ViperMan
Well-Known Member
Dear HBT'ers,
I'm really asking for some professional advice here.
I brewed an AG beer a few weeks ago and BOMBED on my efficiency. I was very bummed. The next brew (a week later) I hit about 77 percent, which I was quite pleased by. I did things differently the second time.
I'd like to share with you my equipment and my method, and get some insight on how either might be failing me. HOWEVER, I'd like to mention that finances are TIGHT this year (new baby born Christmas Eve), so I cannot really upgrade my equipment at this time. So hopefully I can improve my process without having to buy more stuff...
I use a 10-gallon cylindrical drink cooler - the large orange ones available at Home Depot. I took out the spigot and installed a copper ball valve, which leads to a T-junction inside and a round length of stainless steel line, rubber hose removed. I measured the deadspace, and it's approximately 2 cups that can't pour out through the ball valve. I also drilled a hole at an angle to insert a long-stem thermometer.
I mostly brew 2.5 gallon batches - lets me make more variety while saving costs and not ending up with too much beer around since I mostly drink it and... ...I'm on a diet... (50 pounds lost since April 2012)
When I mash, I put hot tap water in the cooler - usually 3 gallons. I bring my strike water (Beersmith appears to calculate approximately 1.3-1.4 quarts per pound of grain...) to 164 degrees. Just as it's ready I dump the tap water, dump in the pre-measured grain, and add the strike water. I aim for 155 degrees so that it'll cool to 150 within the hour. I usually make sure I have at least a half-gallon of near-boiling water ready to toss in if my mash is too cool. That happened on the second brew - I had to add at least a half-gallon because I kept losing temp...
When I'm at temp, I start my timer - 60 minutes. I stir approximately every 15 minutes, keeping the lid tight in between. When 60 is up, I drain out a quart and then carefully pour back into the cooler. I do this until I don't get any more heavy particles. I then drain, and I drain pretty quick. I've never had a stuck sparge. I will usually let it sit just for a little bit to let as much drain out of the grain as I can - usually 5 minutes. Then I'll close the valve and add my sparge water. For brew 1, I added all the sparge, let sit, recirc'd, drained, and that was it. For brew 2, I added half the sparge, let sit briefly, recirc'd, drained, added the rest of the sparge (all at 170 degrees by the way) stirred VIGOROUSLY, let sit, recirc'd, then drained again. On the SECOND brew, I put the wort on the stove and started it heating for boil. MEANWHILE, I scooped off the top of the grain from the tub that was mostly "dry", until I got to moist grain. I scooped this into a nylon brewing bag, and then wrung the living **** out of it... I took this and dumped it into the boil kettle - a 5-gallon stainless steel pot (my 7.5 gal turkey fryer got used... ...to fry a turkey... So it's no good anymore.)
My BIGGEST concern is that wringing out the grain squeezed out stuff I DIDN'T want in my brew. However I think it gave me that least few percent. I honestly didn't taste this to see if it was still sweet. My fault. I DO think the batch sparge will be my method going forward instead of a single fly sparge. I'd love to continuous sparge, but I think that with using such small batches, this will be MUCH harder than it's worth, plus I'll need some fancy equipment which I really can't afford.
I'm sorry for making this so long, but I'm trying to get things right and get better consistency. My first batch was barely 60% efficiency - that's just such a waste!
Thanks for your time, and I look forward to the replies.
I'm really asking for some professional advice here.
I brewed an AG beer a few weeks ago and BOMBED on my efficiency. I was very bummed. The next brew (a week later) I hit about 77 percent, which I was quite pleased by. I did things differently the second time.
I'd like to share with you my equipment and my method, and get some insight on how either might be failing me. HOWEVER, I'd like to mention that finances are TIGHT this year (new baby born Christmas Eve), so I cannot really upgrade my equipment at this time. So hopefully I can improve my process without having to buy more stuff...
I use a 10-gallon cylindrical drink cooler - the large orange ones available at Home Depot. I took out the spigot and installed a copper ball valve, which leads to a T-junction inside and a round length of stainless steel line, rubber hose removed. I measured the deadspace, and it's approximately 2 cups that can't pour out through the ball valve. I also drilled a hole at an angle to insert a long-stem thermometer.
I mostly brew 2.5 gallon batches - lets me make more variety while saving costs and not ending up with too much beer around since I mostly drink it and... ...I'm on a diet... (50 pounds lost since April 2012)
When I mash, I put hot tap water in the cooler - usually 3 gallons. I bring my strike water (Beersmith appears to calculate approximately 1.3-1.4 quarts per pound of grain...) to 164 degrees. Just as it's ready I dump the tap water, dump in the pre-measured grain, and add the strike water. I aim for 155 degrees so that it'll cool to 150 within the hour. I usually make sure I have at least a half-gallon of near-boiling water ready to toss in if my mash is too cool. That happened on the second brew - I had to add at least a half-gallon because I kept losing temp...
When I'm at temp, I start my timer - 60 minutes. I stir approximately every 15 minutes, keeping the lid tight in between. When 60 is up, I drain out a quart and then carefully pour back into the cooler. I do this until I don't get any more heavy particles. I then drain, and I drain pretty quick. I've never had a stuck sparge. I will usually let it sit just for a little bit to let as much drain out of the grain as I can - usually 5 minutes. Then I'll close the valve and add my sparge water. For brew 1, I added all the sparge, let sit, recirc'd, drained, and that was it. For brew 2, I added half the sparge, let sit briefly, recirc'd, drained, added the rest of the sparge (all at 170 degrees by the way) stirred VIGOROUSLY, let sit, recirc'd, then drained again. On the SECOND brew, I put the wort on the stove and started it heating for boil. MEANWHILE, I scooped off the top of the grain from the tub that was mostly "dry", until I got to moist grain. I scooped this into a nylon brewing bag, and then wrung the living **** out of it... I took this and dumped it into the boil kettle - a 5-gallon stainless steel pot (my 7.5 gal turkey fryer got used... ...to fry a turkey... So it's no good anymore.)
My BIGGEST concern is that wringing out the grain squeezed out stuff I DIDN'T want in my brew. However I think it gave me that least few percent. I honestly didn't taste this to see if it was still sweet. My fault. I DO think the batch sparge will be my method going forward instead of a single fly sparge. I'd love to continuous sparge, but I think that with using such small batches, this will be MUCH harder than it's worth, plus I'll need some fancy equipment which I really can't afford.
I'm sorry for making this so long, but I'm trying to get things right and get better consistency. My first batch was barely 60% efficiency - that's just such a waste!
Thanks for your time, and I look forward to the replies.