5th all grain, process help.

[mummasan]

Whatever happens - you will figure it out. It always helps to brew with a buddy, and try new things one at a time.

Decide if you want to mash out and just do that. Get your sparge technique settled and repeat it.

Palmer's book 'How to Brew' is a great resource as is posting on this website.

One thing that dramatically increased my efficiency was to lauter slowly. I had been opening up my ball valve all the way up without thinking twice about it. But once I started to lauter slower I finally started to get better efficiency.

FWIW, I take a gravity reading after I have collected all the wort into the kettle and then after the boil. I do a mashout then one sparge. Once the mash tun has been drained the first time (with the strike water and mash out infusion water) I measure the wort in the kettle with a dipstick. If I have collected three gallons, I know I need to sparge with 3.5 more gallons b/c I want 6.5 gallons in the kettle to start the boil. There is no substitute for experience.

 

[BugleBrew]

Excellent tips here, thanks again. My cooler is fine. I check the temp before and after each step and it dropped maybe half a degree in the 90 minute mash. I'll lauter more slowly and try getting every ounce of boil kettle water into the fermenter. And, I'll start saving for a barley crusher.

I'll post in a couple weeks after my next batch. Thanks again. I owe you all a beer.