Sabco Brew Magic Efficiency

I know there has been many threads on the Brew Magic system, but I have some issues that I just cannot find answers for.

I have been brewing for years, and was gifted an old Brew Magic (all manual, no display screens and such). it works fine and as it should, but my efficiencies are poor. On the cooler side I was pulling 80+% efficiency and now with the BM I swing between 60-70%.

Here is my overall routine that I haven been working on. I do find my 5 gallon batches pull a bit higher efficiency than my 10 gallon batches.

Grain: I mill the grain on my MonsterMill at its widest gap. most all of the grain is cracked, there are always a few left untouched but not many, and the flour is at a minimum.

I mash in per instructions. Fill 2 inches above the grain bed, let it sit 20 min then stir it well. Then I start my mash recycle. ***I do this at full speed. I have read the faster you can do it the better, and I have never had any problems with doing the RIMS with all valves completely open. **Could this be causing channeling around the edges, thus leaving the center mass untouched and potentially out of the loop when it comes to sparging?

Mash Out: I do a mash out about 50% of the time, still on the fence on that one. I raise the temp to 160 then sparge with 170 degree water.

Sparge: I have tried numerous techniques and can find one that works. My usual attempt is a slow sparge of about 60-75 min for a 10 gallon batch. The problem with this is the water trickle coming in doesnt create any circulation of the mash, and I am afraid it may be just slowing out the sides (per my fast mash note above). Or does the trickle just help maintain the suspended grain bed?

I have tried a faster sparge to keep a circulation going with no real change in efficiency.

Any suggestions?

Things I want to try from here and would like your input on would be:
1) Maybe putting on my old sparge arm (spinning doohickie) and see if replicating the ole sprinkle technique will help
2) stirring more thoroughly and frequently during the mash

thanks for the input

I would be questioning your efficiency from your crush perspective more so than from the BM system. I would suggest tightening the MM gap and getting the grain fully crushed. If you're worried about stuck sparges from not having full husks in there, then add some rice hulls.

My process is/was;

1.) Underlet to strike. Rest 5 minutes, stir the mash (mud mixer on drill), start recirc.
2.) Mash maintaining min 2" liquid level over mash bed with wide open recirc.
3.) Sparge to desired volume balancing inlet and outlet to equilibrium while maintaining 2" liquid level over mash until calculated volume is infused, and then let remaining volume drain out til desired pre-boil volume is in kettle.

Doing this, I have never had less then 80% using a pre-set JSP maltmill.

JonW said:

I would be questioning your efficiency from your crush perspective more so than from the BM system. I would suggest tightening the MM gap and getting the grain fully crushed. If you're worried about stuck sparges from not having full husks in there, then add some rice hulls.

Click to expand...

That has been a thought of mine and I bought the mill for a tighter crush with my cooler mashtun, but all the materials from Sabco really push the notion of a larger crush. This, having to do with the fact that the rims system creates better suspension if you dont have as much flour in the mash.

Can anyone else chime in on this point?