Brewhouse Efficiency and Adjuncts

[ThoricourtBrewing]

I have a couple of noob questions I was hoping I could get some help with:

1) Is there an easy way to calculate extract efficiency? I feel like I'm using a ton of grains for my batches in comparison with other recipes I've seen. For example, I brewed a strong Abbey ale today--used 14+ pounds of grain (and over a pound of candi sugar), and my OG is only 1072. I was hoping for a little higher considering all the grain I used---does this sound off?

2) I've read a lot about folks using adjuncts, such as different types of flakes, unmalted grains, etc; for the purpose of flavor, head retention, etc. Do flakes or unmalted grains have any fermentable value? For example, I've read of recipes having as much a 50% unmalted wheat--I'm assuming the remaining 50% would have to be a lot of grain unless planning on a very light beer??

Thanks,
Dan

 

[PanzerBanana]

How much water did you use and what kind of grain?

I don't think unmalted grain has much to offer for fermentation. I don't remember all the science(plus my head is full of all my current research) but the malting is vital as it brings about the changes in the grain so the starch will convert.

Unmalted grain is mostly just for body and flavor. Flakes are somewhat the same, but the processing they go through does convert some of the starches and they do need a mashing. And depending on the flakes may need a mashing with another base malt for the enzymes needed to convert the starches in the flaked grain. I just learned that because I'm thinking of adding rice to an "east meets west" kind of beer.

With 14 pounds I'm guessing you didn't use extract, so perhaps you didn't mash for the right amount of time or temperature.

 

[ThoricourtBrewing]

The grain bill was:
2 row pils (65%)
Munich (5%)
Cara 60 EBC (10%)
Cara 120 EBC (10%)
Special B (5%)
Malted wheat (5%)

I used 20 quarts for mash water. I "mashed in" at 122F for a 20 minute rest; then bumped up to 152F for one hour. After one hour at the conversion temp, I mashed out at 170F for 5 minutes.

 

[jkarp]

Bang your recipe into the TastyBrew calculators.