Need help with big beer (1.096) efficiency

[rockytoptim]

So I have been brewed a hopslam clone twice now (both 10 gal batches) and always have missed my target gravity into the BK. I have brewed about 20 al batches and have never had a problem hitting my target gravity into the BK. I have a 20 gal boilermaker with blichmann false bottom. I mill my own grain but after the first batch I double check my gap (.036") and made sure it was correct and it was. I use 1.5 qt/lb for my mash as that seems to work best for my false bottom. If I go lower I tend to stick my sparge and My I batch sparge as well.

Both batches the target into the BK was 1.084 and I hit 1.063. Now I did add DME to bring it back up but it bothers me that I cant hit the target OG into the BK.

I am just wondering how some of you handle the big beers grain bill because seems like part of the issue is that will the big grain bill that there isn't much sparge water left to rinse all the grain. For the grain bill below I sparge with 5.5 gal of water.

I have read that for big beers like this you need to use more sparge water than needed and boil down or you could split grainbill in half and use your runnings from the first mash as your water for the 2nd half of the grain bill mash.

Just want to see how you guys brew these big beers. Below is the grain bill I used.

Thanks in advance.

29.0 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 70.73 %
6.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 14.63 %
2.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.88 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.44 %
1.00 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 2.44 %

 

[IL1kebeer]

So I have been brewed a hopslam clone twice now (both 10 gal batches) and always have missed my target gravity into the BK. I have brewed about 20 al batches and have never had a problem hitting my target gravity into the BK. I have a 20 gal boilermaker with blichmann false bottom. I mill my own grain but after the first batch I double check my gap (.036") and made sure it was correct and it was. I use 1.5 qt/lb for my mash as that seems to work best for my false bottom. If I go lower I tend to stick my sparge and My I batch sparge as well. Both batches the target into the BK was 1.084 and I hit 1.063. Now I did add DME to bring it back up but it bothers me that I cant hit the target OG into the BK. I am just wondering how some of you handle the big beers grain bill because seems like part of the issue is that will the big grain bill that there isn't much sparge water left to rinse all the grain. For the grain bill below I sparge with 5.5 gal of water. I have read that for big beers like this you need to use more sparge water than needed and boil down or you could split grainbill in half and use your runnings from the first mash as your water for the 2nd half of the grain bill mash. Just want to see how you guys brew these big beers. Below is the grain bill I used. Thanks in advance. 29.0 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 70.73 % 6.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 14.63 % 2.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4.88 % 1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2.44 % 1.00 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 2.44 %

DME is common practice to get hit your gravity for big beers unless you want to do a longer boil to hit your gravity. Heck, a couple of professional breweries admit to doing using DME for big beers on Jamil's Can You Brew It podcast, Avery is one that I remember off the top of my head. Boiling down is fine though, IMO. Simple sugar is also an option depending on the style. You really need to try lowering your water to grist ratio close to 1qt/lb if you want to get a better yield with a large grainbill.

 

[Begin2Brew]

You'll always loose efficiency with bigger beers it's just how it goes. I consistently hit 93% with average gravity beers but it drops to 85-80% with big beers over 1.090. I just compensate with additional grain.

 

[acidrain]

What efficiency is your recipe based on?
Use can use beer making software... enter your equipment profile and your recipe. The recipe should say what efficiency it is based on. adjust the actual efficiency you're having and it will adjust how much grain to use for your system.
Beer making software like Beersmith is the easiest way to adjust for your equipment and to re-scale known recipes to new batch sizes.
Basically, you're not using enough grain for your batch size.

 

[RoadKing]

Both batches the target into the BK was 1.084 and I hit 1.063. Now I did add DME to bring it back up but it bothers me that I cant hit the target OG into the BK. %

That's a big hit! My last big beer I only missed OG by 4 points Because I forgot to compensate. I mill at .032 but I condition the malt. Try this and you won't get a stuck mash. (that's a nice FB you have.) Then go down to 1.25 qts. per lb. so you can sparge with more water. Then you can sparge for a 90 min. boil (maybe more for a 1.096 beer) instead of a 60 minute boil. I have a RIMS so I'm constantly recirculating but I also stir, not like a nut, but stir every 15 mins. or so. to keep enzymes dispersed. Allot of people say it's unnecessary, but I really believe it works.
Hope this helps..

 

[periwinkle1239]

The easiest solution in my opinion is to add more base malt which is what I do for big beers where I know my efficient will hurt.

Also, I've done a Hopslam clone a few times and the OG for the real thing is 1.087, finishing at 1.010 if I remember right. My recipe has 1 lbs of honey that I add 3-4 days after fermentation has begun, which gives me 7 gravity points which means I only need to get a manageable 1.080 from the grains themselves...

 

[jimyson]

I just did a 1.115 OG Barleywine and put 29% of my base malts was LME to get that high. It went in for a 75 minute boil. From what I could tell in beersmith, the longer boil and LME was required since I only had a 15 gallon MLT.