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**brussum** · 12-24-2012, 02:22 AM

It's a matter of trial and error until you figure out how efficient your system is at extracting the sugars. I planned on 60% efficiency for the first few batches, but have now learned my system runs about 70-75%.

Also a good idea to boil a gallon of water and dump it into the mash tun to preheat the system, especially the steel/copper pieces. That'll help keep your mash water warmer initially. Just dump that gallon of water out before adding your mash water and grains.

BrewerBrennan · 12-24-2012, 07:04 AM

Awesome! Glad to hear you were over a few points rather than under. My first 10 or so batches, I couldn't figure out all my volumes and was getting only about 60% brewhouse efficiency. Turns out, I measured my boil kettle wrong -___- Oh well though, live and learn. Lesson learned: make sure you can measure the volumes of all your equipment well, it will save you a lot of head scratching.

Might I ask what you brewed?

**chrisgood1** · 12-24-2012, 03:44 PM

I made a version of BierMuncher's Hooked on Bitters, had to make some hop changes to get the correct IBU's. It is happily bubbling along this morning and looking good. This was also the first time i used a liquid yeast, London Ale Yeast WLP013 and made a starter so it was a day of experiments but it looks like it will work out. Doing my first all grain had been great and done nothing but make me want to learn more and keep on brewing.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

**chrisgood1** · 01-13-2013, 04:35 PM

Tapped this last night and it is great. I am so happy it came out and I learned so much in the process. I got my ingredients for cream of three crops ale now once the day time temp gets above freezing I will brew it. I don't think trying to heat water when its -2 degrees out is much fun.

**RM-MN** · 01-13-2013, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisgood1

Tapped this last night and it is great. I am so happy it came out and I learned so much in the process. I got my ingredients for cream of three crops ale now once the day time temp gets above freezing I will brew it. I don't think trying to heat water when its -2 degrees out is much fun.

I use days like that to brew half size batches in my kitchen. I can easily boil that much on the kitchen range. I hate to give up a good brew day to bad weather.