I'm trying to figure out why I got such crappy efficiency last batch. Normally I get 70%, this time i got 54%. I want to blame it on the crush since my procedure has been the same now for 3 years and my thermometer and hydrometer are correct.
i used 12lbs grain, 4 gallons water = ratio of 1.33 qts/lb.
The reason I suspect the crush is because I had a lot less water absorption from the first runnings than usual. Typically I get around .15 qts/lb absorption. That would equal 2.2 gallons of first runnings. Instead I got 3 gallons, which equals .083 qts/lb absorption. I was shocked to see 3 gallons, but thought nothing of it at the time.
I suspect there were alot of uncrushed, or partially crushed grains. I did not inspect the crush prior to using because a friend bought the grains from a different LHBS than I use and the grains were in a brown paper bag and not a clear sealed bag. I didn't even think to check. This is another reason I blame the crush, I've never bought from this other LHBS before so its a big unknown.
So am I safe in assuming it was a bad crush? Would uncrushed grains absorb less water than crushed ones?
i used 12lbs grain, 4 gallons water = ratio of 1.33 qts/lb.
The reason I suspect the crush is because I had a lot less water absorption from the first runnings than usual. Typically I get around .15 qts/lb absorption. That would equal 2.2 gallons of first runnings. Instead I got 3 gallons, which equals .083 qts/lb absorption. I was shocked to see 3 gallons, but thought nothing of it at the time.
I suspect there were alot of uncrushed, or partially crushed grains. I did not inspect the crush prior to using because a friend bought the grains from a different LHBS than I use and the grains were in a brown paper bag and not a clear sealed bag. I didn't even think to check. This is another reason I blame the crush, I've never bought from this other LHBS before so its a big unknown.
So am I safe in assuming it was a bad crush? Would uncrushed grains absorb less water than crushed ones?
