Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

squeezing the grain?


  • Please log in to reply
11 replies to this topic

#1 positiveContact

positiveContact

    Anti-Brag Queen

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 68886 posts
  • LocationLimbo

Posted 28 October 2019 - 03:47 AM

I've recently started compressing my grain bed slightly to get as much wort out as I can.  Efficiency has improved a good amount.  I did notice on brulosophy it was claimed clarity was effected on a couple of batches where this was done.  has anyone else experienced this?

 

http://brulosophy.co...riment-results/

 

 

 

 



#2 HVB

HVB

    No Life

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 18047 posts

Posted 28 October 2019 - 04:45 AM

I have done it both as a traditional BIAB and in a MLT.  In both cases I did not go crazy and gave it a gentle amount of compression to help eak out a bit more of the good nectar.  I have not noticed anything detrimental.  I am skeptical of some of their controls on the experiments on that sight and also the outcomes.  



#3 positiveContact

positiveContact

    Anti-Brag Queen

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 68886 posts
  • LocationLimbo

Posted 28 October 2019 - 05:15 AM

I have done it both as a traditional BIAB and in a MLT.  In both cases I did not go crazy and gave it a gentle amount of compression to help eak out a bit more of the good nectar.  I have not noticed anything detrimental.  I am skeptical of some of their controls on the experiments on that sight and also the outcomes.  

 

I've only done it a few times so far and the beers were on the slightly darker side and/or had dry hopping so I can't tell for sure yet on clarity.  this week will be a german pils though so that should tell me something I guess.



#4 zymot

zymot

    Comptroller of Small Amounts of Money

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 25473 posts
  • LocationMortville

Posted 28 October 2019 - 07:14 AM

I batch sparge. I noticed that I can drain until it runs dry. If I wait 10 -15 minutes and drain again, I get another quart or so. Since I drain twice with each sparge, I can get an extra half gallon, which I assume helps with efficiency. 



#5 positiveContact

positiveContact

    Anti-Brag Queen

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 68886 posts
  • LocationLimbo

Posted 28 October 2019 - 07:35 AM

I batch sparge. I noticed that I can drain until it runs dry. If I wait 10 -15 minutes and drain again, I get another quart or so. Since I drain twice with each sparge, I can get an extra half gallon, which I assume helps with efficiency. 

 

it sure does.  problem I have with my tun is if the flow is interrupted it breaks the siphon so I'm left with dead space.



#6 zymot

zymot

    Comptroller of Small Amounts of Money

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 25473 posts
  • LocationMortville

Posted 28 October 2019 - 07:48 AM

it sure does.  problem I have with my tun is if the flow is interrupted it breaks the siphon so I'm left with dead space.

 

I have a zymico mesh screen, no siphon action. When I want my Folger's good to the last drop, I tilt the back end up and get a little last drizzle.

 

When all is said and done and I am doing my clean up, the mashtun has been sitting for 1-2 hours, there is not much left to drain out. So I am satisfied.



#7 Poptop

Poptop

    Frequent Member

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 5011 posts
  • LocationCoconut Creek, FL

Posted 28 October 2019 - 07:52 AM

I'm a bag squeezer but not to the point of sore hands.  I compensate with a little extra water/grain to meet my desired OG.  7.25 preboil gallons and 12# of grain is my sweet spot.  I use .09 for water loss and almost always hit my volume and gravity.



#8 positiveContact

positiveContact

    Anti-Brag Queen

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 68886 posts
  • LocationLimbo

Posted 28 October 2019 - 09:33 AM

as per a suggestion by drez I've been using the lid from BK (slightly smaller diameter than my mash tun) to compact the grain bed to squeeze out a little more liquid.  I don't go too crazy but I'm not pushing down gingerly or anything either.


Edited by Zsasz, 28 October 2019 - 09:33 AM.


#9 denny

denny

    Living Legend

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 9090 posts
  • LocationEugene OR

Posted 28 October 2019 - 11:19 AM

I batch sparge. I noticed that I can drain until it runs dry. If I wait 10 -15 minutes and drain again, I get another quart or so. Since I drain twice with each sparge, I can get an extra half gallon, which I assume helps with efficiency. 

 

Not enough to be worth it for me.  Ken Schwartz, the guy I learned to batch sparge from, called it the law of diminishing returns.  That's exactly what I've found.  Not enough gain to justify the extra time.



#10 zymot

zymot

    Comptroller of Small Amounts of Money

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 25473 posts
  • LocationMortville

Posted 28 October 2019 - 12:09 PM

Not enough to be worth it for me.  Ken Schwartz, the guy I learned to batch sparge from, called it the law of diminishing returns.  That's exactly what I've found.  Not enough gain to justify the extra time.

 

That is the part of my brew session where I can take a break and relax. Make lunch, what ever. Time is flexible. Once the boil starts, a clock starts counting down and I have to be more conscience of time. 

 

You are right about diminishing returns. When I figured out it was easier to buy a pound or two more of grain than worry about efficiency, life was better. I have learned to take what the grains give me and let the beer become what it wants.



#11 Poptop

Poptop

    Frequent Member

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 5011 posts
  • LocationCoconut Creek, FL

Posted 28 October 2019 - 01:22 PM

That is the part of my brew session where I can take a break and relax. Make lunch, what ever. Time is flexible. Once the boil starts, a clock starts counting down and I have to be more conscience of time. 

 

You are right about diminishing returns. When I figured out it was easier to buy a pound or two more of grain than worry about efficiency, life was better. I have learned to take what the grains give me and let the beer become what it wants.

 

Amen



#12 zymot

zymot

    Comptroller of Small Amounts of Money

  • Patron
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 25473 posts
  • LocationMortville

Posted 29 October 2019 - 12:50 PM

Amen

 

I do not enter my beer into competitions, so I do not have the burden of worrying about brewing the some things. I can live with a happy mistake.

 

I saw a thread about Viking malt and most of the critique was the debating how accurate the lovibond rating was. And those guys were fretting over a few degrees. More than I would ever care about, that is for sure.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users