You might think that 83% efficiency is good

[DrDirt]

... but not when you're expecting 70%. I'm now the proud owner of 10 gallons of Kolsch with an OG of 1.058. *slaps forehead*
So, what to call this frankenstien beer? Strong Kolsch, Imperial kolsch, "put hair on your chest" kolsch?...

 

[whalenutz]

last one should get the grillys a bit wet

 

[arturo7]

You can always dilute it.

 

[motobrewer]

or 11.5 gallons of 1.050 kolsch

an extra 1.5 gallons of beer is win, right?

I vote for Double Kolsch

 

[Brewmasters Warehouse]

Dilute it if you want to keep to your original recipe. Go with it if you just want a strong Kolsch. Either way I think you need to make an adjustment to your efficiency to account for the grains you have us crush in the future. We have been known to give people "free beer" by raising the efficiency over what was expected, and having to dilute, or plan for bigger batches.

Ed

 

[FishinDave07]

Whats did you do differently to raise your efficiency? I went from 70% to 82% by hitting temps and volume DEAD ON. I also started ordering from BrewMaster's Warehouse.

 

[Coastarine]

Dopplekolsch. I had the same thing happen with an oktoberfest that ended up at 7.8% or so. I called it a dopple O-fest, and it was HUGELY popular.

 

[DrDirt]

Whats did you do differently to raise your efficiency? I went from 70% to 82% by hitting temps and volume DEAD ON. I also started ordering from BrewMaster's Warehouse.

- I had ED crush my grains at Brewmasters Warehouse. My efficiency numbers have been improving since I started ordering from him. Significantly.

 

[KayaBrew]

Dilute it if you want to keep to your original recipe. Go with it if you just want a strong Kolsch. Either way I think you need to make an adjustment to your efficiency to account for the grains you have us crush in the future. We have been known to give people "free beer" by raising the efficiency over what was expected, and having to dilute, or plan for bigger batches.

Ed

Yeah, what the hell, Ed? You guys turned my 1.055 ESB into a 1.063 ESB. Are you TRYING to get me drunk?

 

[DrDirt]

Ed needs to post a disclaimer.

 

[ghpeel]

I had a beer that I called my "Accidental Weizenbock" because it went from a 1.050 weisse beer to a 1.064 weizenbock. It came from a combination of brew in a bag, awesome crush from LHBS and 5.2 Mash stabilizer.

 

[bwomp313]

I had a similar thing with my first all grain. I made a nut brown and I expected about 1.050 and ended up with 1.072... Just changed the name to Imperial Nut Brown and called it a night.

 

[DavidSteel]

Kolsch goes from 1.044-1.065, so you're normal

 

[s1080]

Ive been having this issue as well

I too buy from brewmasters and have found my efficiencies to be in the 80-85 range, although I also started to implement a double sparge technique.

 

[DrDirt]

Kolsch goes from 1.044-1.065, so you're normal

According to BJCP Kolsch is
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.044 – 1.050
IBUs: 20 – 30 FG: 1.007 – 1.011
SRM: 3.5 – 5 ABV: 4.4 – 5.2%

 

[shroomzofdoom]

Frankenkolsch? Does have a nice German ring to it...

 

[gunhaver]

brew it, drink it, and enjoy.

 

[BioBeing]

This is why the absolute % efficiency you get is not important. What is important (to me at least) is getting the same efficiency consistently so you know what you are brewing. If you change a variable (like crush), you are going to have to re-dial in your system.

 

[motobrewer]

so, should I adjust for BMW crush? I really don't want a 1.060 ESB, and I won't have room to dilute because I'll have to ferment in a 5 gallon carboy

 

[FishinDave07]

so, should I adjust for BMW crush? I really don't want a 1.060 ESB, and I won't have room to dilute because I'll have to ferment in a 5 gallon carboy

I'd adjust if you want to hit your gravity. I've been getting 70%-ish efficiency, sometimes 65, but with better technique and BMW's crush im at 82%, I'm going to set my eff. in BeerSmith as 80% just to be safe.

 

[DrDirt]

motobrewer - To put it into perspective, My first ever AG batch came in at a whopping 57%. Up until I began using BMW I averaged 68-72% with LHBS grains and crush. My last two batches from Ed have been 78% and 82%. I'd say it's fair to make a 6-8 point adjustment if you're in the 60's right now, and you're ordering from BMW for the next batch.

 

[DrDirt]

I can't decide whether or not to dilute this one. What do you guys think? It's been fermenting for 24 hrs already.

 

[kkocher13]

BMW's crush is awesome, I get 65-70 with local homebrew shops and got my last two batches from BMW. I got 82% on my RIS and 80% on my barleywine. If I actually refine my process I'll probably start getting 90%. The RIS had a 1.123 SG. Giddy up!!!!!!!!

