Figuring my efficiency?

[Troutchaser]

So I'm brand new at this whole brewing thing and I'm starting with the biab method. I see a lot of people talking about what efficiency they are getting but I can't seem to find any info on how to figure my own efficiency? Is it an equation to get your efficiency percent or is there a site I can use to figure it out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[billl]

Most people are using brewing software to do the calculations. There are free ones, but the most popular is beersmith.

If you want to do it by hand, your efficiency is just the amount of sugar you got divided by the maximum amount of sugar in the grain.

eg 5 gallons of 1.045 wort has 5*45 = 225 sugar points. If your grain started with the potential for 350 points, you would have 225/350 = 64% efficiency.

Each grain has a rating for how much sugar is available listed as percentage compared to simple sugar. Base grains are around 80%. Specialty grains vary. To get the sugar available, you multiply that % by 45 and the lbs you used. eg 12 lbs of a 80% dry basis malt would be 80%*45*12 = 432. Do that for each malt and add them all up to get the total for your grain bill.

Example:

10lbs 2-row @ 81% + 1lb crystal 60 @ 75% = 10*45*.81 + 1*45*.75 = 364 + 34 = 398

if you got 5 gallons of 1.060 wort, the sugar you got would be 60*5 = 300

Your efficiency would be 300/398 = 75%

 

[whitesoup12]

Note also that there are different types of efficiency, such as conversion efficiency and brewhouse (or overall) efficiency. These are taken at different times in the process (ie. to kettle, to fermentor). Brewers Friend has a good explanation of these. http://www.brewersfriend.com/faq/#recipes18

 

[C-Rider]

So I'm brand new at this whole brewing thing and I'm starting with the biab method. I see a lot of people talking about what efficiency they are getting but I can't seem to find any info on how to figure my own efficiency? Is it an equation to get your efficiency percent or is there a site I can use to figure it out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

http://www.brewersfriend.com/brewhouse-efficiency/

 

[Troutchaser]

Thanks for the responses. The link is perfect. It's better if I don't have to do any of the math myself I would for sure screw that up!

 

[helibrewer]

So I'm brand new at this whole brewing thing and I'm starting with the biab method. I see a lot of people talking about what efficiency they are getting but I can't seem to find any info on how to figure my own efficiency? Is it an equation to get your efficiency percent or is there a site I can use to figure it out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Look at braukaiser.com and read the section on efficiency, it is a great explanation and some useful tools to use to troubleshoot.