What happened?

[simzy]

This is my first batch using a false bottom instead of a SS braid in my 10gal igloo MLT; I batch sparge.

I'm trying to brew a high gravity IPA...

Here is the bill for a 6 gal batch:

-12lb 2-row 79.59%
-2.5lb wheat 14.71%
-1.0lb Melanoidin 5.88%
-0.5lb C10 2.94%
-0.25lb C40 1.47%
-0.25lb carapils 1.47%

Hops (boil):
-1.0oz Summit 60 min
-0.75oz Columbus 60 min
-0.5oz Centennial 30 min
-1.0oz Amirillo 30min
-0.5oz Cascade 5min

Dry Hops:
1.0oz Cascade
0.5oz Centennial

2-packets rehydrated Safale s-05

I purchase my cracked grain online from Austin Homebrew, and typically get 68-70% efficiency with the ss braid doing a 60min boil.

Knowing I was doing a high gravity beer, I did a 40 min rest at 145F with 1.25qt/lb water, then a 20min rest at 155F, bringing the total volume up to about 2qt/lb. I stirred the mash after each water addition, and then drained the wort. I added sparge water, then stirred and drained the wort again until I reached my pre-boil volume of about 7.5gal.

Plugging this recipe into Beersmith with 70% efficiency I should end up with a gravity of 1.074.

My actual OG was 1.054, resulting in a 50% efficiency.

Should I be able to reach an OG of 1.074 without adding simple sugars? My next purchase is a grain mill, but at this point I'm at the mercy of the brewshop. I'm hoping the brewshop didn't do that poor of a job at milling the grains. I'm not sure what else could have gone wrong. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[FarmBoy530]

Did you weigh the grain? Did you maybe get a bunch on crystal? That could be bad. I would have done my first rest at 148F and for a bit less time and my 155F for a bit more. What temp was your sparge water? Seems to me you shoulda done a bit better. Was the crush on your grain that bad? Something is going on here.

 

[BobC]

If your going to split your mashes so you can get the most out of you alpha and beta amylase then your time for the 155 should have been for at least 40 min. This allows the alpha to get the most out of the beta giving you a more fermentable beer.

Before someone quotes palmer, if you only mash at less the 150 you get a dry beer and if you only mash 156 or higher you get a sweeter beer.

 

[simzy]

I agree the starches would have been more soluble at a higher initial temperature, but I don't think my temps/times were that far off to cause this poor of an efficiency.

When I dumped my spent grains, the false bottom fell out of the cooler. At the time, I figured it happened because I was dumping the grains, now I'm thinking that I must have dislodged the tube connecting my false bottom to the drain spout when I was stirring the grainbed, essentially rendering my false bottom useless.

I will definitely be securing my hose better next time around.