I have several AG brews under my belt now but I've yet to come anywhere close to 70% efficiency. All brews sofar have been in the low 60's and today's clocked in at an even 50%. That is unacceptable as such a low efficiency will limit my beer style choices.
My gear:
I'm using 10 Gallon Igloo coolers with a false bottom in the MLT. I fly sparge, slowly. I have built rafts to eliminate headspace. I've absoultely nailed all my temps on every brew sofar and they've held extremely steady. I've also never had a stuck sparge, I typically get the right amount of liquid out and don't need to top-up.
I initially got a bad crush at my LHBS so I bought my own mill and started grinding my own at about .40. Ordered grains from different places, now I have bulk grain. Still no real improvement.
Today I conditioned my grain for the first time which produced a really amazing and perfect crush. I have typically been doing mashouts and a very minimal sparge but today I went no-mash out with a generous amount of sparge water. Worst efficiency yet, 50%
I'm starting to run out of ideas. The only idea i have left is maybe my pH is way off. Going to the homebrew store tomorrow to grab some ph testing supplies and buffer.
Here was today's recipe:
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Boil Size: 7.23 gal
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
15.25 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 85.92 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2.82 %
0.50 lb Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.82 %
1.75 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
1.75 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
3.25 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 Hops -
2.00 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (90 min) Hops 90.4 IBU
2.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (90 min) Hops 78.3 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (45 min) Hops 33.6 IBU
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (30 min) Hops 30.3 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-SteepHops -
2.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-SHops -
1.50 lb Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 8.45 %
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 16.25 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 20.31 qt of water at 162.2 F 150.0 F
Fly Sparged with 4.1 Gallons of 170 degree water, 45 minutes
My gear:
I'm using 10 Gallon Igloo coolers with a false bottom in the MLT. I fly sparge, slowly. I have built rafts to eliminate headspace. I've absoultely nailed all my temps on every brew sofar and they've held extremely steady. I've also never had a stuck sparge, I typically get the right amount of liquid out and don't need to top-up.
I initially got a bad crush at my LHBS so I bought my own mill and started grinding my own at about .40. Ordered grains from different places, now I have bulk grain. Still no real improvement.
Today I conditioned my grain for the first time which produced a really amazing and perfect crush. I have typically been doing mashouts and a very minimal sparge but today I went no-mash out with a generous amount of sparge water. Worst efficiency yet, 50%
I'm starting to run out of ideas. The only idea i have left is maybe my pH is way off. Going to the homebrew store tomorrow to grab some ph testing supplies and buffer.
Here was today's recipe:
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Boil Size: 7.23 gal
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
15.25 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 85.92 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 2.82 %
0.50 lb Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.82 %
1.75 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
1.75 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
3.25 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 Hops -
2.00 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (90 min) Hops 90.4 IBU
2.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (90 min) Hops 78.3 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (45 min) Hops 33.6 IBU
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (30 min) Hops 30.3 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-SteepHops -
2.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-SHops -
1.50 lb Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 8.45 %
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 16.25 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 20.31 qt of water at 162.2 F 150.0 F
Fly Sparged with 4.1 Gallons of 170 degree water, 45 minutes