efficiency question

This is the plan for my next brew:

Recipe: Red Trolley Clone
Style: American Brown Ale
TYPE: ALL GRAIN

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 3.00 gal
Boil Size: 3.75 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 14.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 18.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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6.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM)
0.25 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
0.50 oz Williamette [5.50%] (60 min)
0.50 oz Glacier [5.60%] (5 min)
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) Yeast-Ale

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I plan on 65% efficiency only because my first brew was only 60%. However, I have a new setup and if I can do what so many here do, I could get 75% efficiency. So my question is thus: If I do get 75% efficiency, then my OG will jump to 1.065 which is a bit bigger than I wanted. So, can I just add a bit of top-off water to reduce the OG? Would that make my beer taste "watery?"

Thanks!

I'm confused about your recipe- are you doing a 5 gallon batch, and then adding DME or LME, or is that the whole recipe? What size boil are you doing?

Yooper Chick said:

I'm confused about your recipe- are you doing a 5 gallon batch, and then adding DME or LME, or is that the whole recipe? What size boil are you doing?

Click to expand...

Looks like a 3 gal batch with a boil of 3.75. Maybe a test batch.


Dan

yes, 3.75 gal boil....it's all I can fit in my brewpot!!! So, a test batch...and actually a first all-grain. So, I put it wrong that it is a partial mash. Sorry.

If it were me, I wouldn't worry about diluting the wort. Figure out your efficiency preboil than then adjust your bittering hops to maintain your BU:GU ratio.

According to your recipe your BU:GU ratio is .33 (18.6 IBU/56 gravity points = .33). If you do get 75% efficiency, raising your gravity to 1.065 you would need to adjust your bittering to get 21.6 IBU (65 gravity points X .33 = 21.6 IBU) to maintain the proper balance per the original recipe. If your efficiency doesn't reach that high, the difference in bittering and strength is probably not enough to worry about.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company