 

[fartingdog]

I can't decide whether or not to dilute this one. What do you guys think? It's been fermenting for 24 hrs already.

I say dilute it. Had the same thing happen to my kölsch when I got my mill and eff went to almost 90%

I have to say I really enjoyed having 14 gallons of it to drink!

 

[StunnedMonkey]

I can't decide whether or not to dilute this one. What do you guys think? It's been fermenting for 24 hrs already.

Well isn't it a little late if it's already in the fermenter? Diluting something post boil might get your gravity where you want, but it'll screw up your IBU's. The time to dilute (it seems to me) would be pre-boil so that you can make hop adjustment for the altered volume.

 

[B33R]

I would leave it be since its already been fermenting. Like StunnedMonkey said diluting will reduce your IBU's. Its fermenting leave it alone and when its ready enjoy and try at it again with your adjusted efficiency if you feel like it. I get my grain from BMW as well and on my first beer i ever made, AG of coarse i got 78% efficiency. My other 2 have been 76 and 78.

 

[Picobrew]

1.058 Sounds great for a Kolsch to me, you will probably not really be able to notice, honestly. It might be outside of style guidelines, but it doesn't matter to your mouth.

 

[GNBrews]

Easy solution, dilute your wort and utilize any excess canned for use in starters.

 

[JuanMoore]

I had a similar situation where I overshot my OG and wanted to dilute, but didn't have room in the fermenter, or anything handy to put the extra volume in. What I did was wait until bottling, and boiled my priming sugar in a gallon of water instead of the usual couple of cups. I also boiled it longer than usual to make sure I removed as much oxygen from the water as possible.

 

[Heineken]

You need to keep in mind that there are a LOT of things that can effect your efficiency percentage. While Eds crush might have soemthing to do with it, it could also be your technique has changed or improved, better temps, water, sparge, etc. My point is don't just assume that your efficiency is going to improve by at least 6% just because Ed crushes your grain. I don't think he has a 'magic crush'. He just does the crush correctly.

I've used Brewmaster a few times and haven't noticed any difference. Crush is definitely important but there are many other factors.

 

[motobrewer]

i'm getting consistant 70% with northern brewer's crush

i guess we'll see what happens. i can always kill the runnings early. d*mn my lack of large fermentors!

 

[nealf]

You have to consider that if you are diluting you are introducing oxygenated water (unless you boil and cool) and you are thinning out the IBUs to a certain extent. Just a thought; I say let it ride... otherwise you are just blending with water!!!!!!!

 

[DrDirt]

..and you know how I feel about blending.
This got me thinking though. Has enybody considered using aerated water to cure the curse of the 1.020 stuck fermentation? Of course, you'd have to account for the change in IBU's and the potential for over-diluting the fermenting beer...
Let's say somebody had a case of the 1020 curse, could you make a hop tea (to maintain IBUs), oxygenate the tea, and pour it into the fermentor? Thoughts?

 

[nealf]

Only if you like oxidized beer.

From BJCP's website:
Oxidized – Any one or combination of winy/vinous, cardboard, papery, or sherry-like aromas and flavors.

I have had this in an off flavor tasting recently, it is terrible.

 

[DrDirt]

but what if it kick starts further fermentation? wouldn't the yeasties take care of the added oxygen?

 

[nealf]

The yeast only use oxygen for the replication stage of their life, they don't require it for fermentation from what I understand.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-9-3.html

 

[DrDirt]

Ah, but the're producing CO2 during fermentation, no? I always assumed that the o2 came from the water. Seems to me like this method would be like making an "all-in" bet. If it kick starts more fermentation you might be okay, but if it doesn't, you're screwed. In any case, there are better ways to handle the 1020 curse, I was just curious.

 

[BioBeing]

Right. Fermentation (alcohol production) is anaerobic. Adding any oxygen at any stage past the initial growth phase of the yeast is probably a bad idea.

 

[jpsloan]

I don't know what the deal is... I managed to accidentally brew a dopplekolsch recently. I felt the flavor was a bit strong, and suspected it was too much yeast still in suspension. But when someone in my brewclub tried it, his first question was "what was your original gravity?" Bingo. What I was tasting wasn't the yeast, it was the flavor being kicked up by the booze.

For my last three brews, I've had people specifically comment that they're all stronger... the dopplekolsch was the first time someone could "taste" it, the rest they just "felt" it. I think my LHBS fixed their mill last fall, and probably set their phasers to kill.

 

[wildwest450]

Good reason to ALWAYS take a pre-boil reading. Make your adjustments and enjoy your extra beer.