How does mash thickness effect efficiency into boiler? I'm trying to improve my brewhouse efficiency and have learned that the crush at my LHBS yields approximately 60-65% brewhouse efficiency with 1.25 qt/lb mash thickness.
Mash thickness and efficiency?
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Scooby_Brew
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That sounds interesting, of course that would mean that you can get the best efficiency with BIAB or any other no-sparge brewing. Of course that's not the case, so maybe a lab environment differs from the "real world" brewing environment?
BTW, my system works best when using 3:2 ratio, so 1.5 qt. of water for every 1 lb. of grains (or about 3:1 ratio by weight).
Lately I've been having good luck with doing double infusion mashes, starting at about 1qt/lb, adding water later to bump the temperature. The second infusion for me usually gets me to about 1.8qt/lb
Last 2 batches this way were 78% efficiency
Last 2 batches this way were 78% efficiency
kanzimonson
Well-Known Member
The thicker the mash, the more water you get to "save" for sparging.
On the other hand, it seems to me that a mash that is too thick doesn't get the sugars flowing out of the grain as easily.
In any case, I usually use somewhere between 1.25-1.5 qts/# and my efficiency seems unaffected. Crush and sparge rate are way more important to getting better efficiency.
On the other hand, it seems to me that a mash that is too thick doesn't get the sugars flowing out of the grain as easily.
In any case, I usually use somewhere between 1.25-1.5 qts/# and my efficiency seems unaffected. Crush and sparge rate are way more important to getting better efficiency.
I mash in 2.5-3qt/lb (BIAB) and get 77-80% efficiency consistently. I think a BIG factor is that I can go with a much finer crush with BIAB and not worry about a stuck sparge
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As usual, Kaiser has some great information...
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Understanding_Efficiency#Mash_thickness
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Understanding_Efficiency#Mash_thickness
I've just done a fairly big grain bill at a ratio of 2.5:1 (maybe even slightly lower). Efficiency was very poor, well off OG target, lesson learned.
On another note, as I'm about 20 gravity points off my target (ouch!), can I make up the remainder with dextrose additions like you would a really big beer? It's starting at 1.078 and is an RIS - mashed at 152F for 90min
On another note, as I'm about 20 gravity points off my target (ouch!), can I make up the remainder with dextrose additions like you would a really big beer? It's starting at 1.078 and is an RIS - mashed at 152F for 90min
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
ChillWill, use some light, or extra light, DME to make up the gravity points. Far better for the brew than using dextrose...
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
1/2# (for a 2.5 gallon batch) will give you 9 gravity points. A full pound should give you 17 gravity points.
This is where having BeerSmith/software really comes in handy...
This is where having BeerSmith/software really comes in handy...
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Or do both...
I like having BeerSmith on hand at home, as well as on my laptop (when not at home)... Means I can mess with my recipes, formulate new ones, and enter other people's recipes in anyplace... I do wish they had some decent brewing software for the BlackBerry devices, but who knows if/when that will ever happen. Still, since my laptop is a thin and light model (Lenovo X301), I can easily take it where I want, when I want, without issue.
I like having BeerSmith on hand at home, as well as on my laptop (when not at home)... Means I can mess with my recipes, formulate new ones, and enter other people's recipes in anyplace... I do wish they had some decent brewing software for the BlackBerry devices, but who knows if/when that will ever happen. Still, since my laptop is a thin and light model (Lenovo X301), I can easily take it where I want, when I want, without issue.
Or do both...
I like having BeerSmith on hand at home, as well as on my laptop (when not at home)... Means I can mess with my recipes, formulate new ones, and enter other people's recipes in anyplace... I do wish they had some decent brewing software for the BlackBerry devices, but who knows if/when that will ever happen. Still, since my laptop is a thin and light model (Lenovo X301), I can easily take it where I want, when I want, without issue.
+100 on this.. plus if you have an Android phone you can import all the recipes from beersmith into Brewzor Pro. (you can create in brewzor too) and have your recipes with you at the brew store
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