Low efficiency fixed

[ctufano]

Did my first all grain batch back in January. Turned out fantastic, but my efficiency after plugging info into beersmith was around 50%... Pretty disappointing

I know my temperatures were fine, and that I didnt have clumps in my mash, especially to that effect. Only thing I could think was my sparge...

I did the Kama Citra kit from Northern this weekend and made sure everything was correct (temperatures, volumes, etc). Ended up having a 79.2% efficiency. My sparge last time was just wayyyyy too fast. This time I slowed it WAY down. I didnt time it but I imagine around 30 minutes to collect 7.3 gallons.

Drank on a beer during mash and during boil... Had a Fathead hop ju ju during mash and a trade beer got during boil. Picture of just glass is our Dogfish 60 minute I poured for a buddy that was hanging out. Tastes good... I just wish I could get better clarity...

Here are some brew day pics

Drank on a beer during mash and during boil... Had a Fathead hop ju ju during mash and a trade beer got during boil. Picture of just glass is our Dogfish 60 minute. Tastes good... I just wish I could get better clarity...

 

[Yooper]

Sounds (and looks!) like a great day.

I love brewing in warm weather, and this time of year would be perfect in Florida. Thanks for the pictures!

 

[ctufano]

Ya it was beautiful out. Started at 215 or so, finished with clean up maybe around 630. Was warm... I thought about running a ceiling fan on patio, but since brewpot was so close and patio is covered with dirt and grime I didnt want to blow it up and in...

 

[nlewarne]

That looks awesome! What are you using to sparge with? Are you heating your sparge water as you are going? I am concerned about my sparge as well and trying to figure out if I want to try and create some kind of sparge arm to distribute the water a bit more.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

That looks awesome! What are you using to sparge with? Are you heating your sparge water as you are going? I am concerned about my sparge as well and trying to figure out if I want to try and create some kind of sparge arm to distribute the water a bit more.

Hey old neighbor! I lived in plymouth up until about 6 months ago, if you haven't yet, you should check out the Sons of Liberty Homebrew club (send me a pm if you have any issues finding them). They tend to meet every other months or so at Liberty St. brewing so just off of Mill, next to hermans.

For fly sparging it's important to sparge slowly, and evenly to avoid channeling in the grain bed.

However I find a quick batch sparge to be easier and almost as effective. It's as simple as doughing in again. Drain the mash tun, add your sparge water, stir the crap out of it for 5 minutes, then drain again. You might lose about 3% lauter efficiency when compared to a PERFECT fly sparge, but a good batch sparge beats a mediocre fly sparge, and is much quicker.

 

[ctufano]

I brought my sparge water to 170 and put in my HLT. Then closed it up, put on bar height counter in kitchen and my mash tun on a chair, and kettle on floor. Opened up the kettle, let it run off about 2 gallons into different vessle for my lauter and it was nice and clear, so then started to fill kettle.

I let the MT water get pretty low (stuck my finger in to gauge where grain bed was) and then when I was about 2.0" away I opened up my HLT to a TRICKLE. Just held it above the water and let it run... Changed hands every 10 minutes or so lol.

Nice and slow