94% Efficiency...????

[benbradford]

Brewed yesterday and made a trippel...

Heres the recipe

10 lb pilsner
2 lb munich
2 lb caramel
1.5 styrian 60 min
2 saaz 15 min

prepare 8.09 gallon water
mash in 15 qt at 175 for 45
add 6 qt at 198 for 10 min
sparge with 2.85 gallon

aiming for pre boil at 1.072

aiming for 6.4 gallons at preboil

the one thing that I was uncertain about is whether the gravity was supposed to be 1.072 after the addition of the caramel at the beginning of the boil...

I ENDED UP WITH 7.25 GALLONS OF PREBOIL AT 1.068!!!

I FINISHED WITH 5.85 GALLONS AT 1.086 INSTEAD OF 5 GALLONS AT 1.084!!!

According to Beersmith, I recorded a 92% into boiler a total of 94% total efficiency based on volume...

This is the second time that I recorded close to 90% efficiency.

I use a rectangular cooler with stainless braid as mash tun and 30qt brewpot on stove...


The only thing that I can guess is the reason for this efficiency is that I have begun to press grain after mash to release all wort.

Is the pressing causing any negative release from the grain, and the efficiency a negative or is this just a good thing?

 

[springer]

I cant say on the efficiency but 175° seems way to hot to mash .

 

[benbradford]

Thats just with the adjustment for mash tun...mash temp was actually held at 158 for 45 and 168 for 10...sorry, kind of unclear, but I was going with the additions to include volumes.

 

[jpc]

I cant say on the efficiency but 175° seems way to hot to mash .

My guess is that the 175 was the hot liquor temperature, not the resultant mash temperature. Otherwise, his efficiency would be about 10%.

 

[humann_brewing]

sounds about right, don't be shocked, it happens just make sure you are consistent. I have nailed down my process well enough, I set recipes based on 85% and usually get 86%, I am just always paranoid I will do worse and so I give myself that 1 extra point

 

[TheMethod]

The only thing that I can guess is the reason for this efficiency is that I have begun to press grain after mash to release all wort.

Is the pressing causing any negative release from the grain, and the efficiency a negative or is this just a good thing?

From what I remember when doing a partial grain with a steeping bag you should not press on the bag. It does make the wort drain out faster but you can also have tannins extracted and get in to your beer causing off flavors.

I don't think it is too far off to think that something similar could happen if you're pressing the grains in your mash tun. Although I could be wrong. Have you noticed any weird flavors in your beer?

 

[Backporchbrewery]

What was your FG? Something's odd, the microbrewery my brother works at usually hits right on 85%.

Then again they don't squeeze the wort out of the grains either, lol.

 

[springer]

Thats just with the adjustment for mash tun...mash temp was actually held at 158 for 45 and 168 for 10...sorry, kind of unclear, but I was going with the additions to include volumes.

I got it now strike temp . My efficiency is always 84-87% so if you stay at that efficiency just adjust the grain bill .

 

[Jawbox0]

I've very curious if you find the resulting beer to have extra astringency because of pressing the spent grains. I've always heard that it adds Tanins, but I haven't been brave enough to test this for myself.