34 replies to this topic

[Genesee Ted]

I do not know WTF is going on my my efficiency is almost non-existent. I am at a loss because I have not changed anything. The pseudo pils started at 1.043 (should have been 1.050) and I was a tad short on volume. The Community Brew I did today is at OG 1.048 and I hit my volume. I am really frustrated here. I am usually close to 80% efficiency. Today, I did a straight up DC batch sparge to see if my method of sparging was messed up. I have never had this problem before yesterday. This sucks.

[beach]

I feel your pain. It has happened to me and I have no clue why.Beach

[Mya]

Check your Hydrometer and or refracto in distilled water at 60Fdid you change mill gaps?

[Genesee Ted]

I have not adjusted the mill. I will check the hydro now

[EWW]

check your thermos while you're at it too.

[djinkc]

I feel your pain. It has happened to me and I have no clue why.Beach

Me too. The problem disappeared when I tossed out the last 5# of base malt in that sack. It was CM 2-row which I've never had a problem with before. But I'm back to where I expect to be since that bag is gone.

[MtnBrewer]

:inb4flysparge:If you were short on volume you may have undersparged and that would cause low efficiency.

[djinkc]

:inb4flysparge:If you were short on volume you may have undersparged and that would cause low efficiency.

:inb4flysparge:If you were short on volume you may have undersparged and that would cause low efficiency.

Yeah, but wouldn't/couldn't OG go up in that case?

[matt6150]

I have yet to purchase a mill yet, but I have to imagine that over time things get loose, wear out whatever and your gap may change. When I do get a mill I imagine I will be checking my gap often with feeler gauges.

[MtnBrewer]

Yeah, but wouldn't/couldn't OG go up in that case?

Maybe. Would love to know what his pre-boil OG & volume were.

[Mya]

Me too. The problem disappeared when I tossed out the last 5# of base malt in that sack. It was CM 2-row which I've never had a problem with before. But I'm back to where I expect to be since that bag is gone.

it could certainly be a bad lot of malt, I think we take consistancy for granted on base malt,

[beach]

it could certainly be a bad lot of malt, I think we take consistancy for granted on base malt,

Never even crossed my mind, it should have though. I need to go back and check the base malt in batches that I had an unexplaned hit in efficiency. I know for sure that the last two batches were low in efficiency and I used CMC 2-row.Beach

[Genesee Ted]

Me too. The problem disappeared when I tossed out the last 5# of base malt in that sack. It was CM 2-row which I've never had a problem with before. But I'm back to where I expect to be since that bag is gone.

Interesting.... both batches were with CM.... But I did that DIPA that I nailed volume and overshot gravity

:inb4flysparge:If you were short on volume you may have undersparged and that would cause low efficiency.

Nah, I started with the right gravity, just over reduced.Checked the hydro.... it is reading 5 points HIGH in distilled water....

[Genesee Ted]

I just talked to another friend who says he gets shitty numbers from CMC 2 row.... and it could have gotten made up for on the DIPA from the addition of honey and the software didn't know what the sugar content was of the honey.Maybe it is the same for the CMC pils?That is wayyyy off though

[MtnBrewer]

Checked the hydro.... it is reading 5 points HIGH in distilled water....

Temp adjusted?

[Genesee Ted]

Yeah, it is at room temp.... 60

[Genesee Ted]

I have a sample pulled. I will check it on a friend's refractometer tonight

[djinkc]

I'll throw this in. I would guess 90% of my beers in the last few years have been CMC pale, pils or 2-row. It's one of the least expensive base grains our club can purchase in our bulk orders. I think what I had was an abberation. I can't say enough good things about their malt. May not be the best in the world but you can make great beer with it for a reasonable price.

[positiveContact]

I'll throw this in. I would guess 90% of my beers in the last few years have been CMC pale, pils or 2-row. It's one of the least expensive base grains our club can purchase in our bulk orders. I think what I had was an abberation. I can't say enough good things about their malt. May not be the best in the world but you can make great beer with it for a reasonable price.

super reasonable. i love it.

[Genesee Ted]

This is my first experience with it. I have been using a bunch of Euro malts for a lot time or Briess. I didn't get a chance to check the sample on the refracto tonight, but hopefully in the AM. I will need to get a new hydro anyway, I might get a refracto too. I really hope this is instrument failure. I haven't been able to stop thinking about what could be the issue here. My thermometer is digital, but I guess I will try to see if it is working tomorrow. It really seems to be. ARGH! I have a rye saison with brett that I really want to get made this week and I am not going to be super comfortable doing so without nailing down the issue.I have another 2 or 3 brews lined up behind that for the next 2 weeks too. Gotta get this figured out