Getting poor efficiency, how to measure mash tun temperature

[jfr1111]

Ya I'm going to make sure my equipment is properly calibrated and use a glass thermometer I purchased from my LHBS. I'm also going to try a small 2-3Gallon BIAB and see what sort of efficiency I get.

I would try using the same process or only changing one variable at a time to insure you find the source of your problem. Decreasing batch size and going to BIAB might make an increase (or decrease) in efficiency, but you will not know precisely why. Calibrate your new thermometer and brew a new batch using the same process as before. Use a little more grain and plan for lower efficiency if you want the recipe to still turn out as intended or compensate with DME at the end of the boil.

Incorrect volume measurements can also impact efficiency (ie. using too much strike water and /or sparge water compared to what the recipe calls for). This is easy to check for and I'd check for it, both pre-boil and post-boil.

 

[guitarguy6]

I just started a quick 3 gallon biab after calibrating my equipment and so far it's going well. The grains have been mashing for 30min while I give the grains a stir every 10min and my brix reading is 12 which is slightly higher than what brewtarget estimated my pre-boil gravity to be using %70 efficiency. I'm thinking my problem was a mix of wrong mash temperature and not stirring the grain at all during mash.

 

[guitarguy6]

I just started a quick 3 gallon biab after calibrating my equipment and so far it's going well. The grains have been mashing for 30min while I give the grains a stir every 10min and my brix reading is 12 which is slightly higher than what brewtarget estimated my pre-boil gravity to be using %70 efficiency. I'm thinking my problem was a mix of wrong mash temperature and not stirring the grain at all during mash.

Is this a goood brix to SG calculator? http://www.brewersfriend.com/brix-converter/

 

[guitarguy6]

After 2 consecutive successful 3 gallon BIAB on my home stove I brewed a full 5 gallon batch today using my mash tun, hlt and 19 gallon kettle with a blichmann 4500Watt boil coil. I stirred my mash tun every 15min for an hour at 152F and used a glass thermometer as well as a fairly cheap thermapen to monitor temps. Instead of fly sparging I did a 2 step batch sparge. Drained mash tun, added water, stirred, waited 10 min and drained both times. Using this method I had about %85 efficiency. I had to add water after the boil as I originally estimated %75 efficiency. Was going for an APA but would've ended up with an ABV of just over %8. My next brewday I will go back to fly sparging but stir the grains during the mash and also a few times during the fly sparge.