efficiency for dummies

[mr_tripp]

Can someone please explain efficiency to me anownow do I measure it. I read another post, but it did not makes sense. I did a batch sparge but want to know how/why/if I should do fly sparging.

 

[Palefire]

"Efficiency" indicates how much sugar you extracted from the grains you're using to brew. Each type of grain has a certain potential amount of sugar that can be extracted from it. When you mash and sparge, you converting the starch in the grain into sugar that's in a form that's usable to you. So 70% efficiency means that you've extracted 70% of the available sugars in the grain.

It's a little more complicated than that (or a lot more, depending on how technical you want to get), but that's the general idea. If you google "efficiency calculator" there are lots of places on line that will calculate your efficiency. There's also lots of helpful info here:http://suebob.com/brew/allgrain.htm

As far as batch vs. fly sparging goes, it doesn't really matter - my sense is that you should do what's easiest for you. It used to be the consensus that fly sparging was always more efficient, but lots of people here have shown that that's not necessarily true. The debate is endless, but lots of people have produced great beer using both methods.