Question About My Mash Efficiency

[mattm10]

I started All-Grain brewing recently. On my first two all-grain recipes, I only achieved a mash efficiency of 60%. Both were 60-minute mashes with 1.25 qt/lb Water-to-Grain ratio. On one, I just rinsed the grains with sparge water, and on the other, I did a 15 minute batch sparge, but they were both about the same efficiency.

Today, I decided to redo one of those recipes to hit the OG and ABV I was originally looking for, but I made a few changes to the mashing process. I increased my Water-to-Grain ratio from 1.25 qt/lb to 1.50 qt/lb. I also did a 90-minute mash with a 15-minute batch sparge. This new batch achieved a 77% efficiency.

So, my question is, was the increased efficiency due to the extended mash or the increased water-to-grain ratio? Or both?

 

[IslandLizard]

Both!
1.5 qt/lb is a very good mash ratio, that also allows for a decent sparge, upping your efficiency.

In addition, the extended mash time (90 min vs. 60 min.) is also helpful, especially when your grist is milled rather coarsely, which is typical with kits and homebrew store mills.

And... welcome to our forums!

 

[mattm10]

Both!
1.5 qt/lb is a very good mash ratio, that also allows for a decent sparge, upping your efficiency.

In addition, the extended mash time (90 min vs. 60 min.) is also helpful, especially when your grist is milled rather coarsely, which is typical with kits and homebrew store mills.

And... welcome to our forums!

Thanks.

I had read an article that said increasing to 1.5 qt/lb could give you up to 5% more efficiency.

But I wasn't sure how to true that was.

 

[IslandLizard]

I had read an article that said increasing to 1.5 qt/lb could give you up to 5% more efficiency.

But I wasn't sure how to true that was.

There are a few factors involved, each contributing to the total mash efficiency, which is what counts.

For example, full volume BIAB mashes have the reputation of having a very high efficiency, straight out of the bag so to speak, (without a sparge). But very fine milling (e.g., using a 0.018"-0.025" mill gap) is crucial to that.

Now, many brewers can eek out a few more gravity points by implementing a dunk sparge, especially at higher wort gravities.

 

[Bobby_M]

The required conversion time has a linear relationship with the fine/coarseness of the grain crush as well as the actual held mash temperature.
Finer grain converts faster. Hotter mashes convert faster. Manipulating one or more of these factors is NOT always warranted. Holding a batch sparge longer should not increase your gravity if everything is normal.

 

[SFC Rudy]

I calculate to get 60% of my boil volume out of the mash and batch sparge with 40% of my boil volume. Depending on the grain bill I get between 75-80% efficiency

 

[doug293cz]

I calculate to get 60% of my boil volume out of the mash and batch sparge with 40% of my boil volume. Depending on the grain bill I get between 75-80% efficiency

You get maximum lauter efficiency for a single batch sparge when the first runnings volume and sparge runnings volume are equal (50% of pre-boil volume from initial mash, and 50% from sparge.) Since you have to account for grain absorption in your strike water volume, but not sparge water volume (the grain is already saturated when you sparge), your strike volume will be larger than the sparge water volume.

Strike Volume = Expected Grain Absorption Volume + Pre-Boil Target Volume / 2​

​

Sparge Volume = Pre-Boil Target Volume / 2​

Since small changes in the first runnings to sparge runnings volume have a negligible affect on lauter efficiency (between 60:40 to 40:60), a simple rule of thumb is to use 60% of the total water volume for mashing, and 40% for sparging.

Your method puts you at the edge of the "sweet spot" for lauter efficiency vs. the 60:40 strike to sparge which almost always puts you near the center of the sweet spot.

Brew on