Can you double check my efficiency?

[traviswalken]

I had a crazy brew day yesterday with lots of firsts (milling my own grains, brewing outside, brewing a 10 gallon batch, fermenting in corny kegs, etc.)

I calced my efficiency in beersmith and on paper. It is much higher than normal.

Grain bill:
2-Row = 15.5 lbs
Victory = 1 lb
Munich = 1 lb
Crystal 40 = 1 lb
Acid Malt = .25 lbs

Total grains = 18.75 lbs & 691.75 points

I collected 12.5 gallons wort with 1.046 gravity.

My math: (46 x 12.5)/691.75 = 83.1%

Beersmith says 81.1% (maybe it corrects volume for temperature?)


I am used to getting 68% - 73% efficiency.

Can someone double check my efficiency for me?

If my math is right, I would guess milling my own grains is the cause. :rockin:

 

[helibrewer]

Makes sense to me, milling your own grain can have a huge impact on efficiency.

 

[C-Rider]

I had a crazy brew day yesterday with lots of firsts (milling my own grains, brewing outside, brewing a 10 gallon batch, fermenting in corny kegs, etc.)

I calced my efficiency in beersmith and on paper. It is much higher than normal.

Grain bill:
2-Row = 15.5 lbs
Victory = 1 lb
Munich = 1 lb
Crystal 40 = 1 lb
Acid Malt = .25 lbs

Total grains = 18.75 lbs & 691.75 points

I collected 12.5 gallons wort with 1.046 gravity.

My math: (46 x 12.5)/691.75 = 83.1%

Beersmith says 81.1% (maybe it corrects volume for temperature?)


I am used to getting 68% - 73% efficiency.

Can someone double check my efficiency for me?

If my math is right, I would guess milling my own grains is the cause. :rockin:

This web site gives you 86%

http://www.brewersfriend.com/brewhouse-efficiency/

 

[brewkinger]

If my math is right, I would guess milling my own grains is the cause. :rockin:

Congrats on your 80%+ efficiency.
Same thing happened to me on my first self milled batch. Went from 60 and 70 (couple of 50s even!) to 84% and then 87%

I figure the mill will pay for itself after 76 more batches!!

 

[traviswalken]

Congrats on your 80%+ efficiency.
Same thing happened to me on my first self milled batch. Went from 60 and 70 (couple of 50s even!) to 84% and then 87%

I figure the mill will pay for itself after 76 more batches!!

I try to avoid doing cost benefit analysis when it comes to homebrew.

I bought the mill because I won a door prize at homebrew club event. The door prize was a 50 lb sack of 2-row. I bought the $130 mill to process the $40 sack of grain. I am starting to feel like the old lady who swallowed the spider to catch the fly.

Oh well. It felt pretty good to get better efficiency. More importantly I hope to get more consistant efficiency. I have been all over the place with my since going all grain.

 

[traviswalken]

C-rider: I wonder if the variety in efficiency calculations has to do with points available from grains. I believe the points vary by crop and maltster. I bet different calculators use slightly different variables. I also think the volume of water is important. I would guess some of them adjust for water temperature.

Ultimately, it is probably most important to pick a calculator and stick with it.

Thanks for verifying my efficiency.

 

[dantodd]

Don't think of it as buying a $130 mill to crush $40 worth of malt. Think of it as buying a $130 mill and getting a $40 rebate.