Is 75% efficiency the norm?

[brewprint]

Well I did a 5.5 gallon batch of yooper dead guy clone and got only 74%. I mashed higher so I'm hoping my gravity doesn't drop too much.

Back to the drawing board! Just kidding I'm satisfied with consistant results.

I base my efficiency only on what my SG is.

 

[GoldDiggingBrewer]

I've now done 5 batches. My first I undershot SG by 10 points and the rest have been spot on for 75%. What could be done to achieve higher?

I don't really need to do higher just curious about how it could be done.

I do around 70%-75%. I set my BrewersFriend recipe to 70% and I win every time.

 

[Supertrapped]

New to BIAB. I have made only a few batches thus far. My efficiency is hovering around the 75% mark. I am completely happy with that.

 

[rhys333]

I rinse and dunk sparge after the mash. Last batch I put effort into getting as much out as possible and achieved 80% efficiency. The batch before that I got 75%.

 

[Brew_G]

At six BIAB batches in, I always set brew house efficiency to 75% in Brewer's Friend. I figured I'd start there since it was the default and then I could adjust from there. I've generally come in within a point or two of that percentage, though I'm still dialing in my process and coming to grips with the settings on my Barley Crusher.

However, on the beer I brewed a few days ago, I got 67% (1.051 v. 1.057), so l was a little miffed because it represented a change to what my general process was. It was only after some research that I realized it was almost certainly to do with the fact that nearly 40% of my grist was white wheat malt. I didn't realize that, for wheat, the crusher settings should be reduced, double-crushing would be in order, or more grain would need to be used. Lesson learned on that one.

In terms of wanting higher efficiency, for me it would be nice if I were to decide to do a big beer. I've only planned beers in the 1.055-1.063 range to this point, and with a 9-gallon pot things get a little crammed the bigger the beer gets. I usually sparge with a gallon of water, and while I'm not opposed to increasing the sparge amount of even reducing the batch size, I'd like to get a little better efficiency simply to reduce my mash volume for those possible bigger beers.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

I can't explain why I had higher efficiency but this has turned out to be a nice surprise. I will definitely be doing BIAB for smaller 5 gal batches in the future!

I was just wondering what your mash thickness was? I've noticed a 7% increase in my BIAB efficiency since I started double crushing my grains and using a thinner 90 minute mash.

 

[drlars]

I do BIAB partial-mashes, and yes, I find my efficiency is 75-78%
(And that includes double-milling any wheat malt with a protein rest)
I agree that mash thickness likely plays a part. I use 1.4 Q / lb to start, then eyeball it and titrate as needed; I am going for a 'thin oatmeal'- like consistency; such that I feel resistance when I stir, but its too thick to splash?

I second the Brewers Friend recommendation, too. Great online program. And free! (with max 5 recipe storage)

@rhys: and thanks for the nomenclature for what I am doing: dunk-sparging

 

[DurtyChemist]

14-15 lbs Belgian pale malt. I ddint weigh it myself so I'm not sure.
8 gallons of water.

7 gallons pre boil at 1.062

1lb sugar during boil and I ended up with 5.25ish gallons (bucket stops at 5 gallon marks) and I'm at 1.088 for 75% efficiency.

75 minute mash (I was bottling)
15 minute mash out at 164
90 minute boil.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Maybe I just didn't stir enough with my first batch. Oh well it doesn't cost anything extra for a triple crush.

For the recent batch I used the brews hop crush (0.040 I think) and stirred well at dough in, once around 30 minutes then the mash out to make sure I didn't burn anything.

I'm not convinced a double crush is needed to hit 75% and it might be more temperature control. I lost about 4 degrees from strike water to when I was done stirring and let the mash sit 10 minutes.

 

[MattyIce]

84I have been hovering around 73-84% with the lhbs single crush. I mash for about 75 min and maintain temp by putting mash tun in my oven.

 

[brewprint]

Just brewed a wheat with 5.5 2 row and 4.5 wheat and only hit 66%. WTH

 

[rhys333]

Just brewed a wheat with 5.5 2 row and 4.5 wheat and only hit 66%. WTH

Did you get a fine enough crush and/or double crush the wheat?

 

[RM-MN]

Wheat kernels are smaller and harder than barley so if the mill wasn't readjusted to account for that it will give you poorer efficiency.

 

[brewprint]

I had them triple crush it but they do not change the setting on the mill.

If the wheat is smaller, my guess is that a triple crush wouldn't help?

 

[bondra76]

I usually plan for 71% but I have noticed that I get better efficiency if I mash longer. I've since started doing 90 minute mashes.

 

[DurtyChemist]

81%
8 lbs German Pilsner
5 lbs American wheat
Single BrewChatter (LHS in Sparks, no) house crush
11 gallons water
155f mash for 60 minutes dropped to 150
Mash out at 166F increased to 174 over 10 minutes
10 gallons of Berliner Weiss 1.040 OG last I checked around 75-80F. I went by feel in my hand not temp.

 

[desabat]

75 is a good number and is what Im shooting for in my first three batches ive gotten 65 in the first two and 70 in my last batch and I stirred a lot more on my last batch and did a 90 min mash. The only thing I havent done yet is squeeze the bag.

 

[bondra76]

The only thing I havent done yet is squeeze the bag.

Lots of debate on this, but I haven't found any cases where I have squeezed the bag and gotten additional gravity points. You may just want to take some measurements for your own brewing process to see if it adds any value.

 

[brewprint]

Managed to get 80% on this recipe yesterday.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=30187

 

[bondra76]

Just curious are you guys testing with iodine to see if conversion is complete? Sometimes I feel like if I left my mash longer and longer I would get better eff.

 

[azazel1024]

I ended up hitting about 82-85% with my corona mill on its inagural spin. I was planning on 75% for my Mild, so it ended up being about 1.044OG instead of 1.040OG. I topped my pot with as much water as it could hold, but I think I only got it down to 1.042OG. Which is probably good that I added a bit more volume, and the slightly higher OG.

Because I accidently did my hop additions pre-boil, at 60 minutes, at 30 minutes and at flame out. I had intended to do 60 minute, 30 minute, 10 minute and flame out. But I did pre-boil and then forgot that I needed to wait till 30 minutes. So my IBU went from around 32-34IBU up to more like 45-48IBU. Kind of pushing an English light IPA or something (too dark for that though). Fingers crossed.