Drunk and Trying to figure out Efficiency

I'm finding that after about 6 pints in, grain efficiency is not a good subject to study. After reading for the last couple of hours here are my conclusions:
1. People have been brewing for a long time and didn't care about efficiency or grain crush size.
2. Basics: Soak grain in hot water, rinse grain in hotter water, boil said liquid, add yeast, let the yeast do there job.
3. Do we (the home brewer enthusiast, really care about judging guidelines and hitting the target style.
- I've shown recipes to other brewers, who will tell me that my recipe doesn't meet BJCP requirements for style. I've decided that I just don't care. How many topics do I have to read and YOUTUBE videos do I have to watch, I just enjoy the hobby.
4. I don't sell my beer, I'll give it to people who appreciate it and if they don't like it, that is on them.
5. Long story short: Brew what you like, like what you brew and the rest can take a left turn off a short pier.\
6. In the words of REVVY, Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew (or 6).
7. I'm going to bed.
Good night all.

Cheers to that!

Right on buddy...sounds to me like the beer drinking has made a very good philosopher out of you!

i bet he's a heck of a dancer too. heheh

Cowbizzoy said:

i bet he's a heck of a dancer too. heheh

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Nope, I have the grace and agility of a three legged cow!!!!

All I see is 7 excuses for making piss poor beer.


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wildwest450 said:

All I see is 7 excuses for making piss poor beer.
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There is always one!!!!

To OP:

Why is it that I can only read your post with a voice in my head similar to a drunk Peter from Family Guy?

Actually, I tried to read it in a sophisticated voice, but it kept getting drunk on me...must be the way you wrote it!

Is Revvy really Charlie Papazian?!

DAHHHHHHrrrrr, uh, heh. Yeah.

You are NAWT wrong!

I studied my ass off on alpha v.s. beta, and protein chains, and other zymurlogical hullabaloo, so I could figure out what I am allowed to FORGET, and not mEFF up mah bahley sodahr.......

jkaylor said:

I'm finding that after about 6 pints in, grain efficiency is not a good subject to study. After reading for the last couple of hours here are my conclusions:
1. People have been brewing for a long time and didn't care about efficiency or grain crush size.
Not true. Efficiency is important. In reference to large scale brewing, why use 955 punds of grain when you can achieve same/similar/(whatever describer you want to use) results using only 835 pounds of grain.

Just saying
2. Basics: Soak grain in hot water, rinse grain in hotter water, boil said liquid, Cool liquid to room temperature or lower, add yeast, let the yeast do there job.
3. Do we (the home brewer enthusiast, really care about judging guidelines and hitting the target style.
Some of us do, yes. And for those that do, that's what they enjoy about it. If you like to enter competitions, then it is important, but of course there is always some wiggle room. Some beers I brew for me. Some beers I brew for judges.
- I've shown recipes to other brewers, who will tell me that my recipe doesn't meet BJCP requirements for style. I've decided that I just don't care. How many topics do I have to read and YOUTUBE videos do I have to watch, I just enjoy the hobby.
As you should. If you hate something, why do it?
4. I don't sell my beer, I'll give it to people who appreciate it and if they don't like it, that is on them.
Ditto
5. Long story short: Brew what you like, like what you brew and the rest can take a left turn off a short pier.\
The water probably isn't deep enough, but I get ya!
6. In the words of The Great Charlie Papazian, Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew (or 6).
Fixed that one for you
7. I'm going to bed.
Good night all.

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Good night!

I agree with all of that. You certainly can make great beer with out worrying about what category some one wants file it under. And weather or not you know what an IBU is or any other that other mumbo jumbo. If it's good, it's good.

6 pints in and you can still type?
You might wanna double check your FG and compare it to your OG, I don't think you're hitting your BAC. You may also want to look at your BTU's, your MT, your HLT and your BJCP if you wanna make it to the NHC.

There is only one category....beer I like.

Your attitude towards brewing might not be one that will win you awards, but it will put a smile on everyones face. Pints up!

haha, i as i read that(me drunk) all i can imagine is you stumbling up the stairs and absolutely struggling.. salute to you haha!

should this not be in drunken ramblings?

but right after i finish this pint im heading to bed as well!

Key on enjoying the hobby... as long as you like your brew and enjoy making it nothing else really matters.

i think this ended up in the wrong section...

I'm with the OP on this one... I don't need a BJCP-NHC-E-I-E-I-O to judge my beers.. I have friends and family who are more than happy to sample them and give me a thumbs up or thumbs down. The ONLY award I care about iis sharing bottled love with said friends and family and seeing the look of happy surprise on their face when I nail a recipe.

I also don't really care about efficiency, either. I assume I'm at 70% (although my OGs are telling me otherwise) and go from there. It's a moot point anyway since I'm still using kits to get my process down.

Once I do switch to bulk grains, I'm gonna keep my BrewMate software set at 70% when calculating recipes. Okay, so big deal if I'm actually at 75% or even 80%... how much grain would that really save me on 5 gallon batches? A few ounces here and there? Worst case, I get some slightly stronger beer, and that works for me.

I approach my brewing as I approach my guitar playing. In the middle of a song, I'm not thinking "if I switch from this mode to that mode then reverse to this mode..." sort of thinking, I just allow nature to take its course and do what feels right and sounds good... and my playing is far from "piss poor"... as is my beer.

Cheers, jkaylor, for having the courage to stand up for what you feel is right and not allowing your hobby be dictated by a bureaucracy!

I second that emotion!>)

I went on a 4-day training course at a commercial brewery here in the UK and the head brewer was not really concerned with efficiency.

I wish I could remember the numbers he used as an example, but with the amount of grain that they get through and how much it costs, he wasn't bothered about it in the least.

Not very helpful, I know, but I am at work and trying to kill some time.

I am in almost complete agreement with the OP - no. 5 sums it all up nicely as far as I am concerned.

Cheers,

Dan

I like to know my effeciency. When im designing a beer recipe I need to know the effeciency so I know how many ponds of grain I need. If your effeciency is off then your O.G. will be off. Not a huge problem if you are just experimenting.

Sorry, let me clarify. I don't care about brewhouse effeciency... I do care about extraction effeciency.

I agree 100 percent. The reason I started brewing was to brew things that break the mold, not to mimic the beers I can buy in the store. Most styles evolved out of what was available to the brewer in different places and different historical periods, I would love to create something all my own that is delicious and creative.

That said, I find the technical side of the craft fascinating and want to hone my brewing skills to the point that I can recreate recipes I love with accuracy. I find brewing styles helpful in reaching that goal, because I know if my beer tastes like what I was going for.

But I absolutely agree, brewing is a creative expression, it's about making what you love and what speaks to you.

Cheers!