My efficiency was **** when I got one of their custom kits. I've read a few other posts which have criticised the crush and the efficiency from them too.
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Is it just the crush, or the grain itself too, do we know? The crush was poor, for sure, there were uncrushed grains in it. I thought about crushing it again myself with my Corona hand mill but couldn't be bothered with the faff.
If they'd sent the uncrushed malt I ordered I would be happily oblivious! But maybe @Mansemasher should contact them cos this will affect sales if they don't sort it out.
Very interesting clibit thanks. I struggle to get more than 66% efficiency with my take on biab & buying grain ready crushed, and even had one recent brew at a very disappointing 56%
Methinks a grain mill is definitely going on the Xmas list.
RZH had some efficiency woes and mentioned the grain crush too - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=537327&postcount=13
ManseMasher
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I could contact them, but it would have more clout if they had a number of complaints from those who have experienced these issues, rather than me saying 'people are complaining about poor crushed grain'. Just my thoughts.....
Agree, but don't know who these people are, and don't want to garner bad publicity by starting a thread.
ManseMasher
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Thread already started by the looks of it!!
or do an overnight mash as per myqul's findings that the efficiency rockets overnight :hmm:
Is it just the overnight mash, or is it that the next day, Saturday is devoted to sparging and then boiling only. This might be consistent with a pretty decent effort on the sparging as well?
So, is it one dunk or two on the sparging?
My scientific bent suggests that two dunk sparges in BIAB would extract more sugars than one, using the same overall sparging water.
Between the two processes, long mash and extended sparge, it may be possible to do better than with just one of them.
Whoops, sorry Clibit, I seem to be rambling on your mixed grains thread. My apologies.
No worries. :thumb:
I think it was just about keeping it at mash temp for an extended period. i.e. for 8+ hours rather than 1.
Redron
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Yeah, me too. Currently doing BIAB using kits from the Worcester hop shop and struggling to get good efficiency despite much effort in various ways. As suggested, maybe it's the grain crush that could be at fault. I have read BIAB needs a good crush so as above, I may invest in a grain mill.
I have just mashed in the dark mild brew suggested by rodabod. Added some pale choc and a little black malt, may add a bit more black to the sparge to darken it up. I may choose the Munton's cheap dried yeast over the liquid options, cos I loved the beer I made with it, I want another one, and it's a 70% attenuator, so it's ideal for this low ABV brew I think. I have crushed the grain this time to hopefully improve the efficiency, got about 65% the other day. I've added the priming sugar to the grain bill to show the final ABV. And I've gone for quite a big flame out addition of Bramling X, cos Hops 'R' Me. :thumb:
Random Dark Mild
Batch Size (L): 9.0
Original Gravity (OG): 1.042
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 3.92 %
Colour (SRM): 22.1 (EBC): 43.5
Bitterness (IBU): 30.6 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 75
Boil Time (Minutes): 60
0.557 kg Lager Malt (34.21%)
0.371 kg Wheat Malt (22.79%)
0.186 kg Mild Ale Malt (11.43%)
0.186 kg Vienna (11.43%)
0.080 kg Chocolate, Pale (4.91%)
0.047 kg Carapils (Dextrine) (2.89%)
0.047 kg Crystal 145 EBC Medium (2.89%)
0.047 kg Crystal 240 EBC Dark (2.89%)
0.040 kg Dextrose (Priming Sugar) (2.46%)
0.037 kg Biscuit (2.27%)
0.030 kg Black Malt (1.84%)
12.0 g Northern Brewer Leaf (8.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes
25.0 g Bramling Cross Leaf (6.8% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes
3.0 g Irish Moss @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
4.0 g Calcium Chloride @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
4.0 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
Mash at 67ðC for 60 Minutes.
Ferment at 20ðC with Muntons Standard yeast
Random Dark Mild
Batch Size (L): 9.0
Original Gravity (OG): 1.042
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 3.92 %
Colour (SRM): 22.1 (EBC): 43.5
Bitterness (IBU): 30.6 (Average)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 75
Boil Time (Minutes): 60
0.557 kg Lager Malt (34.21%)
0.371 kg Wheat Malt (22.79%)
0.186 kg Mild Ale Malt (11.43%)
0.186 kg Vienna (11.43%)
0.080 kg Chocolate, Pale (4.91%)
0.047 kg Carapils (Dextrine) (2.89%)
0.047 kg Crystal 145 EBC Medium (2.89%)
0.047 kg Crystal 240 EBC Dark (2.89%)
0.040 kg Dextrose (Priming Sugar) (2.46%)
0.037 kg Biscuit (2.27%)
0.030 kg Black Malt (1.84%)
12.0 g Northern Brewer Leaf (8.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes
25.0 g Bramling Cross Leaf (6.8% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes
3.0 g Irish Moss @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
4.0 g Calcium Chloride @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
4.0 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
Mash at 67ðC for 60 Minutes.
Ferment at 20ðC with Muntons Standard yeast
Well re-crushing the grain worked, I got about 1046 instead of 1040 which means about 85% efficiency! Which makes my intended mild rather stronger than planned. Maybe I'll liquor back, I went a bit high on IBUs and late hops.
Sampled a week old bottle yesterday to check progress and get an early impression. I didn't liquor back, thought nah! Not sure I can call it a mild really, at 4.5%, but mainly cos of the hops, 30 IBUs and 25g flame out addition in 9 litres, equivalent to around 65g in 23 litres. So it's pretty hippy, nice bramling X fruity spiciness. On top of quite rich maltiness. Promising, pretty green obviously.
