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08-04-2009, 04:52 PM
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#1
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Frau Administrator
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Upper Michigan
Posts: 52,314
Liked 2088 Times on 1600 Posts Likes Given: 109
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What's your gap on your barley crusher?
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I used the factory settings (.039 I believe) and liked the look of the crush. My efficiency has always been around 72%. Well, I'm always hearing "crush till you're scared", so today I tightened it up a bit. What's yours set at?
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Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006
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08-04-2009, 04:54 PM
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#2
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Feedback Score: 0 reviews
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1,036
Liked 30 Times on 21 Posts Likes Given: 6
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Factory default, and I'm too chicken to muss with it.
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08-04-2009, 04:56 PM
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#3
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Somerset, NJ, New Jersey
Posts: 74
Likes Given: 1
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Just brewed over the weekend,
Was at gapped at .034 Eff was about 72 - 75.
Tightened gap down to .029 eff went up to about 85% (Into boiler). (Mash in a cooler with a Hot water heater braided line in a loop for a manifold). No problems with a stuck mash.
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08-04-2009, 04:58 PM
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#4
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Feedback Score: 0 reviews
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 990
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I tightened mine to .035, based on the recommendation of a post here on HBT. I had to adjust it anyway, since the rollers weren't quite parallel when I got it, so I figured I'd tighten it up.
I think it gives a very good crush, but I've never actually tested different settings. I've only used it on two brews so far, both a partial mash with double-batch sparging. Didn't get stuck, and I got ~80% efficiency.
-Steve
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On Deck: Jamil's Vanilla Robust Porter
Fermenting: Orange Blossom Mead
Kegs: Element 56 Pale Ale, Ron's Belgian Blonde, Summer'n Saison, Furloughktoberfest '09, Grateful Pale Ale, Sam Adams Cream Stout Clone, EdWort's Apfelwein
Planning: n/a
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08-04-2009, 05:03 PM
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#5
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Dunkirk, NY
Posts: 837
Liked 3 Times on 3 Posts
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I think this has been done before, but .036
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08-04-2009, 05:05 PM
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#6
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Tastes like butterdirt
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: St Louis MO
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.037 pretty consistent 75% efficiency.
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08-04-2009, 05:07 PM
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#7
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Feedback Score: 1 reviews
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mid-Michigan
Posts: 19,998
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I'm at .030 (checked with feelers) and get around 78% with a double batch sparge at 180°F. If I stir a few times during the mash (60 min) I've found I can get up to 83% efficiency, but I'm lazy. 
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White Dog Aleworks and Drafthouse
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08-04-2009, 05:20 PM
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#8
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 9,100
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Factory default and 80%+ on every batch.
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08-04-2009, 05:40 PM
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#9
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 4,384
Liked 26 Times on 26 Posts
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I'm just a tiny bit tighter than factory so about .036".
I think that it's a worthwhile test (or series of tests) to measure your conversion efficiency and keep tightening the gap until you get >98% conversion efficiency (before you even start lautering/sparging). Once you're converting everything close to 100% there is no need to go any tighter imo. You'll still lose a bunch of efficiency points in the lauter/sparge but at least now you know exactly where you're losing efficiency because the mash was near 100% converted.
FWIW, @ .036" gap I get ~99% conversion efficiency. I don't get anywhere near that into-the-fermenter though. I lose efficiency in the lauter/sparge, in reserved wort that doesn't go into the kettle, whole hops, etc.
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Early brewers were primarily women, mostly because it was deemed a woman's job. Mesopotamian men, of some 3,800 years ago, were obviously complete assclowns and had yet to realize the pleasure of brewing beer.- Beer Advocate
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08-04-2009, 05:52 PM
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#10
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Feedback Score: 0 reviews
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Dickinson Texas
Posts: 1,452
Liked 4 Times on 4 Posts
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wildwest450
Factory default and 80%+ on every batch.
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Same here....
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