Homebrewer not woried about 50% efficiency ??

[woollybugger2]

We had a Beer, Brats and Brew (and organic market) at the LHBS and there were three homebrewers set up in the parking lot, an AG, a PM full boil and a PM partial boil.

I was most interested in the AG set-up and watched the whole process from grinding the grains to the boil. I think my next brew will be AG. I asked him what his efficiency was and he stated that it was 50%. I was a little surprised by such a low number. He said he wasn't worried about it and said that a few more pounds of grain wasn't worth worrying about. A pound of grain from our LHBS is $3.75! He uses false bottom mash tuns and batch sparges.

He's been brewing for over 40 years and I guess you could say he's set in his ways. The first thing that comes to my mind is that his grain crushing must not be fine enough. I'm not sure what brand of crusher he was using or how it was adjusted. Anything else come to mind that would cause such a low efficiency???

At $3.75 a pound it wouldn't take too long to pay for a new The Barley Crusher Home

 

[bashe]

My first few AG batches I was getting 50% efficiency and it turned out to be my crush and my MLT. I upgraded my grain mill and my mash tun and my efficiency is now around 75%. But I will say he is right, once you get a process that you are comfortable with efficiency should not matter.

 

[Yooper]

I think that 50% is low, especially if you're getting ripped off so badly for grain.

Still, I'd rather get 70% each and every time consistently than try for 90% or some other figure. I get right around 75%, and I am very happy with the results. If he's happy with 50% efficiency and the taste of his brews, then that's the perfect efficiency for him.

 

[double_e5]

$3.75 for a pound of grain? How in the hell does that place stay in business?

 

[The Pol]

$3.75 for a pound of grain? How in the hell does that place stay in business?

$3.75 a pound? You do know you can buy #50 for like $41 right? Who the heck would pay that sort of money for grain?

I pay about $.90-$1.30 per pound for grain and about $1.10 per ounce for hops... I could brew 4 brews for what it costs that dude to brew ONE!

My Sierra Nevada Clone cost me about $17 WITH the cost of electricity figured in.

 

[woollybugger2]

well they do give a 10% discount to the local home brew club members....

they move a lot of buckets/bottles/carboys and grains... I don't know who their customers are, I buy online...

Today I saw that they are now stocking wort chillers... 25 ft for .... get this.... $100.95

 

[The Pol]

well they do give a 10% discount to the local home brew club members....they move a lot of buckets/bottles/carboys and grains... I don't know who their customers are, I buy online...

Today I saw that they are now stocking wort chillers... 25 ft for .... get this.... $100.95

WOW, 10% off something that is marked up 450%... damn.

25' chiller for $100? I just sold mine today for $10.

That is rediculous!