Crush

[KiterNick]

I just switched to all grain from extract and I'm looking at improving my efficiency. I'm getting about 79% from my mash, after reading a lot on here I think it is my grain crush. Othing things I have considered is my copper manifold and sparging techniques, but my manifold is similar to others on here that claim to get 85% or better. My LHBS says the mill is set to .038. I'm kind of okay with 79% if I can explain, I do not think I would buy myself a grain mill to try to improve it if that is the issues, but I would think about switching from a copper manifold to a false bottom. I mash in the 10 gallon rubbermaid with a false bottom, attached is a picture of the crush...I tried batch and fly sparging, results were about the same. I did not like batch sparging because of setting the grain bed up multiple times...

 

[hophop]

I just switched to all grain from extract and I'm looking at improving my efficiency. I'm getting about 79% from my mash, after reading a lot on here I think it is my grain crush. Othing things I have considered is my copper manifold and sparging techniques, but my manifold is similar to others on here that claim to get 85% or better. My LHBS says the mill is set to .038. I'm kind of okay with 79% if I can explain, I do not think I would buy myself a grain mill to try to improve it if that is the issues, but I would think about switching from a copper manifold to a false bottom. I mash in the 10 gallon rubbermaid with a false bottom, attached is a picture of the crush...I tried batch and fly sparging, results were about the same. I did not like batch sparging because of setting the grain bed up multiple times...

If you're consistently getting 79%, I'd be quite happy.

 

[aiptasia]

Looks fine. .039 is what mine sets theirs to. Have you looked at adjusting the mash pH?

 

[KiterNick]

I considered looking at the Ph, but most of the threads here go straight to the crush. Also, looking at this site I feel like my crush is larger than what is shown under the "good" setting...

http://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/03/28/best-grind-setting-for-grains/

 

[Yooper]

I guess my question is why you want to "improve" the efficiency %?

If you think it will give you better quality wort, for example, that's one thing. But chasing a number generally doesn't give the best quality wort, and a super high efficiency in fact can be detrimental to the wort. So if you know why you want to get a higher efficiency and the mash pH you have now, and the quality of the wort and how it improving it will help, that's one thing- but chasing a number won't improve the beer.

That said, you can certainly crush finer if you feel that you want to increase the efficiency and save a dollar or so!

 

[KiterNick]

Beer is good, so no worries there. If I increased the efficency I would use slightly less grain. Also, when I slaved away making my copper manfold and mash tun, I had visions of getting above average efficiency...

 

[kh54s10]

I find it interesting that you dislike batch sparging. I have not done a fly sparge, mostly because I have a water heater braid and it is not right for fly sparging. I am also not really interested because of the extra 3/4 to an hour it would take. With the need to watch the PH levels. So much more complicated!

 

[passedpawn]

Get a good infection or two and you'll stop worrying about your efficiency!

 

[BigFloyd]

Chasing super-high efficiency is sort of like chasing ABV. There's a downside to trying to get it way up there. I suspect that one of the reasons the mass-produced stuff tastes so horrid is the techniques they use in order to extract every last bit of sugar out of whatever grains and adjuncts they use.

I'd be perfectly content at 79% so long as it's consistent and predictable. I set the gap on my LHBS mill at .033" for BIAB and get a pretty constant 76%. I have no plans to change anything to try and squeeze out an additional few percent.

 

[eric19312]

Get a good infection or two and you'll stop worrying about your efficiency!

If passed is saying 79% and you are complaining... +1
That is pretty good I'd be more focused on consistency at that point.

 

[KiterNick]

I didn't like batch sparging beacause I didn't save that much time. When I fly sparge I set the grain bed with maybe 3 quarts and then I match the flow rate into the boiling pot and of the sparge water to about 1 quart per minute, and then I just watch, less activity then the time I batch sparged. It takes about 30-45 min for me to fly sparge. When I tried the batch sparge it took the same 3 quarts to set the grain bed, then I emptied half my boil volume into the boiling pot and added water for the second batch. After stirring it, I had to fish the hose our of the boiling pot and then it took maybe 6 quarts to get the grain bed set again, and then I drained it. I think it took half an hour, so the 15 min saving wasn't worth it to me to have to reset the grain bed twice and the mess of getting the hose out of the wort. Also, where i brew at is well suited for a gravity feed from the sparge water to the mash tun...