Poor efficiency

[MX1]

Well, with this last brew, the Coffee/Chocolate Porter, I had really low efficiency, just under 60%:o

I think that there were a few factors that contributed to this, the first being that the retailer crushed my grains. I have to order most of my malt off the internet, and this was the first time that they ever crushed them....

Second, I was worried about maintaining mash temp, so I did not stir the grains, at all...:o

I have been using a thicker mash, 1qt/lb, I think I will up this to 1.5-1.75qt/lb and just do a single batch sparge instead of 2 sparges.

I hope this will allow for better conversion and provide a higher quality wort, since more of it will be first running's.

I usually get about 70-73% with my crush and the thicker mash.

any ideas are welcomed

Tim

[Tankard]

I didn't start getting good efficiencies until I bought my Barley Crusher.

Not stirring... that's probably the biggest reason for the poor efficiency, if I had to guess.

I've always kept my mash at 1.25qt/lb, so I can't really judge how 1.5-1.75 would work. I'd recommend keeping the double batch sparge though, it helped out with my efficiency. I don't really see how having more of the first runnings will result in higher quality wort though.... you are just converting and extracting sugars from the grain, the more the better. As long as they end up in the boil pot prior to the boil, I don't see how the first, second, or third runnings would make a difference, given the same volume.

[MX1]

This is what I am basing my thoughts on...


First runnings when sparging are the best… the sugar content is high, the pH is low and you are not extracting tannins from the grain husks as you are with a long and high volume sparge.

FROM HERE (http://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/03/22/mashing-thick-or-thin/)

I still think my biggest issue was the crush. I use a Corona Mill that I have dialed in and get in the 70's most of the time. Unless someone has a used roller mill they want to unload cheep, I am stuck with the Corona...

Tim

[Tankard]

Interesting read. The thing is, I've never had an issue with tannin extraction with a 1.25 qt/lb mash and a double batch sparge. I get decent, but not amazing efficiency of between 70 and 75%, consistently.

Give it a shot with the thinner mash and let us know what you think. Just remember to use the 5.2. There's a comment on that site saying the pH can go too far from the ideal range with a thin mash.