I just recently started all grain and have been drifting around the mid 60's for efficiency. The best batch I had was the only dark beer I have made so far, making me think it has something to do with water chemistry. I also had a false bottom that was giving me fits, so I replaced it with a CPVC manifold. Today I brewed a wheat beer (5# 2-row, 5# wheat malt, 0.5# crystal 20), mashed at 153 for 1 hour (verified by 3 thermometers), drained the mash completely and sparged with 188 degree water which brought the grain bed to 169. I stirred the crap out of it before the sparge. This time I only got 57% efficiency. Grain was crushed at my LHBS and was even run through the mill twice.
I use Durham, NC city water treated with 1/5 Campden tablet to remove chloramine.
pH - 7.5
Ca - 4.8
Mg - 2.1
Hardness - 22
Na - 29
BiCarb - 28
Sulfate - 46
Chloride - 12
Any ideas? I tried doing things like Bru'N water but I am apparently water chemistry brain dead.
I use Durham, NC city water treated with 1/5 Campden tablet to remove chloramine.
pH - 7.5
Ca - 4.8
Mg - 2.1
Hardness - 22
Na - 29
BiCarb - 28
Sulfate - 46
Chloride - 12
Any ideas? I tried doing things like Bru'N water but I am apparently water chemistry brain dead.