Efficiency Again

[davidkrau]

My prior thread regarding efficiency appears to be broken. I cant't post a reply so I started a new thread.
OK, I understand that if you extract all the sugar from the grain you have 100% efficiency and if for example you only extract 70% of the sugar you have 70% efficiency. The question in how do you determine how much sugar has been extracted and how much has been retained in the grain. Is this done by SG's. What formula do you use to determine percent efficiency.

David

 

[Darth Konvel]

You've got it. Once you've done your mash, at some point you take a gravity reading, and then compare that against the thoeretical maximum.

So the formula works out something like (Observed OG)/(Theoretical maximum OG attainable)

 

[Janx]

Software like ProMash makes your life much easier in this regard. You can download a trial version.

Basically, each ingredient has an SG rating that indicates what it would contribute to the wort if you extracted 100%. Based on that number, the volume of wort and the gravity, you can determine your efficiency.

I don't know the actual formula off the top of my head because I just use software. You can find this and many other formulas in the book "Designing Great Beers". It has all kinds of technical formulas and whatnot for every aspect of your beer.

Cheers

 

[davidkrau]

Thanks. You've answered all my questions.

David

 

[Bernie Brewer]

There's also plenty of online caculators to use if you don't want to shell out the dough for Beersmith or Promash