will Mash out help efficiency?

When I get my ph right, I get 70% doing a double batch sparge, usng 1.5 to 1.75 quarts per lb for the mash, crushing with a JSM Malt Mill and doing a 75 min sacc rest. My AG brew day takes 4 hours by the way

Anyway, I am happy with 70 % and don't want to "chase" efficiency but as a tweak am wondering if a slightly thicker mash (1.3 quarts/lb) plus a mash out addition makes me more efficient

If you happy with your efficiency, then don't worry about it. IMO consistency and an easier brewing process are more important then 2-3 % efficiency.

Since you are batch sparging, just raise the temperature of the first sparge.

I've used the 'Mash out' technique on all my all-grain brews. But last week surfing the web I found this site....


http://www.suebob.com/brew/allgrain.htm

This fellow says that MashOut actually lowered his effeciency. I dunno...but I'll give it a whirl when I brew my stout on Wednesday...

Here's the quote.

No Mash Out Infusion - A mash out is a carry over from fly sparging. In the case of a cooler MLT, many brewers will add a small amount of very hot (sometimes boiling) water to the mash just prior to the sparge to get the grain bed temp up into the high 160's F. I have not found this to be beneficial given my technique and in two test cases it dropped my efficiency 4%. Leave more water for discrete sparge infusions and just drain the first runnings before adding new water.

Hammy,

please post your results. THanks

Well if you have incomplete conversion in the first place, a mash out above the a-amylase, could hurt you efficiency. Otherwise, no. In fact if your mash out with in the low 160's it would speed up the conversion, again if you had incomplete conversion in the first place.

But since you are batch sparging, just use hotter water for the 1st sparge as said above. But even that has been proven not to be entirely beneficial.

My biggest efficiency improvements came from my own crush (finer) and using 5.2 Buffer.

I found that a mash out helped me when fly sparging. (With the mash out, I could get the grain bed temp up to the upper 160's, without a mash out, the sparge never even reached 160.)
With a batch sparge, I'd do as several people have already suggested, and use hotter sparge water.

-a.

Hammy71 said:

..But last week surfing the web I found this site....http://www.suebob.com/brew/allgrain.htm

This fellow says ...

Click to expand...

FYI... that guy is BobbyM. That is his site.

I do 1.25qt/lb mash and run a double sparge w/ no mash out. I got 80% on my last batch. I found accurate temperature control has helped a lot. I got a fairly cheap digital thermometer that works well and feel it has boosted my numbers.

+1 on accurate temp control during the mash. IMO one of the most important factors in eff. and the most common cause of 'stuck fermentation' threads.....(too much unfermentable sugars....)