This crush too fine?

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Rev2010

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So since getting back into brewing and this time getting an MM2Pro as opposed to my previous MM2 I've had a few issues with my efficiency being a couple of points lower than in the past. Used to be 86% now it's average 81% but can swing between 76% and 83% - usually with the swing tending to be in the lower than 81% range. I went from the Robobrew back to using a Rubbermaid tun with bazooka screen like I used to but kept finding I was leaving too much liquid in the tun. Bought the Ss Infussion and used it first time today. Got 83% efficiency but the vorlauf/sparge was a little bit of a pain. I'd read people report that the false bottom lets too many particles through. I found the same. I used a mesh hop bag to strain which worked but it took longer. So, question is if my crush is just too fine. I use a sample credit card that you get in the mail so I assume it's 0.30 but I can't say for certain. Look at the pic and let me know.

20190111_105458.jpg
 
To me, that looks like the standard crush I get from the LHBS. As long as you're not shredding the husks to nothing, you can probably go tighter on it. Or use some rice hulls. Just my 2 cents.
 
So since getting back into brewing and this time getting an MM2Pro as opposed to my previous MM2 I've had a few issues with my efficiency being a couple of points lower than in the past. Used to be 86% now it's average 81% but can swing between 76% and 83% - usually with the swing tending to be in the lower than 81% range. I went from the Robobrew back to using a Rubbermaid tun with bazooka screen like I used to but kept finding I was leaving too much liquid in the tun. Bought the Ss Infussion and used it first time today. Got 83% efficiency but the vorlauf/sparge was a little bit of a pain. I'd read people report that the false bottom lets too many particles through. I found the same. I used a mesh hop bag to strain which worked but it took longer. So, question is if my crush is just too fine. I use a sample credit card that you get in the mail so I assume it's 0.30 but I can't say for certain. Look at the pic and let me know.

View attachment 606769
looks ok in the pic.
Just the other day before brewing, i checked the gap on my mill. it crept out a tiny bit. I set it with feeler gauges .I came in with it a little .030 go, .032 no go. still milled it twice.
 
Here is a very good article on how to set up your mill
http://brewlikeapro.net/maltmilling.html
great article.
so, .027 they set their Rebel mill at . expecting 90% efficiency. watch the sale of brass sieves go up now because of this article. BTW, if you're looking there are plastic sieves available. I have a couple from when I was extracting tobacco seed from chaff. Not that I would use them for malt, but they are available without the cost of the brass ones shown.
 
ImprovingBrewhouseEfficiency-Havig.pdf

This presentation is also very good. It is intended for 7-15 bbl brewlength systems, but I think the basic information is also relevant for homebrew size batches.
 

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Sorry guys, I wasn't intending my post to be about efficiency per se. I am fully happy with 81%-83% and as mentioned I did get 83% with the Ss mash tun. My concern was how many small grain particles were getting through the Ss false bottom so I just wanted to check what y'all think of the crush. I think it looks good too and is basically what I always crushed at. I guess the Ss false bottom is just prone to letting more through than the bazooka tube in my Rubbermaid. I'll start straining going into the kettle from mash tun with a double mesh strainer going forward Will be easier than the mesh bag.

Thanks all for the responses!!


Rev.
 
If you're using a perforated ss FB you just have to acknowledge crumbs will drop through the holes and do enough recirculation or vorlaufing to redeposit them on top of the bed. Eventually the husks will do their thing and stuff will stop dropping through...

Cheers!
 
If you're using a perforated ss FB you just have to acknowledge crumbs will drop through the holes and do enough recirculation or vorlaufing to redeposit them on top of the bed. Eventually the husks will do their thing and stuff will stop dropping through.

Yeah my plan is to use a 10" double mesh strainer going from the tun to kettle to catch the small bits then just redeposit them on top the grainbed. I found yesterday that they do retain a decent amount of moisture so rather than dump them into the garbage I'll reintroduce them to the grainbed to get any extra little bit of dripped out extraction.


Rev.
 
Yeah my plan is to use a 10" double mesh strainer going from the tun to kettle to catch the small bits then just redeposit them on top the grainbed. I found yesterday that they do retain a decent amount of moisture so rather than dump them into the garbage I'll reintroduce them to the grainbed to get any extra little bit of dripped out extraction.


Rev.
And we BIAB brewers are chided for squeezing the bag??

Bag squeezing forevaahhhh!!!
 
Brulosophy has found you can skip the the mash and boiling stage.

I can just picture a blind triangle test with one beer being a crystal clear 5% abv pilsner with a mild hop aroma and grain backbone, and the other being a milky 2% abv "beer" with visible grain and hop particles...and people not being able to tell the difference. LOL
 
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