24 replies to this topic

[denny]

back on the topic, I like the deliberate course crush idea to increase maltiness, without raising FG, sounds interesting

I think it would be easier, more controllable, and more predictable to just alter your recipe to do that.

[Malzig]

back on the topic, I like the deliberate course (sic) crush idea to increase maltiness, without raising FG, sounds interesting

I think it would be easier, more controllable, and more predictable to just alter your recipe to do that.

There's reason to believe that grinding coarse decreases efficiency by preventing complete conversion of starch, which I wouldn't consider desirable. I'd think you'd be better off using smaller sparge volumes to test the theory that low efficiency correlates to increased maltiness. However, I usually treat maltiness as a recipe issue, too.One of the nice things about Batch Sparging is that, since it's just a process of serial dilution, the efficiency is almost completely predictable (within about 5%, maybe, if you achieve near complete conversion) from the size of your grain bill (and so it's water absorption), the dead volume of your tun, and your mash and sparge volumes. I find Kai Troester's Batch Sparge Simulator spreadsheet is a great predictor of what efficiency to expect from a specific system and grain bill.Instead of guessing what your efficiency might be from a batch sparge, enter your numbers into the spreadsheet, then measure the gravity of the wort at the end of your mash to determine that you have achieved 95-100% conversion before you begin your lauter, and you should achieve the predicted efficiency.

[Darin]

Sorry, you do not make clear that this is your first all grain batch, as in you have not done a fly sparge either. If you have successfully fly sparged, then I say formulate your recipe with a 75% efficiency.If this is your first all grain batch, I suggest you prepare for a poorer efficiency. On their first batch, it seems most people get in the 50%-65%. Just my impression from reading brewing forum for 6 years. (I know - I know. Some people got >75% on their very first batch)It is strongly suggested that you take a gravity reading before the boil. Then calculate what your OG will be at the end of the boil.If you are spot on with your OG, go forward withh the recipe.If your extraction efficiency is lower than you expected, you can do 1 of 2 things.1- Add DME/LME to bring you OG up to the recipe specs.2- Lower your hop additions to keep the recipe in balance. The finished beer won't be exactly as you planned. It will still be beer, it will still taste great and you will know you made a true all grain beer and you did not have to "cheat" by adding any LME/DME. (not that there is anything wrong with that)Enjoy the process and expect there will be a learning curve.

Sorry, no, this wasn't my first all-grain brew. Because of my setup, I'm doing the "poor man's" version of fly sparging. My setup doesn't allow me to gravity feed the HLT to a sparge arm on the Mash Tun. What I've been doing is draining water from my HLT (10 Gal Igloo) to a 4-cup measuring cup and pouring over the mash. My last brew was 10 points off and I think there were a couple reasons why, one of which was pour sparging technique. One of the other reasons was I think I sparged too quickly. It was about 20-30 minutes for 7 gallons. And, yes, I always take a gravity reading pre-boil. I also take one at post boil as well. :-)Cheers,Darin

[Stout_fan]

All this efficiency depends upon your OG, unless you ALWAYS do the same grist ratio then boil the snot out of your wort like mountain does.

We hashed this out years ago, and I thought you posted that you always got the same efficiency because you always kept the same water to grist ratio. You got higher OG by boiling the wort down to the OG required. If you didn't make that statement, then I apologize for the misquote.

[MtnBrewer]

We hashed this out years ago, and I thought you posted that you always got the same efficiency because you always kept the same water to grist ratio. You got higher OG by boiling the wort down to the OG required. If you didn't make that statement, then I apologize for the misquote.

I'm not saying I didn't say that but that's not what I do anymore. However I have been known to to very long boils for very big beers, so I can certainly see where such a statement comes from.