most clogging can be ascribed to a lack of refinement in the user's process, something I would expect from a YouTube reviewer making his first ever brew on a new piece of kit to have a lack of.

Meanwhile people who actually have the system and are pleased with it, you seem to have discounted?
Read the 2000 posts, ask your questions from users on the grainfather users group Facebook page and see what compelling evidence you get that the company is unethical, unprofessional, lacking in customer service or otherwise fraudulent.

I say this again not really knowing what the questions you asked to imake were... But in my own life with technology, if I send something off and I don't hear back, I don't immediately assume the world is out to get me... I try another method. It's called giving someone the benefit of the doubt and it keep stress levels low.

Hope you find what you are looking for!

 

I recommend a very strongly worded letter. Open with "I have a bone to pick with you, Sir!" and close with "I demand satisfaction!" That should do it.

Seriously, one non-response from a contact script, no attempt at a follow-up, and you're enraged. Welcome to the 21st century.

 

Or earlier centuries