Best efficiency upgrade 4u?

[Darkness]

So I just set up my RIMS system and HOLLY CRAP!!! My Brew Pal app said my Double IPA was going to be around 10%. Ya, either the app is cracked or RIMS totally Kicks A*# cause my brew came out at 13.4% and was spot on volume. Then my friend came over with a grain bill and his was a 10gal 7% brew and that brew finished at 8.75%.
I love a good high ABV just as much as the next home brewer. But man my yeast cant carbonate in bottle at 13.4%. So now I have to try and figure out where my Efficiency is now.

So what is the thing that you did to up your brewing Efficiency?


Keg
Coffee Stout
Bourbon Barrel aged Black Imperial IPA
Irish Red

Secondary
4gal BB-BIIPA
10gal Barley Wine

Primary
10gal Dark Rye Saison to be light dry hoped
10gal Double IPA
10gal Flanders Red
5gal American Bock (friends at my house)
10gal Centennial IPA (friends once agin at my house)

 

[Primevci]

my own grainmill..

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I think a lot of it has to do with mash tun geometry and of course how you sparge. I don't RIMS so I'm not sure what effect that has. When I mash in a cooler w/ hose braid (single batch sparge) I get about 70-75% eff. When I mash in a kettle w/ circular slotted manifold (again single batch sparge) I get 80-85%. My first brew w/ the kettle I ended up high on my OG too. Luckily I was shooting for 6.5% ABV so the increase was tolerable.

 

[tgmartin000]

90 minute mash. I got 92% eff last weekend.