guitar510
Active Member
Several brews ago, I finally upgraded my MLT from a 5 gal square beverage cooler to a 10 gal rubbermaid from Home Depot. The copper manifold I created fit perfectly in the 5 gal cooler, but due to the increased area of the 10 gal, it is a bit small for the space in the 10 gal. The manifold also does not site perfectly snug at the base of the new MLT. Regardless, I didn't think this would significantly affect my efficiency considering many just use a braided hose.
With my old system, I would usually max out my mash water around 3.5 gal for 60 min at 154F and then continuous sparge with 170-180F until I reached about 7.2 gal. I was able to achieve efficiencies between 70 and 80 consistently.
With my new setup, I've been struggling with efficiency. First batch, I used the prescriptive approach of mash volume to grain ratio and then did my usual 170-180 continuous sparge until I reached 7.2 gal. There was very little sparge water since I had much more mash volume. Efficiency was terrible.
Next I tried a single batch sparge with the same prescriptive mash volume. Again efficiency was terrible and the sparge volume was minimal.
In my most recent attemp, I cut down my mash volume to about 3.5 gal and then did two batch sparges with near boiling water (190 ish). My efficiency was 61 which was acceptable but still not where I want to be.
I really want to dial my new system in and figure out why my efficiency has suffered. The next things I plan on trying...
1. build a new manifold
2. mash with 3.5 gal then continuous sparge with 170F-180F
3. reduce gap in my mill
Thoughts???
With my old system, I would usually max out my mash water around 3.5 gal for 60 min at 154F and then continuous sparge with 170-180F until I reached about 7.2 gal. I was able to achieve efficiencies between 70 and 80 consistently.
With my new setup, I've been struggling with efficiency. First batch, I used the prescriptive approach of mash volume to grain ratio and then did my usual 170-180 continuous sparge until I reached 7.2 gal. There was very little sparge water since I had much more mash volume. Efficiency was terrible.
Next I tried a single batch sparge with the same prescriptive mash volume. Again efficiency was terrible and the sparge volume was minimal.
In my most recent attemp, I cut down my mash volume to about 3.5 gal and then did two batch sparges with near boiling water (190 ish). My efficiency was 61 which was acceptable but still not where I want to be.
I really want to dial my new system in and figure out why my efficiency has suffered. The next things I plan on trying...
1. build a new manifold
2. mash with 3.5 gal then continuous sparge with 170F-180F
3. reduce gap in my mill
Thoughts???