Eff. loss from kettle to bucket

[BrewBrain]

I'm really starting to get bothered by my efficiency points loss from my kettle to my bucket. I'm siphoning from my kettle to my bucket so I can leave the break material behind, and I'm losing about 20 points of efficiency.

Today's batch was 92% into my kettle, 72% into my bucket. Is something wrong? That just seems like way too much good stuff being left behind. Is this normal?

At least my numbers are consistent and reliable, so I'm happy to have that going for me

 

[WBC]

Try not being concerned with transferring the entire contents of the boiler to the fermenter. The trub (particulates and hops) does no harm to the fermentation process and does no ruin the beer. This is not only easier but I think it adds nutrients to the fermentation process and the yeast love it. Not to worry, your efficiency will improve too.

 

[Boodlemania]

Personally, after the boil I put my (used) hop bag in a metal colander over a stainless bowl. (all pre-sanitized). After I rack the "clean wort" from my kettle, I pour the remainder into the hop bag, thereby filtering most of the trub and break material out. After this has drained sufficiently, I pour the contents of the bowl into the fermenter.

Usually I get 1-2 quarts of extra wort in this manner that would otherwise be lost. Call me stingy.

 

[chumprock]

Bah.. numbers.

Are you making good beer?

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

20 points lost sounds excessive. Are you absolutely certain the volume measurements and gravity measurements are accurate? Do you measure the kettle volume and fermenter volume using different methods/containers? Do you account for the thermal expansion of water in your volume measurements?

I would make triple sure that every volume measurement you make is accurate (and temp corrected where applicable) and that 5 gallons measured in the kettle is exactly the same as 5 gallons measured in the fermenter. Don't trust any lines on a fermenting bucket...those are notoriously inaccurate.

And don't read the hydro sample when it's hot or even warm...read it at room temp at the most. Even with the temp correction it can be quite inaccurate when it's warm.

 

[BrewBrain]

Bah.. numbers.

Are you making good beer?

Beer is good. I'd still like to work on things that I can improve.

 

[BrewBrain]

Personally, after the boil I put my (used) hop bag in a metal colander over a stainless bowl. (all pre-sanitized). After I rack the "clean wort" from my kettle, I pour the remainder into the hop bag, thereby filtering most of the trub and break material out. After this has drained sufficiently, I pour the contents of the bowl into the fermenter.

Usually I get 1-2 quarts of extra wort in this manner that would otherwise be lost. Call me stingy.

I'm thinking of doing similar. I used to just dump the entire contents of the boil kettle into the fermenter. I lost around 10 points this way. I'm now leaving just under a gallon of "stuff" in the kettle and I'm losing 20 points. This all seems wrong to me, but I've never heard how many points other brewers lose from mash to bucket.

 

[BrewBrain]

20 points lost sounds excessive. Are you absolutely certain the volume measurements and gravity measurements are accurate? Do you measure the kettle volume and fermenter volume using different methods/containers? Do you account for the thermal expansion of water in your volume measurements?

I would make triple sure that every volume measurement you make is accurate (and temp corrected where applicable) and that 5 gallons measured in the kettle is exactly the same as 5 gallons measured in the fermenter. Don't trust any lines on a fermenting bucket...those are notoriously inaccurate.

And don't read the hydro sample when it's hot or even warm...read it at room temp at the most. Even with the temp correction it can be quite inaccurate when it's warm.

I cool all samples and correct for temp, so that isn't it. I will, however, check my volumes. I've never made sure the lines are correct.

Thermal expansion - I've ignored that. Good point. I'll correct for that next time as well. That said, the measurements are approx 120* and 70*, so I'm not sure it is an issue.

I have checked my hydrometer with tap water and it checks out fine.