Efficiency all over the place!

[SnakeAnthony6375]

So I've been AG brewing for about 9 months and brew quite frequently. I cannot seem to get my efficiency consistent. I've tried both batch and fly sparging - both are inconsistent. I'll get 72% one batch, 76% the next, and then I'll drop to 60% the next! Needless to say it's frustrating....

Does anyone have any tips or recommendations on how to achieve a more predictable efficiency?

I doing 5 gallon bathes using a 10 gallon Gott with a false bottom. My mashes have been 1.5 quarts water/lb grain. Single infusion.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[jaja]

If you hit the same mash out temps and hit your volumes then look at your crush consistancy I say.

 

[s1080]

+1 on Crush consistency. It could also be your mash PH. Do you know what your water profile is? Are you using well water? Although I suppose if you were using the same water every time you would get consistent mashes unless, for some reason, the water chemistry had crazy fluctuations. If you suspect the ph you could nab some 5.4 ph buffer. I've had good results with that.

 

[EBloom97]

I tend to get different efficiency from different grain bills. Classic example: this weekend I brewed on back to back days. The first day I got 80+% efficiency when the grain bill was all barley. The second day, when I used a few pounds of rye, I got 74%. If you're changing your mill settings for wheat/rye/etc. then that's probably not a problem for you.

I think a lot of people also have trouble keeping their efficiency the same with larger grain bills. If you are using 10 lbs of grain, you will get a higher efficiency than if you use 15 or 20 lbs for the same sized batch, assuming you collect the same starting volume as usual.

 

[SnakeAnthony6375]

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah - the crush is definitely something that we've been discussing. We don't have our own mill right now. My LHBS does a great job of meeting our needs in a lot of ways, just haven't gotten an optimal crush from them yet. We did notice our efficiency go up when we ordered from Brewmaster's Warehouse where the crush was much finer than we've had before.

I do understand the higher gravity beers will result in a lower efficiency and we've been trying to foresee that in our numbers. So maybe I'll look in to milling my own grain!

Anyone selling a mill?!

 

[JBrady]

+1 to using Buffer 5.2 or adjusting your water w/salts according to SRM. Adjusting my water is what made my eff. consistant.

 

[s1080]

Or you could just keep buying from brew master's warehouse I buy all my ingredients their just because I know its quality and I'm not getting shafted on the crush.