Efficiency of BYO's partial mash technique

I've tried the partial mash technique featured in BYO earlier this year using the unmodified 2gl cooler. I must admit that I could not resist taking off the spigot and installing a ball valve & SS mesh in it. I was wondering if any one knows what kind of efficiency I should be getting from this. I mashed 2 lbs of grain with 6 qt of 165°F water that dropped to 155°F in a few minutes and stayed pretty much there for 55 mins. Then I sparged with 6 qts of 170°F water. My sparging method was just to drain the wort into the boiling kettle and slowly pour the hot water into the mash as it drained. According to ProMash, I got something like a 45% efficiency! Anyway, what is the best way for me to increase that? Thanks!

To determine efficiency you should have done a hydrometer reading. How did you get 45% efficiency?

I did a hydrometer reading. With promash, I put in the 2 lbs of grain, and a total of 3 gls of water. It gave me an expected OG, and my OG was less than half of that. I don't recall the exact numbers but I believe I wrote them down. I'll look at my brew log.

I ran it through Promash. 3 gallons of water in 2 pounds of Pale malt at 1.036 pppg = 1.017 at 70%. That doesn't even account for grain absorbtion. I think I have it correct.

oh snap! I must have entered something wrong somewhere... I guess I did get around 70%. Sorry, my bad. So anyway, could I do something to increase that even more?

omniscientomar said:

oh snap! I must have entered something wrong somewhere... I guess I did get around 70%. Sorry, my bad. So anyway, could I do something to increase that even more?

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70% is pretty good. I got 72% on my first AG attempt. You could increase your sparge volume, I suppose.

What I would also suggest is to try a stepped mash.

70% is good. Crush the grains a little finer and that might help. After the first running add the 2nd sparge, mix real well, wait 10 minutes and drain. If you can get another pound of grain in there that would not be a bad thing either.

Cool, thanks guys. Yeah, The first time I did this I used 4 lbs and it fit fine. I'll let ya'll know how my next one goes!

omniscientomar said:

I mashed 2 lbs of grain with 6 qt of 165°F water that dropped to 155°F in a few minutes and stayed pretty much there for 55 mins.

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From the article, I thought it said to use 4 lbs of grain... won't that increase efficiency??

I found i got pretty good results with BYO directions, I used a big grain bag etc. i didnt check og but I know i got about as much as 2.2lbs of lme with 4 lbs of grain worth of fermentables.