First AG - low efficiency

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I made a post almost the same as yours maybe 6-9 months ago.

My advice is basically "What Tony Said."

My efficiency problem was all around sparging -
- I batch sparged, but did not let the sparge water sit in the grain bed long enough
- I ran-off the wort from the sparge batches too fast
- This compacts your grain bed, restricting the water flow through it (so less sugars dissolve on the way through).
- It can also lead to cracks and channels forming in the mash bed, allowing water to pass through without dissolving any sugars.

Using BeerSmith, I basically followed the brew sheet - "Sparge with /N/ litres". Ok, so I did.

However, this isn't how you should think of it. I now think of sparging as washing the mash until most of the sugar has come out. Measure the gravity of each run, and keep going until it's dropped right down. Sparge a bit more if necessary. So you might have to boil off a bit longer, but your gravity will be correct. It quickly allowed me to realise I was sparging too quickly.


Start measuring everything -
- Gravity of first runnings
- Gravity of 2nd, 3rd, ... runnings
- Temperatures
- Do starch tests, take photos, keep them in your notes.
- Get some brewing-range pH papers (or a meter), test your mash pH.

It sounds like a PITA, but it helps you understand the process, identify problems, and if nothing else, is a bit of brewing geekery fun.
It gives me something to do while waiting for the mash to complete.
 
That's an idea, always thought stainless steel pots were the only real option, due to burning the wort on the bottom. I assume you don't have any issues with that?

If I get an aluminum pot, would the heat transfer be enough to do 25-30L boils on a kitchen gas cooker? 13L in a heavy stainless pot is able to get to a rolling boil.

Cheers,
Mick
 
Mofox, I would recommend you bite the bullet and get the Craftbrewer 100L. Go large, go stainless. It has a great geometry for brewing and will last you a long time. You will forget the extra $100 quickly, and the extra flexibility will be worth it. The diameter of the 100L is the same as their 70L, so will take a similar storage space.
 
lael said:
Mofox, I would recommend you bite the bullet and get the Craftbrewer 100L. Go large, go stainless. It has a great geometry for brewing and will last you a long time. You will forget the extra $100 quickly, and the extra flexibility will be worth it. The diameter of the 100L is the same as their 70L, so will take a similar storage space.
Agreed. I have a 30 litre stainless pot in my shed I never use anymore, because now I always do full boils.
Should have gone with the larger one, but I was too tight at the time.
 
Definitely getting a 70L or bigger. Verdict is still out on aluminium or stainless steel.

What is the biggest volume you think could be done on a kitchen stove? My boil the other day was in 3 pots... The biggest was a thick stainless 16L pot with about 13 or 14L in it... It got to a boil but it took a while and was probably near the limit for stainless. How big do you think I could go in aluminium?

If I'm going to have to fork out the dough for a burner ring then I might as well buy something decent in stainless.

Does anyone here get a full volume boil on the kitchen stove?

Cheers,
Mick
 
A friend was doing his boils over multiple burners on his BBQ :) I would get a dedicated burner and stainless pot. I think keg king / full pint burners have gotten a good report recently.
 
lael said:
I would get a dedicated burner and stainless pot. I think keg king / full pint burners have gotten a good report recently.
Agree.

If you're serious about brewing you really want to get yourself a proper burner.

Aluminium or stainless pot? Your call. (go stainless...... :) )

Go the biggest, and best, you can afford; within reason of course.

You don't want to have regrets later.

Scott
 
Keg King looks great for some buys, but terrible for others.... $370 for a 92L stainless pot? My best bet is craftbrewer in qld.

Who/what/where are full pint burners?

Cheers,
Mick
 
I couldn't boil a 30 litre pot on my ceramic-element (or whatever they are) stove.

May I could have boiled 2x 15 litre pots, but never tried.

I now boil outdoors on one of those "Mongolian" burners I got as a birthday present. But geeze, they go through some gas.

My LHBS swears Aluminium is OK, but I prefer stainless.
You can clean it with just about anything, and can boil up things like tomatoes (for a huge batch of sauce) if you see fit.

I swear I can taste aluminium in alu-pot-boiled water, but I should probably do a blind taste test ;)
 
Cheers for all for all the help guys. Still haven't made my mind up on the equipment list, but the help here will go a long way.

Mick
 
The Village Idiot said:
This mob have very good prices for pots.... link
They certainly do... 88L for $131 incl shipping.

Beats CB (assuming both are about same quality), but I'd have to cut my own holes. Curious as the right equipment / method... would these be appropriate?
http://byo.com/recipes-tag/item/673-from-brew-pot-to-brew-kettle-projects

Step drill bits - hardened stainless steel okay? Ebay listings with the imports coming out on top as usual...
http://www.ebay.com.au/bhp/step-drill

Cheers,
Mick
 
The Village Idiot said:
This mob have very good prices for pots.... link
Ended up going for two of the 88L pots from there... although I did cop some from the significant other for taking advice from the Village Idiot! :blink:

Hopefully will be good enough build quality - some doubts here in this thread.

I've completely derailed my own topic here, so build questions will go in a new thread. Again, thanks for all the help to all...

Cheers,
Mick
 
Jerry said:
Agree.

If you're serious about brewing you really want to get yourself a proper burner.

Aluminium or stainless pot? Your call. (go stainless...... :) )

Go the biggest, and best, you can afford; within reason of course.

You don't want to have regrets later.

Scott
"...If you're serious about brewing you really want to get yourself a..." e.g.. 'what I do, it must be right for everyone
 

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