Efficiency problems

elproducto said:

Help!

When I started AG, I didn't have a grain mill, and my friend milled my grains with his Barley Crusher. I was getting 75% efficiency on all my batches.

Fast forward, I bought my own barley crusher, and the 4 beers I've done have had terrible efficiencies. I've done nothing different, other than mill my own grains.

For example, I brewed a Janet's Brown today a missed my pre-boil gravity by over 10 points! I subbed in some DME to help compensate, but this is the 4th batch where my gravities have been way off!

I have my barley crusher at factory 12 oclock setting.

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TANSTAAFB said:

Crank it down til you are scared then crank it down some more :rockin:

Seriously. I just got my BC 3 brews ago. My first two brews were only around 70%, not what I was looking for. Get some feeler gauges ($5-8 at any auto parts and most hardware stores) and set the gap to .032-.036". Your efficiency will jump to 80% plus. Once I got my gap set right I hit 83% yesterday!!! AND I plan to crank it down some more next brew shooting for 85-88%.

BTW, I had to crush twice...the grains would not "catch" the rollers with the smaller gap, so I ran it through once at about the width of a credit card and then again at about .034" and my efficiency shot up. Make sure your braid/ manifold/ false bottom can handle a fine crush. If you are at all worried throw in some rice hulls. I had no problem with my 3/4" water heater supply braid.

Hope that helps and good luck

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