efficeincy issue, sorry if has been done before

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no_borders

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i used to mash in a 5 gallon cooler, and got 75% all the time, never an issue and always the same. i switched to a 10 gallon cooler and all of the sudden i struggle to make 60% i was wondering if this is a common result? i thought it would be the same, my crush has stayed the same, wort collected has stayed the same, any ideas? any feedback would be much appreciated
 
IS your time to runoff still the same, as well? You could be emptying the tun too quickly.
 
What kind of system are you using in the bottom of the kettle for lautering? False bottom, manifold, braid? Is there a difference between them? When I switched from 5 to 10 gallons a kept everything else the same, I gained a couple points. If everything else is equal, it shouldn't be that far off. What else in the process is different?
 
i got a braided hose in the bottom, same style i had in the five gallon cooler. i was wondering about the depth of the grain bed. the new cooler is alot wider so it did make the grain much more shallow, could that be it?
 
Do you Batch or Fly sparge? The depth of the grain bed makes zero difference if you batch sparge. It makes a lot of difference if you Fly.
 
Batch or fly sparging? If you are batch sparging, the grain bed depth shouldn't make much difference if any. Also, if you are batch sparging, are you able to drain the MT completely? Leaving an appreciable amount of wort behind could definitely influence your efficiency, especially on 5 gallon batches.
 
I did the same a few years ago, and my efficiency dropped by 5% (from 85% down to 80%), but I was fly sparging. I also found that I could cut down my sparge times by about 30% with no further loss of efficiency. I tried batch sparging a few times with both coolers, and got 80% with the 5g cooler, and 75% with the 10g.

-a.
 
What kind of system are you using in the bottom of the kettle for lautering? False bottom, manifold, braid? Is there a difference between them? When I switched from 5 to 10 gallons a kept everything else the same, I gained a couple points. If everything else is equal, it shouldn't be that far off. What else in the process is different?

Why would that matter? How you separate the wort from the grain while lautering doesn't make a difference in how the enzymes convert the starches to sugars.
 
+1 for more wort left in bigger mash tun....although you wouldn't think it cause a 15% drop.....
 
im batch sparging, and im still collecting the same run off. its completly baffled me as well. i really just dont get it at all
 
How many batches have you done in the 10g cooler so far? And what kind of cooler is it? With batch sparging it shouldn't matter too much unless you have a ton of deadspace...but you say the run off volumes are correct.

Are you doing the same size batches in the cooler? Or did you switch to this cooler and start doing big beers or something?

I'm just trying to think of any other variables that might have changed aside from the cooler.
 
If you are doing high gravity brews with the new cooler (10 gal cooler to hold the extra grain for a BIG 5 gal beer) then that could be the reason for the eff. drop, but a 15% drop is something to be concerned about......
 
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