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thevalkrye · 01-27-2010, 05:47 PM

I currently use a 5 gallon cooler with a false bottom and batch sparge. I am changing over to a 10 gallon cooler, false bottom and batch sparge. The crush will stay the same.

Any guesses as to a change in efficiency? I will be trying my first recipe in the 10 gallon tomorrow and don't quite know what to use for a system efficiency. With the 5 gallon I would usually hit in the high 80's so I don't know if I should just use those numbers when calculating my grain bill or undershoot it a little and worst case I will end up with a little higher OG beer than I wanted.

Any thoughts?

The Pol · 01-27-2010, 05:53 PM

IMHO you wont see much of anything, just the normal deviations that you see when using the 5 gallon.

MilwaukeeBrewGuy · 01-27-2010, 05:53 PM

i don't know why your efficiency would change at all. It should stay the same if the false bottom is the same.

thevalkrye · 01-27-2010, 08:41 PM

Thanks guys. That's what I am hoping for too. I just thought I would ask as I hate missing my numbers by more than a few points SG.

thevalkrye · 01-27-2010, 10:04 PM

And now that I have the capability what about going from a 3 round batch sparge to a 2 round?

The Pol · 01-27-2010, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thevalkrye

And now that I have the capability what about going from a 3 round batch sparge to a 2 round?

I think it has been proven that you only gain a few % points doing a DOUBLE over a SINGLE...

I cant imagine there is much difference between a DOUBLE and a TRIPPLE....

I think you are good.

wildwest450 · 01-27-2010, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thevalkrye

And now that I have the capability what about going from a 3 round batch sparge to a 2 round?

I actually went back to a single sparge, the few extra points wasn't worth the extra time involved.

thevalkrye · 01-28-2010, 06:30 AM

Thanks guys, once I quit staring at wilwest450's avatar I will try and make some beer.

thevalkrye · 01-29-2010, 05:43 AM

I brewed today and came in 8% lower efficiency than usual average. I guess I will know for next time I use the 10 gallon.

Also it was harder to keep the temps up during the mash. I usually lose about 2ºF in an hour in my 5 gallon, but I lost 4ºF in the hour using the 10 gallon mash tun. I guess the larger thermal mass of the big cooler has a higher coefficient for heat loss. For 5 gallon batches anyways, doing a mash that uses more of the cooler space probably will have better results.

I have read that most of the conversion is done after 15 to 20 minutes anyways, so I wonder about how important maintaining that temperature is. Any of you guys that use recirculating systems notice any differences with that ability to hold a steady mash temperature for the hour?

**wilserbrewer** · 01-29-2010, 11:30 AM

More dead space in the 10 gal vs. the five gal? When batch sparging w/ a false bottom, can you really stir the liquid below the FB. Might help if you recirculate or vorlaugh a few gallons?? I'm a braid guy fwiw.