Another efficiency Q

[KayaBrew]

How can my efficiency be so high? I hit 89% today turning a 1.053 Cali Common into a 1.063 "I don't know what".

I doughed in 10.25lbs of grain with 5 gallons of water (yes, I like a thin mash). That comes out to 1.78 qts/lb. I mashed at 152 for one hour. I did a single batch sparge with 2.88 gallons of water. I let the sparge water rest for 10 minutes before draining the tun.

I use BeerTools Pro, and I buy all of my ingredients from Brewmaster's Warehouse (I used BrewBuilder for the Cali Common recipe). I've never weighed the grist before brewing. I just assume Ed and his team send me what I order. Here's the specs from BTP after I brewed and entered my actual OG. And yes, my hydro is dead balls on in 60 degree distilled water.

I guess I'll have to account for higher efficiency next time I enter a recipe into BTP.

Steam
7-B California Common Beer
Author: Marc L
Date: 1/26/10

Size: 5.5 gal
Efficiency: 88.88%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 210.26 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.063 (1.048 - 1.054)
Terminal Gravity: 1.016 (1.011 - 1.014)
Color: 13.68 (10.0 - 14.0)
Alcohol: 6.21% (4.5% - 5.5%)
Bitterness: 37.3 (30.0 - 45.0)

Ingredients:
8.5 lb 2-Row Brewers Malt
1 lb Caramel Malt 60L
1.25 lb Munich 10L Malt (Organic)
.5 lb Victory® Malt
12 g Magnum (13.4%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1.5 oz Northern Brewer (8.0%) - added during boil, boiled 10 min
1.5 oz Northern Brewer (8.0%) - added during boil, boiled 1 min
0.0 ea White Labs WLP810 San Fransisco Lager

Schedule:
Ambient Air: 70.0 °F
Source Water: 60.0 °F
Elevation: 0.0 m

00:05:00 Mash In - Liquor: 5.01 gal; Strike: 167.2 °F; Target: 152 °F
01:05:00 Sach Rest - Rest: 60 min; Final: 150.0 °F
01:20:00 Sparge - First Runnings: 0.0 gal sparge @ 168.0 °F, 0.0 min; Sparge #1: 2.88 gal sparge @ 195.0 °F, 15 min; Total Runoff: 6.38 gal

Notes
Mash @ 151-152 for 1 hour
Grain bed @ 166 at sparge.
OG 10 points higher than what was expected (1.053)
Maybe start entering efficiency @ 80-85%

Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.3

 

[kozydogg]

so what is your question? if you practice the same process every time and make sure you're consistent, just adjust your efficiency settings on your software and you'll be all set!

Main thing is to be consistent. I've been able to perfect my procedure and get about 90-92% efficiency. However, since there may always be errors, I set my software to calculate for 88% efficiency.

 

[bob1852]

how are you measuring volume?

If your volume measurements aren't accurate, your numbers will be "off" even if in reality they are spot "on"

 

[KayaBrew]

so what is your question? if you practice the same process every time and make sure you're consistent, just adjust your efficiency settings on your software and you'll be all set!

Main thing is to be consistent. I've been able to perfect my procedure and get about 90-92% efficiency. However, since there may always be errors, I set my software to calculate for 88% efficiency.

Well, thanks for asking. I guess I'm not sure what my question is! Up until my last 2 brews, my eff. was 70-75% (about 10 AG's). Now I've shot up to 85-90%. I've done nothing different as far as my technique goes since I started mashing thinner back in September. I will just go ahead and account for 85% in the future.

 

[KayaBrew]

how are you measuring volume?

If your volume measurements aren't accurate, your numbers will be "off" even if in reality they are spot "on"

I measure out full gallons of strike and sparge water by using a gallon jug and by using the volume etchings I made on my 10 gallon brewpot (starting at 4 gallons and every .25 gallons up to 6.5). I measure smaller volumes with a 1 quart measuring cup with markings for ounces. Like I said, I guess I'm just trying to figure out how my eff. shot up from 70-75% to almost 90%!

 

[kozydogg]

Well, thanks for asking. I guess I'm not sure what my question is! Up until my last 2 brews, my eff. was 70-75% (about 10 AG's). Now I've shot up to 85-90%. I've done nothing different as far as my technique goes since I started mashing thinner back in September. I will just go ahead and account for 85% in the future.

A couple things to consider:

-how fine you crush your grains will affect your efficiency

-usually a thicker mash will give you higher eff. about <1.5 qt/lb

-make sure you sparge SLOWLY: about 8-10 min per gallon

 

[bob1852]

I measure out full gallons of strike and sparge water by using a gallon jug and by using the volume etchings I made on my 10 gallon brewpot (starting at 4 gallons and every .25 gallons up to 6.5). I measure smaller volumes with a 1 quart measuring cup with markings for ounces. Like I said, I guess I'm just trying to figure out how my eff. shot up from 70-75% to almost 90%!

good! I think a lot of people rely on ale pail markings or other strange ways of measuring volume which can lead to efficiency questions.

Have you always got your grains from BMW? I've heard there crush is a little finer than some of the other on-line places.

Also, have you always mashed thin, or is that something new? I know Kaiser, the Pol and others on here have pretty much shown that a thinner mash can lead to higher conversion efficiency, which, if you lauter efficiency remains consistent, with a thinner mash you'd hav a higher brewhouse efficiency (this makes the assumption that your thicker mash wasn't as conversion efficient).

 

[KayaBrew]

good! I think a lot of people rely on ale pail markings or other strange ways of measuring volume which can lead to efficiency questions.

Have you always got your grains from BMW? I've heard there crush is a little finer than some of the other on-line places.

Also, have you always mashed thin, or is that something new? I know Kaiser, the Pol and others on here have pretty much shown that a thinner mash can lead to higher conversion efficiency, which, if you lauter efficiency remains consistent, with a thinner mash you'd hav a higher brewhouse efficiency (this makes the assumption that your thicker mash wasn't as conversion efficient).

Ever since I went to AG, BMW has been my only supplier. I am a loyal customer.

I began mashing thinner when I was reading a lengthy discussion on HBT with Kaiser, the Pol et. al. When I started AG, I was mashing at the standard 1.25 qt/lb, but have since moved up to no less than 1.5 and no more than 1.8 qt/lb.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about getting 85% brewhouse eff., I am simply wondering how it went up 10 points in the last two brews. I guess I just have my system really dialed in. Thanks for your insights!

 

[annasdadhockey]

Same thing happened to me Saturday. OG for 11 gallons was supposed to be 1.056(75% eff)...my preboil gravity for 14 gallons was 1.057!!! I feel your "pain".