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 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