AG noob question...efficiency?

CanadianQuaffer · 10-12-2011, 08:48 PM

I have an idea what efficiency is (soomething to do with your actual OG vs target OG after the mash, right?), but I'd really appreciate if someone could explain exactly what it is and how I can measure/calculate it.

Thanks!

Nick

bratrules · 10-12-2011, 09:05 PM

Just use a online calculator input all you ingredients and it usually gives you, your target OG at 75% efficiency.

bratrules · 10-12-2011, 09:07 PM

This is a good one check it out.
http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/recipe.html

**winvarin** · 10-12-2011, 09:17 PM

Chapter 12 of John Palmer's "How to Brew" gives a pretty good break down of efficiency. In a nutshell, each source of fermentables (grains, adjuncts, extracts, etc.) have a potential amount of points per pound per gallon that they are capable of. There are a number of charts, software and apps out there that give you a good idea what to expect from each.

As an example, one of the sources I use says that US 2-row barley has an extract potential of 1.036. That means that at 100% efficiency, one pound of 2-row per gallon of water will give you a gravity of 1.036, or 36 ppg of potential extract.

If you mash that same 1 pound in one gallon of water in your system (I know the amounts are unrealistic). and only get an OG of 1.025, then your efficiency was around 70%.

So your efficiency is essentially the percentage of extract you produced based on what the potential extract of your ingredients is. Once you know what sort of efficiency you can get out of your system, it helps you adjust recipes you get from other sources, friends, the internet, etc. to match the potential of your system. It also makes it a lot easier to custom build recipes to your specific setup.

It took me about 4 or 5 batches to settle on an efficiency of about 67% with my process and equipment. I know a lot of people will gasp at that and give me all manner of suggestions to increase my efficiency. But, since at this point in my life I have a little more money than time, it makes more sense for me to add a few ounces to a half pound of grain here or there and adjust a recipe for my efficiency. Maybe in a few years when the kids are out of the house, I will work on fine tuning my gear and process.

A lot of recipe sources will give their extract efficiencies along with the recipes. I know BYO calculates most of their recipes at 65%, so I can use recipes from there almost as is.

CanadianQuaffer · 10-13-2011, 01:41 AM

Thanks guys, those answers help a lot.

**Naturallight16oz** · 10-13-2011, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winvarin

Chapter 12 of John Palmer's "How to Brew" gives a pretty good break down of efficiency. In a nutshell, each source of fermentables (grains, adjuncts, extracts, etc.) have a potential amount of points per pound per gallon that they are capable of. There are a number of charts, software and apps out there that give you a good idea what to expect from each.

As an example, one of the sources I use says that US 2-row barley has an extract potential of 1.036. That means that at 100% efficiency, one pound of 2-row per gallon of water will give you a gravity of 1.036, or 36 ppg of potential extract.

If you mash that same 1 pound in one gallon of water in your system (I know the amounts are unrealistic). and only get an OG of 1.025, then your efficiency was around 70%.

So your efficiency is essentially the percentage of extract you produced based on what the potential extract of your ingredients is. Once you know what sort of efficiency you can get out of your system, it helps you adjust recipes you get from other sources, friends, the internet, etc. to match the potential of your system. It also makes it a lot easier to custom build recipes to your specific setup.

It took me about 4 or 5 batches to settle on an efficiency of about 67% with my process and equipment. I know a lot of people will gasp at that and give me all manner of suggestions to increase my efficiency. But, since at this point in my life I have a little more money than time, it makes more sense for me to add a few ounces to a half pound of grain here or there and adjust a recipe for my efficiency. Maybe in a few years when the kids are out of the house, I will work on fine tuning my gear and process.

A lot of recipe sources will give their extract efficiencies along with the recipes. I know BYO calculates most of their recipes at 65%, so I can use recipes from there almost as is.

So is the extract potential of a specific grain constant? or could the lower efficiency be credited towards grain that isn't as good as the last? as in could grain grown in two different places have more or less sugars?

**Yooper** · 10-13-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naturallight16oz

So is the extract potential of a specific grain constant? or could the lower efficiency be credited towards grain that isn't as good as the last? as in could grain grown in two different places have more or less sugars?

The grain changes- if you really want to know how it compares, ask your grain merchant for the "malt analysis sheet" that comes with each batch of grain. Otherwise, it's just a guestimate. Most maltsters get close with each batch, but it's not the same.

**starrfish** · 10-13-2011, 01:31 PM

I use this for pre-boil (brewhouse) efficiency http://www.brewersfriend.com/brewhouse-efficiency/

While I usually send people to tastybrew for free brewing calcs their efficiency calculates on post boil numbers, and not brewhouse efficiency.

johnodon · 10-13-2011, 01:43 PM

If you are concerned strictly with mash efficiency, each batch of grains will vary slightly as Yooper said. However, they should be close enough that it shouldn't affect your #s taht much.

If you want to try and calculate efficiency manually, here is a chart with the grain extract potentials:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Malts_Chart

The formula for calculating extraction (mash) efficiency can be found in Palmer's article here: http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-5.html (one note...for his formula, you take teh last two numbers from the Potential value in teh chart above. for example, PM 2 Row has a potential of 1.036 so you would use 36 in Palmer's formula).

While a lot of software and websites will do this for you automatically, it helps to know what it all means. This is why I encourage everyone to try and calculate it yourself. It will help to give you a better understanding of what your ultimate goal is.

Be aware that Brewhouse Efficiency is a different monster...one that mash efficiency plays a role in.

John

**winvarin** · 10-13-2011, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yooper

The grain changes- if you really want to know how it compares, ask your grain merchant for the "malt analysis sheet" that comes with each batch of grain. Otherwise, it's just a guestimate. Most maltsters get close with each batch, but it's not the same.

+1 to this. There are some good resources out there to use for calculation. BYO has one for fermentables and another for hops that I use when putting recipes together.

Their charts use 3 to 4 point ranges for the grains. Not being a precision brewer, I usually just use a midpoint when calculating, knowing that I may wind up a couple of points high or low at the end of the day.
If you really want to drill down, you can get the analysis from the maltreat. In my experience, most of what's out there is so consistent that using generally known ranges will have you darn close to what you expect nearly everytime.

Knowing your gear and process and what to expect from them is more important than whether your base malt should yield 36 vs 35 ppg, in my opinion.