Considering upgrading to brewing system

[Beerhog]

My local home brew got a shipment of Anvil foundries and i started thinking about upgrading from my partial mash brewing. One thing that concerns me is the reports of brewers posting low efficiency. I wanted to hear from folks that brew on their systems what to expect, and is it really worth it. What efficiency should i realistically expect from such a system? Do those systems provide better efficiency than brew in a bag? I know there different efficiencies being talked about and I'm still hazy which is which, but if i were to ask you to make 5 gallons of 1.050 gravity wort using just 2-row barley alone how many lbs of grain would you need on your rig?

 

[Rob2010SS]

Just to clarify, you're strictly talking about the Anvil product, right?

 

[Beerhog]

Well, I mean just in general. I would imagine all of those brew systems are similar plus or minus some features. I mentioned anvil, because that is what my lhbs has.

 

[Immocles]

While I don’t brew on an anvil, I do brew with a brewers edge mash and boil unit without the recirculating pulp. I love it. I line the mash pipe with a wilser bag and use a single infusion mash. With my corona mill, I’m in a 75-80% efficiency. I imagine it’s similar enough to the anvil.

I didn’t know I wanted my rig until I opened it last Christmas. I had just dialed in my stovetop process and was slightly bummed until I read up on it. The all in ones are pretty legit.

 

[Immocles]

As far as your lbs to gallons question, I don’t brew 5g, but I did a 4g batch of 1.052 pale ale this morning using 7.25lb of 2row, 6oz crystal malt, and 6oz of oats. 8lbs total grain.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I brew on a spike electric 3 vessel system and my efficiency is typically 80% on the nose. I love it and wouldn't do it any other way. It's a little bit more work to clean but worth it IMO

 

[bracconiere]

with my cooler and plain big pot....i would need 7.75lb's of 2-row for a 5 gallon batch at 1.050

 

[Coastalbrew]

I have a Brewer's edge mash and boil no pump version, and love it. My typical water to grain ratio is 1.5 -1.75 qt/#. And I'm getting brew house efficiency in the 75-80% range consistently. I typically brew 3.25 G batches with OG from 1.040 to 1.065. IMO you can't go wrong with any of the all in one systems. For me the decision was easy because I didn't want a pump and all the extra hassle of a million bells and whistles. I wanted simplicity, so the mash and boil was the ticket and it was the best brewing gear investment I've made so far.

 

[Sammy86]

I love my Brewzilla 65L...it's made brewing so much easier! I just have to dial in my numbers a little bit better but my first two brews came out great!

No more lugging hot water to the mash tun or hot wort to the stove! Easy decision!

 

[bracconiere]

Easy decision!

but the real question, how many pounds of 2-row to get 1.050? lol

 

[Sammy86]

but the real question, how many pounds of 2-row to get 1.050? lol

11 lbs on my system for a 5g batch

 

[bracconiere]

11 lbs on my system for a 5g batch

we gotta work on your skills! (that's like three bucks a week you could be saving!!! figuring a reasonable amount like 5 liters a day)

edit: damn, that's $150 a year!!!!

 

[Sammy86]

we gotta work on your skills! (that's like three bucks a week you could be saving!!! figuring a reasonable amount like 5 liters a day)

edit: damn, that's $150 a year!!!!

Brand new system...on my old cooler mash tun I was consistently getting 78-80%. Just have to dial it in and make some adjustments.

 

[bracconiere]

Brand new system...on my old cooler mash tun I was consistently getting 78-80%. Just have to dial it in and make some adjustments.

i've lost track of the OP.....but i've been preaching the use of a second step mash at 162f....bumped me from 83% to 88-90%

hope you get it dialed in..i have to take naps during brew day, and yes i say plural....

 

[Sammy86]

i've lost track of the OP.....but i've been preaching the use of a second step mash at 162f....bumped me from 83% to 88-90%

hope you get it dialed in..i have to take naps during brew day, and yes i say plural....

Just takes time and brews...with three kids under 4 I'm lucky to brew once or twice a quarter...also, not sharing as many brews because ya know, Rona.

 

[Beerhog]

Thanks guys for answering, that made my decision easier.

i've lost track of the OP.....but i've been preaching the use of a second step mash at 162f....bumped me from 83% to 88-90%

hope you get it dialed in..i have to take naps during brew day, and yes i say plural....

Could you point me to where I can read up on 162f second step mash?

 

[Nate R]

My local home brew got a shipment of Anvil foundries and i started thinking about upgrading from my partial mash brewing. One thing that concerns me is the reports of brewers posting low efficiency. I wanted to hear from folks that brew on their systems what to expect, and is it really worth it. What efficiency should i realistically expect from such a system? Do those systems provide better efficiency than brew in a bag? I know there different efficiencies being talked about and I'm still hazy which is which, but if i were to ask you to make 5 gallons of 1.050 gravity wort using just 2-row barley alone how many lbs of grain would you need on your rig?

Maybe a little late to the party, but here's my nickel worth of free advice....

I have a Brewie system. Notorious for crappy efficency. But i dialed it in over tine.
I think the best advice i can give you is.. do you mill your own grain? By experimenting with the crush size you might find efficency vary up to 10% or so.
So... i would advise you- if you are that concerned about efficency, plan on buying a mill if you have not yet done so.
If you have a mill, then i say go for it! I think the reason the all-in-one electric systems seem to be popping up all over is because they are so nice to use.

Now... to answer your question... it depends! Make your first brew a basic SMASH and check your numbers. If you are low on OG, adding an extra 4 ounces to 1 pound of base malt may make your numbers up.
(For my Brewie, i usually add 10% more grain or so. Depending on type of grain it can vary ((aka wheat vs. 2-row vs. Morebeer Viking malt)). I get lazy sometimes and dont want to adjust my mill. For an extra $1.05 or of grain, i can hit my numbers. )

 

[Coastalbrew]

Grain crush does make a difference. I don't have my own mill, but I buy all my ingredients from Atlantic brew supply, and double mill all my grains. I think as long as you get your grain from the same place and always mill the same way, you can get your system dialed in to a particular efficiency and then adjust your recipes if needed to hit the numbers you're after.

 

[bracconiere]

Thanks guys for answering, that made my decision easier.

Could you point me to where I can read up on 162f second step mash?

doesn't require much reading.....

one thought i have is that, at 162f maybe more starch gets gel'd, and alpha hasn't been denatured.....

edit: and there is no reading...it's my own thing i thought up to get better effec, with my home malt....was getting poor results in the mid to upper 70's with my home malt....so i thought why not a second step for alpha amylase, and walla! i started getting 80's with home malt, and consistent 88-90 with store bought....

 

[Bane]

How long do you do each temperature step for?

 

[heartofgold]

Hey all, reading the thread with interest. @Bane, I like what is posted on braukaiser.com regarding multi step mashes. http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Infusion_Mashing. I have a RIMs system and benefit from the ability to do step mashes that way and I often follow the "Hochkurz" profile (see the site). But for my Saisons, I will start off with a ferrulic rest at 113°F for 20 minutes to accentuate that phenolic character and step up from there. Overall my step mashing has moved me from 65-70% efficiency to 80%+ efficiency, depending on the beer.