bstacy1974
Well-Known Member
Brewed my first all grain recipe last night. I've been doing partial mash for a couple of years, but I felt I was ready for the change.
I've never really paid much attention to efficiency until last night. I'll ask the question first then you can read the rest if you wish. How do you know your efficiency? Is it just an average from previous brewing sessions?
My recipe was a Mild I've brewed before without issue. I was looking to bring the ABV up to 4%, so I started tweaking the recipe in Beersmith. I purchased Beersmith last year, but this is actually the first beer I've brewed using the program.
I ended up with a grain bill of 9lbs, an estimated OG of 1.041 and an ABV of 3.7%. Close enough.
After everything was complete, I pulled a sample of cooled wort from the fermenter. OG 1.050!
I hit my target on all my temps and volumes, so I started looking into efficiency. Beersmith estimates brewhouse efficiency at 72%. When I plugged in my grains and volumes into the efficiency calculator on brewersfriend.com, it came out to 86%.
I plug the 86% into the efficiency field in Beersmith, the estimated OG goes to 1.050. I think my new grain mill my have helped boost the efficiency of my process.
Amt Name Type
6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
1.05 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 18.3 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) [23.66 ml]
Mash Steps
Mash In Add 12.97 qt of water at 178.1 F 158.0 F 60 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.16gal, 3.32gal) of 168.0 F water
I've never really paid much attention to efficiency until last night. I'll ask the question first then you can read the rest if you wish. How do you know your efficiency? Is it just an average from previous brewing sessions?
My recipe was a Mild I've brewed before without issue. I was looking to bring the ABV up to 4%, so I started tweaking the recipe in Beersmith. I purchased Beersmith last year, but this is actually the first beer I've brewed using the program.
I ended up with a grain bill of 9lbs, an estimated OG of 1.041 and an ABV of 3.7%. Close enough.
After everything was complete, I pulled a sample of cooled wort from the fermenter. OG 1.050!
I hit my target on all my temps and volumes, so I started looking into efficiency. Beersmith estimates brewhouse efficiency at 72%. When I plugged in my grains and volumes into the efficiency calculator on brewersfriend.com, it came out to 86%.
I plug the 86% into the efficiency field in Beersmith, the estimated OG goes to 1.050. I think my new grain mill my have helped boost the efficiency of my process.
Amt Name Type
6 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
1.05 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 18.3 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) [23.66 ml]
Mash Steps
Mash In Add 12.97 qt of water at 178.1 F 158.0 F 60 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.16gal, 3.32gal) of 168.0 F water
