I'm going to give you guys/girls a lot of detail so bear with me.
Problem: 60% efficiency and last 2 batches FG 1.035 target ~1.015
System: New system I built over a few years consisting of 3 keggles and all 3 have direct fire heating. HLT with level guage and temperature reading, Insulated Mash tun with a 15" NorCal brewing false bottom and temp guage as well as a NorCal sparge arm, and a boil kettle with a bazooka tube. This system also utilizes a single pump and is cooled with a copper wort chiller. I've done 5, 10 gallon batches with this system. All batches are oxygenated with pure O2 light bubbling for 60 seconds per 5 gallon carboy.
1st brew was a porter that came out well but had a 60% efficiency and I was using the sparge arm. Just under shot the OG and hit the FG.
2nd brew was a pale ale that had 60% or less efficiency. Hit OG but with 6 gallons of beer and also hit the FG.
3rd brew was a stout, I adjusted for 60% efficiency and went to batch sparging. Hit the OG but got a 1.035 FG and I will get into later how I combated the stuck fermentation. Grain bill: 20lbs 2-row, 3lbs munich, 2lbs chocolate, 2lbs flaked oats (6%), 1lb carafa III, 1lb roasted barley. Mash temperature was solid at around 152F.
4th brew was an old ale, adjusted for 60% efficiency and nailed the OG but again got a 1.035 FG. Malt bill: 22lbs Maris Otter, 2lbs crystal60, 8oz chocolate, 1lb biscuit, 4lbs Munich. Mashed at 153F and the temp did get up to 159F about 10 - 15 minutes into the hour mash.
All batches were mashed for an hour with temperature fluctuations in batch 2 and 4 due to cold days/nights. Mash out in all is done at 168F. When using the sparge arm I did restrict flow and check gravity. I did not like the set-up and switched to batch sparge and use Sparge Pal app to assist in 1.25 qt/lb mash thickness with strike temperatures and second runnings. The batch sparge is added and mixed around with a paddle and also recirculated.
Malt: purchased at AIH (adventures in homebrewing) and I use their mill. When added to the Mash tun 2-4 gallons of water is put in at a time with slow addition of crushed grains. No dough balls are ever present.
Stuck Ferm: I had both batch 3 and 4 stored in the basement and the temps did fall to 60F. I brought them back upstairs where they gradually warmed to around 68F-70F. Swirled the cake. Shook the cake. Bought new yeast and dumped into fermentor. Added 1/3 of a yeast cake to each 5 gallon carboy. The FG remains at 1.035. The same process was done with batch #4, however I had an assistant who took 5 gallons home during that batch and he stored his carboy at 65F and both of our FG is showing 1.035 for that batch as well.
Mash tun thermometer probe is 2" long and have since replaced this with a 6" probe after batch #4. My fear was incorrect mash temperature readings. During the Mash I recirculate through the pump for a majority of the time, if the temp begins to drop I cut recirculation. I ALWAYS recirculate during direct heat.
Additional info: pH was checked during the first two batches (until my probe dried out after the water evaporated after batch #3) pH was in normal range I did add gypsum during the pale ale at 2tsp for 10 gallons to bring that down slightly during the mash. pH after boil is good as well and all batches are filtered well water using an outdoor spigot. Hops are usually a combination of both whole and pellet. Boil kettle is heated with a Blichmann burner and gets a full rolling boil with the lid off.
I know it's a lot of information but I was hoping someone had some ideas. My next step to combat the efficiency is to buy some grain from Bell's and use their mill. I changed the thermometer for my latest batch #5 in hopes of improving FG. Thanks for taking the time to read this!!
I should also note this is my first all-grain experience, I am a self taught homebrewer but have read a lot of homebrewing books.
Problem: 60% efficiency and last 2 batches FG 1.035 target ~1.015
System: New system I built over a few years consisting of 3 keggles and all 3 have direct fire heating. HLT with level guage and temperature reading, Insulated Mash tun with a 15" NorCal brewing false bottom and temp guage as well as a NorCal sparge arm, and a boil kettle with a bazooka tube. This system also utilizes a single pump and is cooled with a copper wort chiller. I've done 5, 10 gallon batches with this system. All batches are oxygenated with pure O2 light bubbling for 60 seconds per 5 gallon carboy.
1st brew was a porter that came out well but had a 60% efficiency and I was using the sparge arm. Just under shot the OG and hit the FG.
2nd brew was a pale ale that had 60% or less efficiency. Hit OG but with 6 gallons of beer and also hit the FG.
3rd brew was a stout, I adjusted for 60% efficiency and went to batch sparging. Hit the OG but got a 1.035 FG and I will get into later how I combated the stuck fermentation. Grain bill: 20lbs 2-row, 3lbs munich, 2lbs chocolate, 2lbs flaked oats (6%), 1lb carafa III, 1lb roasted barley. Mash temperature was solid at around 152F.
4th brew was an old ale, adjusted for 60% efficiency and nailed the OG but again got a 1.035 FG. Malt bill: 22lbs Maris Otter, 2lbs crystal60, 8oz chocolate, 1lb biscuit, 4lbs Munich. Mashed at 153F and the temp did get up to 159F about 10 - 15 minutes into the hour mash.
All batches were mashed for an hour with temperature fluctuations in batch 2 and 4 due to cold days/nights. Mash out in all is done at 168F. When using the sparge arm I did restrict flow and check gravity. I did not like the set-up and switched to batch sparge and use Sparge Pal app to assist in 1.25 qt/lb mash thickness with strike temperatures and second runnings. The batch sparge is added and mixed around with a paddle and also recirculated.
Malt: purchased at AIH (adventures in homebrewing) and I use their mill. When added to the Mash tun 2-4 gallons of water is put in at a time with slow addition of crushed grains. No dough balls are ever present.
Stuck Ferm: I had both batch 3 and 4 stored in the basement and the temps did fall to 60F. I brought them back upstairs where they gradually warmed to around 68F-70F. Swirled the cake. Shook the cake. Bought new yeast and dumped into fermentor. Added 1/3 of a yeast cake to each 5 gallon carboy. The FG remains at 1.035. The same process was done with batch #4, however I had an assistant who took 5 gallons home during that batch and he stored his carboy at 65F and both of our FG is showing 1.035 for that batch as well.
Mash tun thermometer probe is 2" long and have since replaced this with a 6" probe after batch #4. My fear was incorrect mash temperature readings. During the Mash I recirculate through the pump for a majority of the time, if the temp begins to drop I cut recirculation. I ALWAYS recirculate during direct heat.
Additional info: pH was checked during the first two batches (until my probe dried out after the water evaporated after batch #3) pH was in normal range I did add gypsum during the pale ale at 2tsp for 10 gallons to bring that down slightly during the mash. pH after boil is good as well and all batches are filtered well water using an outdoor spigot. Hops are usually a combination of both whole and pellet. Boil kettle is heated with a Blichmann burner and gets a full rolling boil with the lid off.
I know it's a lot of information but I was hoping someone had some ideas. My next step to combat the efficiency is to buy some grain from Bell's and use their mill. I changed the thermometer for my latest batch #5 in hopes of improving FG. Thanks for taking the time to read this!!
I should also note this is my first all-grain experience, I am a self taught homebrewer but have read a lot of homebrewing books.
