My Efficiency Went Down?

[Blueman89]

Second attempt at AG. First was a 5 gallon oberon knock-off at 65%. This one is a 2.5 gallon pale ale. Did everything the same as last time, just smaller, and hit my temps perfectly. Just slightly undershot volume, but not my much. And that's where the good ended. Once everything was together I cooled a sample and took my reading. 1.034 PB. Beer Smith said it should be 1.043 at 75%(this was a hopeful guess with the better crush). This is for 4# 2 row, and 4oz each Munich, and crystal 40. I just got a corona mill, and the crush was beautiful. Nicely ground, with the husks mostly whole. Much better than LHBS crush, and yet my numbers went down. Does this have anything to do with the scale, or is it my water ? I'm using tap water, from a well, but didn't figure that it would be this bad.

 

[Frodo]

It's maybe due to a greater proportional loss (by volume) of sugars in the dead space of your MLT and the BK, also could be that sparging was not as efficient because of a smaller depth of the grain bed (if you fly sparged).

 

[MilesLong]

Efficiency wont change unless you change your process.

which u did

 

[Boohausen]

did you account for the boil off, then measure the after boil chilled?

 

[biestie]

By "just got a new grain mill" do you mean you didn't use it on your last batch but did on this one? If so that's your answer.

 

[djfriesen]

Also, you said you shorted your volume a little. Did you top off by any chance?

 

[Blueman89]

Process didn't change, only batch size did. I know my crush is better than the lhbs. Their's is almost 40% whole, untouched kernels. I did not top off, all the numbers are based on pre boil, not post.