Low Brewhouse Efficiency

[manticle]

Temp can make a massive difference. Your 1021 at 85 degrees could be 1051 at 15 degrees (which some hydrometers are set to)

Correction calculator here: http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/hydrometer.html

 

[MHB]

I think that might be 20^oC (mostly).

M

 

[manticle]

Meant to type 15. Edited.

 

[Rurik]

I have a Monster Mill and with the rollers as close as is allowed only about half of the grains seem to be split open.

Grain crushing is really important in brewing...

This is spot on the money if you only crush 50% of your grain, even if you get every thing else right you are starting off behind the eight ball.

example

If I start with 5kg of grain but only crush 50% that leaves me with only 2.5kg of sugar (ignoring water content and the like) left for me to extract. So if you can get 75% extraction of the available sugar it will only be 1.875kg of sugar in solution. I cannot make something out of nothing, if the sugar is not available for me to extract (which it is not if it is inside the grain) I cannot extract it.

I hope this makes sense. If not ask.

Rurik.

Edited - Inserted early quote, also have realised that the crush has been addressed but thought I would leave my post up anyway!

 

[prongs_386]

Earlier I commented that I just had my first infection in my beer.. I just realised what had happened.
After I cooled the wort down with my plate chiller its was still around 35 degrees so I left it outside for a few hours to cool down... I just realised that it was in direct sunlight and was probably skunked! The first AG brew I did we didn't finish until it was dark which is probably why we didn't have the same problem.


I'm slowing making mistakes and learning from them..
Just thought I would share my stupidity

 

[manticle]

Sitting at those temps uncovered for a few hours wouldn't help either.

Pretty sure if you got the wort down to 35 degrees quickly and covered with glad wrap and an opaque lid for the rest and if your boil was long enough and vigorous enough that you'd not get any DMS flavours. I know which one I'd rather risk.

 

[sama]

Prongs,

Id grab yaself of these 20l foodgrade pails,they sell them in bunnings as well for $10.You can then drain your first lot of wort into the pail,freeing up your kettle for sparge water heating.Once youve emptied the sparge water out of your kettle into your mash tun,add the pail contents and your mash tun contents to the kettle.Food Grade Bucket