3rd all grain and my efficiency still sucks

[bob1852]

I haven't calculated my eff. from my 3rd AG, but I think it's worst than my 1st two...

I did Yuri's Longhammer copy, added 1 lb of 2-row 'cuz my efficiency sucks, and it's worse than I thought...

8lbs 2-row
3 lbs Munich
1/2 lb Crystal 10L

(grind from AHS)

and an OG (temp corrected of 1.042)....

I might actually go back to extract

I thought that the combo of my thermometer issues, low sparge temps (double batch sparge), and unequal sparge volumes may be the issue; but I thin my efficiency is actually getting worse...

but then again; I'm making good beer! just not at the OG or FG that I want

 

[Sherpa FE]

but then again; I'm making good beer!

That is the MOST important statement....as long as its good beer, and you enjoy the process.
Keep at it.
Give us the details, maybe we can help you out?

 

[BigKahuna]

I gave up on target gravity on Batch #1. Just go with it and stop calculating the effic%


Mine jumped into the 70's (after a few at 58 - 64%) when I gave my sparge a goooood stir and let it sit for 15 min before draining sparge water and taking 7 gallons of "Running"

 

[BrianP]

What worked for me was a better crush (with my Barley Crusher), adding 5.2 to stabilize my pH, and a hotter sparge temperature.

If none of these work for you, add another pound of grain (you'll get the OG you want and it's a cheap fix).

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

AZ_IPA - All I can recommend is a little longer mash, and make sure your batch sparging with water 185F for the first, and 190F for the second. Stir well, wait at least 10 minutes before vorloffing and draw it out just a little slower. That got me up to the high 70's and that is good enough for me at this time.
Best of luck, and keep making that good beer.

 

[henrychinaski]

i sympathize with ya.
i've read most of these discussions on efficiency as well as a few books. i've brewed more than 100 all grain batches and gotten between 60 and 85%. i use ph stabilizer. i have good heat retention in my tun. my digital thermometer is spot on. i fly sparge with 185 deg. water after vorlaufing.
recently my numbers have been consistently low (60% - 70%) with no change in technique, and yesterday i got 59% efficiency on a 10-gallon batch of ipa. next time i'll run the grains through the mill twice (at the lhbs) and see what that does. if that's not it, i don't know what else to do but just give up on hoping for 80% with my equipment.

 

[EdWort]

Stirring a few times during the mash is a must with batch sparging as well as stirring right before you vorlauf. 5.2 Buffer helps too.

Don't give up yet. Ask AHS to run your next batch through the mill again.

Then again, if your beers are tasty, life should be good.

 

[Blender]

What worked for me was a better crush (with my Barley Crusher), adding 5.2 to stabilize my pH, and a hotter sparge temperature.

If none of these work for you, add another pound of grain (you'll get the OG you want and it's a cheap fix).

Yeah, this did the trick for me as well. The grind from Morebeer was too coarse. I knew I was going to brew for awhile so I got a Barley Crusher.

 

[bob1852]

Thanks for the support guys!

Even though I'm making good beer -- and each batch is getting better in my opinion; the German in me wants to not only improve my beer's taste, but also improve the process, and get consistent efficiency results.

Next time it will be an early morning brew day to avoid ; I'll only brew (this weekend I was bottling while mashing and ended up heating the sparge water later than I wanted too); and I'll try to document everything a little more (because what I "plan" to do, and what "happens" are two different things).

anyways; here's my process:

1) heat strike water (1.25 qt/lb.) to target temp
2) add strike water and 1 tbsp 5.2 to the MLT
3) stir until temp stabilizes
4) dough-in
5) stir, stir, stir, stir, stir
6) take temp and cover
7) take temp 5-min. later
8) mash (60 min; and actually 90 this weekend)
9) heat sparge water to 185*F
10) vorlauf
11) drain
12) measure 1st runnings volume and withdraw sample for later reading
13) add 1st sparge
14) stir, stir, stir
15) vorlauf and drain (again, measure volume and withdraw sample)
16) ditto for second sparge
17) take pre-boil volume and sample for later reading
18) boil for 60 adding hops, Irish moss, and yeast fuel
19) post-boil volume and sample prior to pitching yeast
20) pitch yeast, ferment, etc...

Like I said, on paper everything looks good right? But it's all in the execution - and I still think it's my sparge temp and volume. I'm using the boil kettle to heat the sparge (single burner method), so I'm admittedly sloppy trying to divide the ~180*F sparge in half...

but, the beer is yummy, and here's an out of focus picture of my 1st AG -- Bee Cave Haus Ale (in an Austin glass just for you Ed!)

 

[EdWort]

You need to get another kettle for your HLT ASAP. I will make life easier and speed things up.

Nice glass of beer!

 

[Kapernicus]

You should check out this link if you are batch sparging:

All Grain

It is a very good tutorial created by one of our esteemed HBT members on improving efficiency. I suffered from low eff. ever since I started all-grain brewing. This fixed it for me. That and I got one of these to mix my mash with:

BRUTUS Super Mixer, for Thinset, Grout and Mortar Mixing, Chrome Plated, 22 x 5 x 3/8 In. - 61205 at The Home Depot

:rockin:

 

[enohcs]

Try fly sparging. That's what I use and my efficiencies are dead on 70% every time. every once in a while I will have to sparge with an extra gallon or so to get the efficiency to 70%, but I just boil off what volume I don't want.

I also find using ph5.2 in the mash really helped with my eff. you can get it in any decent homeberw stores.

Lastly, sometimes I use DME in the boil if I find I'm missing a few gravity points. Even though I'm all grain all the time, I keep 5lbs of DME handy at all times.

 

[bob1852]

You should check out this link if you are batch sparging:

All Grain

It is a very good tutorial created by one of our esteemed HBT members on improving efficiency. I suffered from low eff. ever since I started all-grain brewing. This fixed it for me. That and I got one of these to mix my mash with:

BRUTUS Super Mixer, for Thinset, Grout and Mortar Mixing, Chrome Plated, 22 x 5 x 3/8 In. - 61205 at The Home Depot

:rockin:

good god man - does that mixer send your mash all over the garage??? :rockin:

I've read Bobby's primer - it was what made me jump from extract to AG. I just need another kettle so I can heat up my sparge's independently, and I need to be a little more patient (meticulous) on brew day with my process and recording data