Poor Efficiency- looking to improve

[Drinks3point2]

I brewed an ESB'ish 6 gal batch today and missed my target OG drastically. Target was approx. 1.055, I hit 1.040. I don't live anywhere near LHBS so I'll call it a session beer... no biggie.

Here is what I did. I think the culprit was the how coarse the milling of my grain was and the fact that I didn't take a reading during the boil. LIve and learn.

Any other thoughts on how I can improve in the future?

MASH: Brew in a Bag in a 10 gal rubbermaid cooler

12 lbs Gambrinous Extra Special British malt
4oz Crystal 120
3.5oz Simpsons med. crystal (50-60)
4.25oz Caravienne
8oz Crystal 10

Strike Water- 4 gal @ 164º
Hit 147º, added 2 qts boiling to hit 150º
Held @ 150º for 60min

Sparge (Tea Bag method) Water--4 gal @ 185º
Had to turn on heat for few minutes to bring up to 169º.
Let stand for 15 min

Boil:
FWH- 1 oz Willamette 5.4 %
1 oz E K G 5.3 %
20min-.5 oz E K G 5.3 %
5min- .5 oz E K G 5.3 %

Aerated w/ wine whip
Pitched one packet
Safale S 04 @ 68º

 

[Kugster]

always helps to take a reading before boil...water/grain ratio seems ok...maybe the strike temp? I gather you were shooting for 150*...

I have not done a BIB...so not too sure about the sparge...that hot a temp will stop conversion for sure...maybe that's where you lost some? Is it possible to split the sparge water doing a BIB? If It was me...I would split my sparge...just to make sure I get everything...kinda hard to say for sure...

did you hit your target boil volume?

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Crush has been my boogey man...I have been trying to dial in my new used-with-new-rollers Barley Crusher and am going to have to crank it down again tomorrow. Crush looked GREAT on both previous brews with it, was even a little scared that it was TOO fine, but efficiencies were in the low 70's when hoping for low 80's.

Do you crush your own or buy crushed from LHBS?

 

[Drinks3point2]

I crush my own. I've recently inherited a grain mill from my parents. It's an old motorized unit. I'm not sure the name of the style of mill but works by spinning one stone wheel against a another stationary one. The whole thing is housed in a wooden box, has a hopper and a drawer to catch the ground grain. It's a pretty cool unit.

I thought I had the crush dialed in. I set the mill on as coarse as it will go so there is room to improve.

TANSTAAFB- Did you keep dialing in the crush finer than when you were "scared that is it was too fine"? and have you got your efficiency up to 80

 

[Big "A"]

Crush should have hulls intact and just a wee bit of flour.

 

[Drinks3point2]

Big A- That is pretty accurate description of what I had. Maybe the crush isn't the culprit.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I crush my own. I've recently inherited a grain mill from my parents. It's an old motorized unit. I'm not sure the name of the style of mill but works by spinning one stone wheel against a another stationary one. The whole thing is housed in a wooden box, has a hopper and a drawer to catch the ground grain. It's a pretty cool unit.

I thought I had the crush dialed in. I set the mill on as coarse as it will go so there is room to improve.

TANSTAAFB- Did you keep dialing in the crush finer than when you were "scared that is it was too fine"? and have you got your efficiency up to 80

I am brewing right now, so I'll let you know!!! I have heard repeatedly to tighten til you're scared then tighten a little more :rockin:

This time I double crushed as when I tightened I couldn't get my Barley Crusher to catch. So I ran through at the same gap I brewed last time, tightened, and ran it through again. I'll know what I got in a couple of hours and update.

 

[ShakerD]

I crush at pretty much the smallest setting on my barley crusher and get on average 88% efficiency sometimes better.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Well crankin down on the BC definitely upped my efficiency...I ran it through the first time at about the thickness of a credit card and second time around .034 (buddy at the local auto parts miced a thin piece of metal at .017, folded it over...) and ended up at about 83% efficiency :rockin:

It might even be a little higher as my bucket is marked to 5.5 and 6 is in the thick part of the bucket so I am estimating my batch size at 6 gallons. OG is at 1060, shooting for 1059 at 5.5 gal., which puts me at 83%!!!

I'm very happy with that...think I'm gonna celebrate with a bottle of Maudite

 

[Homebrewtastic]

You might try increasing fermentation temps. I typically do 90 minute mash if I'm mashing low. While 150 isn't really all that low, I still like the 90 minute mash. You could also consider double batch sparging.

 

[Drinks3point2]

So far, I think will try finer crush next time and longer mash time.

Is that .017 piece of metal a feeler gauge?

 

[Brewman79]

I do BIAB and get my numbers.Time,temp,PH,and crush all have a roll in getting your numbers.I mash for 90 minutes as well.

 

[Kugster]

I crush my own. I've recently inherited a grain mill from my parents. It's an old motorized unit. I'm not sure the name of the style of mill but works by spinning one stone wheel against a another stationary one. The whole thing is housed in a wooden box, has a hopper and a drawer to catch the ground grain. It's a pretty cool unit.

I thought I had the crush dialed in. I set the mill on as coarse as it will go so there is room to improve.

TANSTAAFB- Did you keep dialing in the crush finer than when you were "scared that is it was too fine"? and have you got your efficiency up to 80

Since I don't crush my own I didn't even think about this? The more I read about low efficiency, the more I hear about this being the issue. i try to learn something new every day!

 

[TANSTAAFB]

So far, I think will try finer crush next time and longer mash time.

Is that .017 piece of metal a feeler gauge?

I was in there to buy a feeler gauge, he asked me what it was for and what gap I needed and found that piece of metal instead of selling me a feeler gauge...it's good to know your local shopkeepers!!! I'll have to bring him a brew