First Recipe Brew Day

[NyQuil_Driver]

Hey Folks,

Last weekend, I brewed up my first original recipe ever. I started small, only using 3 pounds of grain. When I did the math, it looks like I came up with about a 65% mash efficiency.

I'll admit that the equipment I'm using right now isn't exactly ideal. I'm fly sparging with a bottling bucket and a mesh bag. My whole process is detailed over on the latest post on my homebrew blog.

So here's my question: Considering I'm on a pretty tight budget right now, what's the next step I need to take in increasing my efficiency? False bottom for the bottling bucket? Craigslist 10Gal cooler and a stainless mesh manifold?

Beuller? Beuller?

Thanks!

 

[mojotele]

The next step to take only costs you more time: reading and gathering more data.

Read this page on Braukaiser's website and use his spreadsheets to gather data and figure out your conversion efficiency and lautering efficiency. Remember: the first step to solving a problem is precisely defining it.

If your conversion efficiency is low, you'll do one thing. If your lautering efficiency is low, you'll do something different. Braukaiser actually tells you how to evaluate each type of efficiency and what can make them better/worse.

 

[smizak]

For cheap and easy, a 5 gallon cylindrical and stainless braid/cpvc manifold. I made my cpvc manifold for about $2. A bottling bucket spigot threads right into a 3/4" cpvc receptacle. Search for the BobbyM all-grain tutorial on here, his process guarantees at least 80% efficiency. I went all-grain immediately after reading that, made so much sense to me. Double batch sparge, no mash-out FTW!

 

[twoodward15]

NyQuil, where are you in South Jersey? I might have some brewing gear for you. I'min Turnersville at the AC expy/rt 42 split. I'd also like to invite you to a meeting of the Gloucester County Homebrewers as well. Our website is down rightnow, but we'll have a new website back up in a few weeks. You can get the info from me at [email protected]
We do some group brews and some big brews (25 gallons) that you might be interested in getting in on. Let me know if you're close to us.