Help bad Eff!!!

Hey All,

Im have some issues with a new system of mine>

I currently use a 10Gal mega pot with false bottom for my mash tun. this mash tun is directly heated with a burner. I use a pump for recirculation. I haven't been able to reach anything above 70%. I just brewed a stout today and got 66% hitting my gravity but below volume, suppose to be 1.059 with 5.50 gallons, but got 1.060 @ 4.75gal.

Also, when I recirculate to maintain mash temps or for steps should i mix the mash, i assume yes, right?

thanks for any input

Where are you getting your grain crushed? check that first, as a weak crush is responsible for a lot of threads on here about crappy efficiency.

The volume you were short by could have made up the 4% short of your target. I prepare more water than I need and stop sparging when I hit my target volume. With a recirculating mash you shouldn't stir because that prevents the grain bed from setting up properly. As long as the wort returning to the kettle is somewhat spread out it should be working its way through all the grain. When you stop stirring and the mash recirculates all the particles end up being filtered out by the husks and you get a clearer wort, another benefit of recirculation.

what are you using to return the recirc to the grain bed (Whats your sparge setup like?).
you shouldnt have to mix the grain bed, but that implies a decent return system.

Thank for the replies guys. I am just using a silicon tube to sparge. Maybe thats my problem. Any recommendations on a certain apparatus to use?

So heres an example, when I was brewing yesterday my mash temp went down a little bit, I fired up the burner and started to recirculate to bring the temp up. Seemed like it took for ever to reach, then the temp spiked on me because my BrewMetor wasn't reading it correctly, due to all the hot wort on top of the grain bed. When I recirculate should I have the output valve on the pump open the whole way. May be my problem is just using a silicon hose for the recirculation return.

Any thoughts?

to the top please