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10 percent efficiency jump?

Discussion in 'All Grain & Partial Mash Brewing' started by JoeSpartaNJ, Jun 12, 2014.

 

  1. #1
    JoeSpartaNJ

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jun 12, 2014
    So I started all grain brewing a year and a half ago and with my system religiously got 65% efficiency, not the best but I will take consistency above all to make things easy.

    So for my birthday my wife bought me a grain crusher. I was finally plugging in the numbers from my last batch and it calculated 76% efficiency. I have my grain mill gap at what looks to be .040 (not measured, used credit card.)

    Can the crush from my LHBS and my mill be that different and cause those numbers?


    Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
     
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  2. #2
    jdauria

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Jun 12, 2014
    Can definitely be that much of a difference.
     
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  3. #3
    Beehemel

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Jun 12, 2014
    I'm about to brew my first batch with my own mill this weekend. I really have no idea where to set it so I figured I'd start at .037. I've been getting 60-65% prior to this (with my LHBS crush), so I'm really interested in seeing where it's at when I brew on Saturday.
     
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  4. #4
    tootal

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jun 12, 2014
    You're local home brew shop is not going to risk you sticking your mash so they are going to be conservative and err to the side of a safe brew day. Have them run it through twice or get you own mill and your efficiency will go up. It may take some experimentation to find the sweet spot but once you figure it out you will be much happier in the future!
     
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  5. #5
    hunter_le five

    Sheriff Underscore

    Posted Jun 12, 2014
    Sounds about right to me. I think many of us have seen similar jumps when going from LHBS crush to buying a mill.
     
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  6. #6
    IslandLizard

    Progressive Brewing Staff Member  

    Posted Jun 13, 2014
    The difference your own mill makes is astonishing. I typically mill barley at 0.034" (credit card thickness). But you can go as fine as you dare :D

    When milling rye or wheat, mill it separately from the barley and set the gap even smaller because the kernels are so small. I go down as low as 0.024" for those, a little narrower than a junk mail American Express credit card (0.028").

    You can also mill your roasted malt separately and do a 24 hour cold steep or 140-150° hot steep to control astringency. Mill your flaked adjuncts too. Options are endless.
     
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  7. #7
    Beehemel

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Jun 13, 2014
    Do you have a false bottom? I'm trying to get an idea what I should set mine to, tomorrow will be my first batch using it
     
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  8. #8
    GrogNerd

    mean old man

    Posted Jun 13, 2014
    also: coarser crush = lower efficiency = more grains needed = more grains sold
     
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  9. #9
    IslandLizard

    Progressive Brewing Staff Member  

    Posted Jun 13, 2014
    No, I don't. I have a cpvc manifold in the bottom of a Coleman Extreme cooler and batch sparge at the moment. 80-85% efficiency for 1.070+ OG worts.

    When using more than 20% wheat or rye I throw in some rice hulls. If it gets stuck (e.g. pumpkin ale mash), I throw in some more and stir it up well again. Don't mill the hulls!

    Your useful gap settings depend on the mill, the size rollers, knurl etc. Start at 0.040" or so, and run a pound through and check what it looks like. It should be fairly coarse, majority of bits smaller than 3/32", a little flour, and hulls should be mostly intact, no whole kernels should pass through. Tighten it up a bit, making sure you keep a way to measure the gap at each setting (thickness gauge, credit cards, even stiff cardstock, doubled or tripled up) run another pound and compare.

    When happy mill the rest, and mash it and learn what it needs. I was amazed on how fine the crush can be with my system. When fly sparging grist may have to be a little coarser than batch. The BIAB brewers go lots finer, but do not much of a sparge, so they need to get most out of the first runnings. 85% efficiency is normal for them.
     
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  10. #10
    atom

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jun 13, 2014
    same situation! my wife bought me the cereal killer mill for my birthday. went from 68% to 77% without even adjusting the mill's factory settings.
     
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  11. #11
    JoeSpartaNJ

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jun 14, 2014
    Just brewed up a pale ale. Measured 81% efficiency. I love having a grain mill on my own.


    Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
     
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