Transferring mash prior to sparging cause poor efficiency?

[geer537]

Hi All!

I have been suffering from efficiency issues lately and there are only a few things I can think of left to try and change. One of them is transferring the mash to a pot with a false bottom prior to sparging- I know "Why not mash in the pot with the false bottom?" I am going back to it but I didn't trust the Thermometer on that pot for a while. It's fixed now

So would transferring your mash prior to sparging cause poor efficiency and why?

Just to cover all bases:
All grain brewer- crushed grain with my mill and the LHBS mill with the same results
Tap water (buddy down the street uses the same water with 75-80% efficiency)
60 Minute Mash **I need to start taking preboil gravity readings**
Fly Sparge- usually takes 35- 45 minutes slowly pouring 170° water and keeping about an inch of water above the grain bed.
60 minute boils

Any help would be appreciated. Next 2 steps are pre boil gravity readings and a return to RO water.

 

[a6ladd]

What temperature are you mashing at, and for how long? I cant imagine a transfer would result in the loss of efficiency but I temps too high/too low or times that are too short would. Also, when do you take your first gravity reading?

 

[geer537]

I usually mash at about 151 and it stays steady the whole time. I mash for about an hour. The first Gravity reading is after I cool the wort- I'm going to start taking preboil graqvity readings. I stopped when my confidence was high...

I couldn't imagine transferring being an issue either but I thought the community would know better

 

[a6ladd]

That seems very odd. Ive never done a transfer of the mash before, but I have used some unconventional mash tuns/false bottoms but as long as I was mashing at the proper temperature and time, which you absolutely fall into, I've never seen a significant change in my efficiency. How low is your efficiency? Do you have an example of a recipe that you were very low on?

 

[geer537]

Sure- yesterday's was 8 points off. I should have gotten 1.060 and got 1.052. It's still beer and it taste good but I'd like to hit my numbers.

10 # 2 row
1/2 # Wheat
1/2 # victory
1/2 # Crystal 40
1/2 # Vienna

60 minute mash
Fly Sparge

Hops- Falconer's Flight 7 c's
1 oz at 60
1 oz at 20
1 oz at 10- yeast nutrient, irish moss
1 oz at flameout
Dry hop 1 oz a week after fermentation stops, 1 oz 2 weeks after fermentation stops

I've hit my numbers with this recipe before. It's not heavy on Crystal or anything unfermentable.

 

[a6ladd]

Roger that. And you've hit 1.060 before on this same system (minus the mash transfer)? If the mash transfer is your only remaining variable I don't really know what to tell you. Hopefully that testy thermometer stops giving you fits and you can mash in your normal mash tun again. Hopefully someone else has some better answers, sorry I couldnt really help!

 

[geer537]

No worries! I'm scratchin my head too. It's either that mash transfer or the water. I fixed my thermometer (on my brew pot- using another Digital that was calibrated earlier that day) after yesterday's brew so we'll see.