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Maximizing efficiency

Maine Homebrewer

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From the posts and replies that I read I see most people here tent to relate efficiency with the grind.

I'm not so sure, though that's not to say that grind has no bearing.
I usually use the same grind because I usually get my supplies from the same guy, and I let him grind it for me.
So in my case grind is a constant in the equation, not a variable. 
And I've increased my efficiency from 60% to 80%+ by mashing out.

I chatted with my local guy after getting some lousy yields, and he suggested I raise my mash to the same temp as my sparge water before I wash the sugars off the grains.  The books implied that the purpose of this was to achieve complete conversion, but my iodine tests already assured my that conversion was complete.
Then I thought about washing candy off my hands with cold, warm or hot water.
I'm washing sugar off grain, and temperature matters.

So by raising my mash up to my sparge temperature (I do it by dicoction) I've gone from needing 12lbs base grain to get a 1.050 S.G, to just needing just 9lbs.
 
Hi,
  One effect of raising your mash temperature with a sparge out is that the higher temperature will help to thin the mash out a bit helping it flow better.  This can increase efficiency for thick mashes.

Cheers,
Brad
 
I will say, I had been suffering from efficiency issues for a little while myself.  I too used the same grinder at the LHBS so I had a hard time assigning blame to their grinder.  After all it has been the same grinder for a while and I used to get better efficiency. 

So, through the process of looking for what might be causing my efficiency issues I learned about mashing out, experimented with different volumes of sparge water as well as different rounds of sparging.  I read up on sparge temp as well.  I learned how to take a proper iodine test and even honed in my settings on BeerSmith to better match my equipment to include following the BS instructions to the letter.

At the end of the day I bought my own grinder and my efficiency went from the 60's to the 80's.  So, at least with my experience, the number one cause of efficiency issues was my cause as well. 
 
I also would like to raise my efficiencies and have been thinking of performing a mash out.

Here is what I do now:

My Beer Smith is set up to allow me two equal batch sparges.

I mash for an hour, depending on recipe.

I vorlauf and drain the mash tun of all wort.

I add the first batch of sparge water.  (In general the water temp is around 187F)
I vorlauf and drain it all out.

I add the second equal amount of sparge water.  The volume is equal to the first with the temp being 187F or so.
I vorlauf and drain it all out.

My mashing process is complete.

I am thinking of turning that first batch into a mash out.  To do this I would bring the volume of my first sparge to boil, then add it to the mash, vorlauf and drain both the original mash and the first batch sparge.

I would then add the second batch of sparge water at the 187F, vorlauf and drain.

Should I see an increase in efficiencies doing this?
 
I am doing exactly as you propose. I have seen a couple of points increase is all. I can't seem to hit much above 70%. I'm using a modified Corona mill now. My next step is a Barley Crusher.

Wayno
 
Rep said:
Should I see an increase in efficiencies doing this?
Not much as you have it stated (You know it's comming), However. If you added the Mash Out to your Mash Profile, and kept the two batch sparge rounds you would see a gain (what I do). The reason I say "Not much" is because you only rinsed the grains once.
here are a couple posts on the forum: http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php?topic=1952.msg7828#msg7828  http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php?topic=1906.msg7646#msg7646
Cheers
Preston
 
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