Efficiency differences with different styles

**BrewBrain** · 09-08-2008, 12:49 AM

I've noted in my brew log that I have a pretty different average brewhouse efficiency with my pale ales vs. other styles. My last four pales have had similar grain bills with SRM in the 5 - 6 range. I've been using only base malts and crystal 10 with some other light malts thrown in (Vienna, etc)

My last four non-pale ales have been IPA's and American Ambers. They've been darker - from 7 to 14 SRM and I'm using darker crystal and some other darker malts like pale chocolate, etc.

My Pale Ale average brewhouse efficiency is 74, with all recipes right around that number. My average "other styles" efficiency is 65 with all recipies right around that number.

My mash temps have been pretty solid and basically all the same - 154ish. I have been mashing 1 hour for all recipes. None of these are big beers.

Does this make sense? Should I be getting such differences, or do I possibly have a correction I can make in my process?

**Orfy** · 09-08-2008, 08:58 AM

Paler malt generally is easier to convert. Darker malts tend to be more acidic as well.
That's why historically brewers change from using a sing brown malt to a more effiecient pale malt with darker speciality malts.