Increasing Efficiency

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

The_Canmancan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
51
Reaction score
1
Measured Efficiency - Brewhouse efficiency based on volume, and gravity measured into the fermenter.

My measured efficiency is running in the high 60s (percentage), and I'd like to increase it to the low/mid 70s (percentage) as I understand that's around the optimal efficiency desired. What are some things you've done that increased your efficiency the most?

I use a screen in my MT (http://morebeer.com/products/kettle-tube-screen.html) and I'm running a HERMS coil, and tend to have pretty stable fermentations. I also try to limit as much loss in the system as possible by emptying hoses into the BK.

Thoughts?
 
The single biggest factor in mash efficiency is the quality of the crush. If you can't get the water to the middle of the particles and leach the sugars back out in the time you mash, your efficiency will suffer. Since you are doing a conventional mash tun, you have limitations on just how fine a crush you can deal with. If you can't drain the tun because the grains were milled too find and won't form a filter bed, your efficiency will be plenty high but the headache from trying to unstick it won't make it worthwhile.

If you have your own crusher you can try setting it a little closer. If you depend on someone else to do the crush, you are at their mercy.
 
I'm still dialing in my process I think. I got 80% last time, but the drain and sparge took an hour and a half. The time before that I got 68% in 45 minutes. Based on that I think I need to be done with it in about an hour fifteen to hit the 75% I plan for.
 
My understanding is that if your overall efficiency is too high (80% +) you suffer from a tannin taste in your beer. That being said, my mash efficiency is usually between 70-75%.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top