NorthernBrew
Active Member
Hello brainboxes.
I´ve been brewing biab 10 gallon batches for about 2 years now and for the first couple of batches struggled with efficiency. After I made myself a grain mill things took a turn for the better and eventually I could rely on an 80 % efficiency. After a few incidents with the bag, scorching and tearing, I decided to make a 1 micron mesh wire stainless basket. That worked great until I wanted to brew smaller batches so I could get more experience and tinker with my recipes more.
The thing is the diameter of my basket is quite a bit smaller than my kettle. In centimeters the kettle is 50 cm across and my basket is 35 cm across.
For 10 gallon batches this is absolutely fine and actually doable with 5 gallon batches. Efficiency remains the same and everybody´s happy.
The kettle has 5500 w electric heating element so I put in a false bottom to keep from scorching the grain. To cover the false bottom I need about 2 gallons of water. On top of that sits the mesh basket (with the smaller diameter). With these dimensions it is impossible for me to brew 10 ltr batches, which is about 2,5 gallons. And I would really like to be able to make small test batches and brew more often.
So I got myself a cooler. It is about 4 gallons I guess. So I heat up my strike water and mash in the cooler. Let it sit for an hour, checking temperatures frequently, and then just dump it in the basket to drain off so I can boil and do the rest in the kettle.
Now I realize that doing this I´m not getting the same liquor to grist ratio, because the size of the cooler. But it is still about 3 to 1. Now my theory was that doing it this way if I maintain my temps I should get about the same efficiency. With this method I have not done a mashout step and the ratio of liquor to grist is a little bit thicker.
I have done this 3 times now, with tried and tested recipes, solid temperatures and the rest of my process remaining the same.
But there is a definate difference in efficiency. I have been on 60% everytime. From 80 to 60? Same crush, same recipes, same boil, same times, same temps.
What could be the deciding factor in this?
Sorry for the long post.
Thanks guys
I´ve been brewing biab 10 gallon batches for about 2 years now and for the first couple of batches struggled with efficiency. After I made myself a grain mill things took a turn for the better and eventually I could rely on an 80 % efficiency. After a few incidents with the bag, scorching and tearing, I decided to make a 1 micron mesh wire stainless basket. That worked great until I wanted to brew smaller batches so I could get more experience and tinker with my recipes more.
The thing is the diameter of my basket is quite a bit smaller than my kettle. In centimeters the kettle is 50 cm across and my basket is 35 cm across.
For 10 gallon batches this is absolutely fine and actually doable with 5 gallon batches. Efficiency remains the same and everybody´s happy.
The kettle has 5500 w electric heating element so I put in a false bottom to keep from scorching the grain. To cover the false bottom I need about 2 gallons of water. On top of that sits the mesh basket (with the smaller diameter). With these dimensions it is impossible for me to brew 10 ltr batches, which is about 2,5 gallons. And I would really like to be able to make small test batches and brew more often.
So I got myself a cooler. It is about 4 gallons I guess. So I heat up my strike water and mash in the cooler. Let it sit for an hour, checking temperatures frequently, and then just dump it in the basket to drain off so I can boil and do the rest in the kettle.
Now I realize that doing this I´m not getting the same liquor to grist ratio, because the size of the cooler. But it is still about 3 to 1. Now my theory was that doing it this way if I maintain my temps I should get about the same efficiency. With this method I have not done a mashout step and the ratio of liquor to grist is a little bit thicker.
I have done this 3 times now, with tried and tested recipes, solid temperatures and the rest of my process remaining the same.
But there is a definate difference in efficiency. I have been on 60% everytime. From 80 to 60? Same crush, same recipes, same boil, same times, same temps.
What could be the deciding factor in this?
Sorry for the long post.
Thanks guys
