BrewMunkey_1
Member
I've been brewing my own beer for over 2 years now (and over 200 gallons)but been having some efficiency problems in the last year. I have some converted busch kegs (welded fitting on the bottom), counter flow chiller, and a few burners. Just recently I made a 4 tier setup in my garage so from the HLT to the fermentor I don't have to raise a vessel.
My grain is crushed twice in a bur grinder at the beer supply store. I start my process the day before by boiling 15 gallons of water. The next morning I raise the temp up 5* past the point to adjust for grain temp so I hit 155* (which recently has been 175* with 40* grain) then I dump 8 gallons of the water into the MT and wait for it to cool to the target sparge temp. I put the false bottom in, dump the grain in, put the lid on, and use aluminum faced plastic bubble wrap around the keg.
I stir the mash about twice during the 90 minute rest and raise the HLT temp back up to 175 for sparging. I then pour the wort out to set the filter bed and false bottom, attach my sparge head, and fly sparge for about 30 minutes. In this time I check the gravity of the LT. If it's low I'll stop the sparging at 8 gallons. I've done it this same basic way with the same equipment for 2 years. Does it sound like I'm doing anything wrong? Any insight would be awesome as i don't know anyone who could come over and help. I'm self taught so I might be missing something important. I'll post a recipe.
Amber
22lbs 2 row
1 lb crystal 135
1 lb dextrin
8oz chocolate
Old SG of 1.070 @10gal on 9/29/07, recent SG of 1.054 @10gal on 1/3/09
My grain is crushed twice in a bur grinder at the beer supply store. I start my process the day before by boiling 15 gallons of water. The next morning I raise the temp up 5* past the point to adjust for grain temp so I hit 155* (which recently has been 175* with 40* grain) then I dump 8 gallons of the water into the MT and wait for it to cool to the target sparge temp. I put the false bottom in, dump the grain in, put the lid on, and use aluminum faced plastic bubble wrap around the keg.
I stir the mash about twice during the 90 minute rest and raise the HLT temp back up to 175 for sparging. I then pour the wort out to set the filter bed and false bottom, attach my sparge head, and fly sparge for about 30 minutes. In this time I check the gravity of the LT. If it's low I'll stop the sparging at 8 gallons. I've done it this same basic way with the same equipment for 2 years. Does it sound like I'm doing anything wrong? Any insight would be awesome as i don't know anyone who could come over and help. I'm self taught so I might be missing something important. I'll post a recipe.
Amber
22lbs 2 row
1 lb crystal 135
1 lb dextrin
8oz chocolate
Old SG of 1.070 @10gal on 9/29/07, recent SG of 1.054 @10gal on 1/3/09