83% efficiency!

[dwhite60]

First time today using the mash in the oven technique. I'm sold! Made the brew day a LOT easier.

Used the finest setting on my mill. Ended up higher OG than expected. Did the math and I hit 83% efficiency. My mash and sparge technique usually averaged 70 to 75 percent.

I'm happy and will continue to BIAB any batch 3 gallons or smaller.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[dwhite60]

Thinking my previous batch at 83% efficiency was a fluke I brewed another last week. I hit 85% efficiency on this one. Twice in a row means I now need to adjust my efficiency in my software.

All the best,
D. White

 

[Jag75]

Overachiever lol . Nice job !

 

[bonecitybrewco]

Mash in the oven technique?

 

[Jayjay1976]

I'm curious whether you get any off flavors (grainy) from the superfine crush. I keep getting it with different base malts and increasing my mill gap is about the only thing I haven't tried. I do BIAB tho.

 

[G-Hog]

Mash in the oven technique?

Was wondering the same thing.

 

[Ridenour64]

I assume he puts the pot in the oven and the oven on a low temperature to maintain his mash temp?

 

[bonecitybrewco]

I assume he puts the pot in the oven and the oven on a low temperature to maintain his mash temp?

I checked out another thread and it said preheat to lowest temp, turn the oven off and throw your pot in there. I have to assume that’s what it’s about.

As an aside, was the only thing you changed the mashing in oven? What are you doing for sparging?

 

[RM-MN]

First time today using the mash in the oven technique. I'm sold! Made the brew day a LOT easier.

Used the finest setting on my mill.

The fine crush is the reason for the high mash efficiency. The mash in the oven is mostly to make you feel good. With the fine crush your conversion was probably over before you got the oven door closed. It doesn't take an hour to complete the conversion if you mill the grain finely.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

What is the overall brewhouse efficiency?

 

[dwhite60]

To answer some questions....

I'm doing two to three gallon batches.

I preheat the oven to 170F and turn it off then place my mash pot in it. Mash is already at temp. I mash for 90 minutes (lazy) and reheat the oven about halfway through.

I have not noticed any off flavors from the fine crush. I'm sure it's what allows the high efficiency.

When the boil is done I chill with an immersion chiller. I dump all but maybe the very last pint into the fermenter.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[odie]

A few people have posted about the oven thing. My kettle is too tall.

Good if you don't have a way to insulate your kettle or don't wanna wrap it with insulation or reflectix or old sleeping bag...

but seems to be a lot of weight to pick up and carry to your oven...unless you are boiling in your kitchen already or small batch/kettle...

 

[sicktght311]

Mash temp doesnt really affect efficiency. What you're getting the higher efficiency from is purely the crush. Mash temp controls body, what fermentable sugars you're extracting to determine what your expected final gravity should be, etc etc.

 

[bgmac]

Yes its the fine crush. I usually have my brew supply store do a double crush then I run it through my crusher at home to really get that corn meal/flour like consistency. Normally get mid 80s from a 60 minute mash.

 

[dwhite60]

Wonder if anyone has done any research into BIAB conversion time with fine crushes.

If you crush super fine and get conversion in fifteen minutes how much control do you have over enzyme activity in controlling wort fermentability?

Traditional mash with its longer time and coarser crush I feel would give you more control over whether alpha or beta amylase do the bulk of the work.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[RM-MN]

Wonder if anyone has done any research into BIAB conversion time with fine crushes.

If you crush super fine and get conversion in fifteen minutes how much control do you have over enzyme activity in controlling wort fermentability?

Traditional mash with its longer time and coarser crush I feel would give you more control over whether alpha or beta amylase do the bulk of the work.

All the Best,
D. White

1. Yes.

2. If you crush super fine you get conversion in under 2 minutes, not 15.

3. You adjust fermentability with a combination of caramel malts that have unfermentable sugars.

 

[dwhite60]

1. Yes.

2. If you crush super fine you get conversion in under 2 minutes, not 15.

3. You adjust fermentability with a combination of caramel malts that have unfermentable sugars.

That was some quick and concise information. Thanks!

All the Best,
D. White

 

[doug293cz]

Mash temp doesnt really affect efficiency. What you're getting the higher efficiency from is purely the crush. Mash temp controls body, what fermentable sugars you're extracting to determine what your expected final gravity should be, etc etc.

Mash temp might affect efficiency, as it affects rate of conversion (although crush is more important here.) With coarser crushes, gelatinization rate controls conversion rate, and the grits will gelatinize faster at higher temps. And for some malts, not all of the starch granules will gelatinize at all in lower temp mashes. If the conversion rate is too slow to convert 100% in the allotted time, then temp may be a factor.

Brew on