Whats the big deal with mash efficiency?

From what I can tell, most recipes are geared off a 75% eff. So why would you want more than that? I mean if you are say, about 85%, dont you have to adjust the batch accordingly?
Someone, please help me understand what I am missing.

Thanks
Josh

Sherpa FE said:

From what I can tell, most recipes are geared off a 75% eff. So why would you want more than that? I mean if you are say, about 85%, dont you have to adjust the batch accordingly?
Someone, please help me understand what I am missing.

Thanks
Josh

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Yes you would, thus you would use less grain. Less grain = less $$$

The biggest part of efficiency, IMHO, is being able to hit it consistently. Then you can scale your recipes and get the end product you are looking for.

Its kind of like golf: you could get it to the hole in six strokes but four would be better. Theres also more effort involved in getting it to the hole with less strokes, its just part of the game.

Sherpa FE said:

From what I can tell, most recipes are geared off a 75% eff. So why would you want more than that? I mean if you are say, about 85%, dont you have to adjust the batch accordingly?
Someone, please help me understand what I am missing.

Thanks
Josh

Click to expand...

Well first off some people get 85% efficiency without trying, so in that case why would you try to get a lower efficiency, you simply adjust any recipes to fit your system. I get a solid 75% efficiency, but I brew 6.5 gallon batches so I have to adjust any recipe I brew, however I rarely brew from someone elses recipe I make all of my own.

Really though if you are in the 65% to 75% range there is no reason to worry about it but if you are in the 50's than you may want to look into improving. Some people claim that you will make a better beer at 60% efficiency than you will with 85% efficiency, I personally think they suffer from efficiency envy

The issue is in your own consistency and being better able to predict your results.

If you have a brewing app, see what happens to things like IBU and SRM and ABV when you start messing with efficiency. Knowing where yours is just helps you affect the sort of beer you have in mind better.

I don't buy the better % = less grain argument. While true, the cost differential for a five-gallon batch is negligible. If you're brewing commercially, different story.

Thanks for all the replies.
Just trying to learn, and I had to ask.
Josh

One thing that's been confusing me with efficiency is efficiency vs flavour.

Wouldn't one get more flavour if you had lower efficiency because one's using more grain?

No, not at all. If you are only getting, say, half of the grains' goodness, you'll use twice as much. If you are getting more, then you'll use less grain. You are extracting maltose (sugar) from the grain. You don't want the starch from the grain, but only the sugar. Of course, some flavor comes along with it- that's why you have some different grains. But more grains is not the way to flavor your beer- it's the type of grains and the fermentability that matters.

If this is confusing, I'm sorry. I've been tipping a few holiday beers tonight.!

I'll give you an analogy. You buy a car manufactured to get 35 MPG but figure out a way to keep the same performance but get 42 MPG. Do you stick with 35?

I honestly couldn't get 75% if I tried. I've gotten a process down where I get between 85-90% rather consistently so that's how I craft my recipes. If I try to adapt something that was crafted at 75%, I just reduce the grain bill in a linear fashion until the software tells me I'll hit the OG.

I have brewed for years. I have never calculated my efficiency. All I care about is the gravity after it cools. I use my own experience to guide me there with some checks during the process.

I should probably figure this out. But i could have a beer instead.

Some people strive to get maximum efficiency. Big brewers especially strive for this goal as it can make a significant difference in their grain costs.
For most home brewers a consistent efficiency is more important as it means you have a predictable system that will produce predictable beers. When I first got my grain mill my efficiency went from 60% to 80% with the result that my first beer on the new system was about 15 points higher in gravity than intended. This made for a very different beer. But now I am getting a very consistent 80% and I can predict exactly what my OG will be.
I do like that my efficiency is better because I can get a bigger beer from my 5gal mash tun without adding DME.
Craig

CBBaron said:

When I first got my grain mill my efficiency went from 60% to 80% with the result that my first beer on the new system was about 15 points higher in gravity than intended. This made for a very different beer.

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This just happened to me today. I made out a Kolsch recipe based on 65% efficiency but I would but getting a barley crusher before I brewed today. Needless to say, it isn't much of a Kolsch anymore. 1.061 OG

At least I can begin to dial my system in knowing that my crush is good.

btw I used hose water.

Something else: while a really high efficiency doesn't necessarily make you a great brewer, unusually low efficiency probably means that you could improve your process in some way or other. Which, of course, leads to better beer in the glass.

Alemental said:

Something else: while a really high efficiency doesn't necessarily make you a great brewer, unusually low efficiency probably means that you could improve your process in some way or other. Which, of course, leads to better beer in the glass.

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I'm a perfect example of this, now i've improved my process but i have no idea how to balance my recipes at the moment/