Emian
Well-Known Member
I can't figure what went wrong in my last mash. I probably would have shrugged it off except that it's the first time I tried 5.2 PH stabilizer.
I brewed a regular brew I've done several times, that I've been getting 75% efficiency out of.
11lbs of 2-row US malt
12oz 80L
8oz Cara-Pils
I step mash in 15 qts at 104F - 30 mins, 140F - 40 mins and 158F - 20 mins.
I slow sparge at 168 for 1 hour.
With this process I regularly get a 5.5 gallon result of 1.060 - about 75% efficiency.
I thought I'd try adding the PH stabilizer to see if I got a better mash.
Out of the boil, I had only 4.5 gallons, so I checked my gravity before I intended to top off at 5.5 gallons. My gravity was only 1.054 at 4.5 gallons - that works out to a mash efficiency of 55%. (I just pitched at this).
What could have happened? I shook the wort well, and double checked the final gravity (because I was so surprised). The step temperatures were good - and the mash well stirred. I calibrated the hydrometer for temperature. The grain is from the same bag as my last three brews of this recipe. The only difference was the 5.2. I used 1.2 table spoons for a sparged final wort volume of 7 gallons. Did I use too much?
Ian
I brewed a regular brew I've done several times, that I've been getting 75% efficiency out of.
11lbs of 2-row US malt
12oz 80L
8oz Cara-Pils
I step mash in 15 qts at 104F - 30 mins, 140F - 40 mins and 158F - 20 mins.
I slow sparge at 168 for 1 hour.
With this process I regularly get a 5.5 gallon result of 1.060 - about 75% efficiency.
I thought I'd try adding the PH stabilizer to see if I got a better mash.
Out of the boil, I had only 4.5 gallons, so I checked my gravity before I intended to top off at 5.5 gallons. My gravity was only 1.054 at 4.5 gallons - that works out to a mash efficiency of 55%. (I just pitched at this).
What could have happened? I shook the wort well, and double checked the final gravity (because I was so surprised). The step temperatures were good - and the mash well stirred. I calibrated the hydrometer for temperature. The grain is from the same bag as my last three brews of this recipe. The only difference was the 5.2. I used 1.2 table spoons for a sparged final wort volume of 7 gallons. Did I use too much?
Ian