cladinshadows
Well-Known Member
I just finished my third AG batch today, and my brewhouse efficiency was ridiculously low. I calculated it at 55%.
Can somebody help me diagnose the problem?
I use a home depot 10 gal beverage cooler as my MLT with a steel braid over vinyl tubing, per flyguy's great how-to.
Grain bill consisted of 9 lbs. or pal 2-row, 9 lbs. of vienna and 1/2 lb. of cara-pils and a backup addition of 3 lbs of DME.
Mash was a two-step infusion, first at 133 degrees with 1.25 qt/lb of grain for 30 minutes, second at 151 degrees with a total ratio of 1.65 qt/lb of grain for 60 minutes. I did an iodine test to confirm conversion at that point. I drained all of the runnings and batch sparged with 6.5 gal of 170F (even though I should be using about 9 gallons, I doubt that can account for this big of a discrepancy). First runnings went into an IPA, second runnings went to a very mild pale ale. I preheated the tun as well.
Based on my experience with my apparent lack of skill, I figured I'd miss my intended gravity by a lot, so I added 1.5lbs. of DME to each.
In the end, I collected 5 gallons of 1.072 wort for the IPA, and 4 gallons of 1.033 wort for the PA. When I calculate that out as if it were a single batch, I get 9 gallons of 1.055 wort, from 18.5 lbs of grain and 3 lbs of DME. That comes to a 55% brewhouse efficiency.
I hit my temps, checked for conversion, everything seemed fine. I don't believe the crush is an issue, as I had my LHBS mill it twice. Does anybody have an idea of where I'm going wrong? I am getting frustrated as all three of my AG batches have had similarly low efficiency!
Can somebody help me diagnose the problem?
I use a home depot 10 gal beverage cooler as my MLT with a steel braid over vinyl tubing, per flyguy's great how-to.
Grain bill consisted of 9 lbs. or pal 2-row, 9 lbs. of vienna and 1/2 lb. of cara-pils and a backup addition of 3 lbs of DME.
Mash was a two-step infusion, first at 133 degrees with 1.25 qt/lb of grain for 30 minutes, second at 151 degrees with a total ratio of 1.65 qt/lb of grain for 60 minutes. I did an iodine test to confirm conversion at that point. I drained all of the runnings and batch sparged with 6.5 gal of 170F (even though I should be using about 9 gallons, I doubt that can account for this big of a discrepancy). First runnings went into an IPA, second runnings went to a very mild pale ale. I preheated the tun as well.
Based on my experience with my apparent lack of skill, I figured I'd miss my intended gravity by a lot, so I added 1.5lbs. of DME to each.
In the end, I collected 5 gallons of 1.072 wort for the IPA, and 4 gallons of 1.033 wort for the PA. When I calculate that out as if it were a single batch, I get 9 gallons of 1.055 wort, from 18.5 lbs of grain and 3 lbs of DME. That comes to a 55% brewhouse efficiency.
I hit my temps, checked for conversion, everything seemed fine. I don't believe the crush is an issue, as I had my LHBS mill it twice. Does anybody have an idea of where I'm going wrong? I am getting frustrated as all three of my AG batches have had similarly low efficiency!