What am I doing Wrong?

Over The Cliff Brewing

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According to the gravity estimates on BF, I have not hit my number by a lot for the past few batches. I have my mill set at "newspaper" crush and mostly 60 minute boils. With yesterday's brew, the estimate was 1.075 and I get 1.067 -Tilt, 1.064 - hydrometer and 1.065 - refractometer. I try not to put all my marbles on exact readings but I'm missing more than just a couple points. Ok what is it?
 
I set my crush at about 0.018" (if I remember correctly). Basically,I run an old credit card through it then tighten the bolts.

I also always do a iodine test when mashing. 60 minutes is a good rule of thumb, but sometimes it takes longer.

Do use a sparge or BIAB or constant recirc? Possible you just aren't getting things rinsed as well as you could?
 
Maybe adjust efficiency till your figures mirror the expected ones?
Then run next batches over a couple efficiency options?
 
Is you volume higher than expected? I tend to underboil and have that issue at times. Grain crush is obvious but you already got that down, unlike like me who just got a mill.
 
As @Zambezi Special mentioned, what is your efficiency set at in the Recipe Builder?
If you are hitting about the same amount under every time this may be out of whack or just have to be adjusted for your brewing methods.
 
Agree with the above.

What efficiency was the expected value of 1.075 based on? 75%? Something else? Change the efficiency in the recipe builder to whatever you are consistently getting and you’re golden. It’s just a number.
 
Hate to be the voice opposition. But don't change the test to match the results. If you aren't getting what you think you should. Analysis of the process could give you what you want. If you are already at a point of best efficiency (or good enough). Then call it good.
 
I used an Excel spreadsheet to get average efficiency and attenuation for my most used recipes and now use those numbers for the recipes. Sure, I'd love to claim 85% efficiency but 68% is the reality.

Just how many pounds of grain are you using in a 5? gallon batch @Over The Cliff Brewing ? When I use 12 pounds in a 5 g batch I generally get 1.055 ish.
 
I would also recommend using the Brew Sessions brew log, if you're already not. It let's you see your efficiency at each step of the brewday and can help pinpoint where you're losing points or volume. I would change your efficiency in your recipe to whatever you go last time and use that as a goal for your next brew. Also, 1.075 seems like a big beer, and often efficiency drops when trying to extract sugars for a high gravity beer
 
I used an Excel spreadsheet to get average efficiency and attenuation for my most used recipes and now use those numbers for the recipes. Sure, I'd love to claim 85% efficiency but 68% is the reality.

Just how many pounds of grain are you using in a 5? gallon batch @Over The Cliff Brewing ? When I use 12 pounds in a 5 g batch I generally get 1.055 ish.
I'm brewing more 2.5 gal batches these days and I try to stay around 6 or less ABV (6.5 lbs or less of grain)
 
I would also recommend using the Brew Sessions brew log, if you're already not. It let's you see your efficiency at each step of the brewday and can help pinpoint where you're losing points or volume. I would change your efficiency in your recipe to whatever you go last time and use that as a goal for your next brew. Also, 1.075 seems like a big beer, and often efficiency drops when trying to extract sugars for a high gravity beer
I was trying to eek out an 8% DIPA with almost 8 lbs of grain for a 2.5 gal brew.
 
I will adjust the efficiency on my next batch to see if that makes a difference. If not, I'll just stop brewing...(until I finish my drinkable inventory)

Thank you all for the advice.
 
Does you grain bill's PPG match the the fermentables in the tool? A different brand, or even a different batch of 2 row, can yield a greater or lesser amount of sugars than what's posted in the tool so if the points per gallon of say your base malt or one of the other the other malts isn't to the listed specification, you'll have a difference.
 
I will adjust the efficiency on my next batch to see if that makes a difference. If not, I'll just stop brewing...(until I finish my drinkable inventory)

Thank you all for the advice.

Could we see the recipe and hear more about your methods?

What mash temp rest and how long? What are using to measure temps with?

What efficiency were you previously hitting and was it consistent?

Have you changed out any equipment (brew pot, mill, etc?) that might make the difference or have you changed any of your process recently?
- Did efficiency change when you shifted to 2.5G or was it 5-6 batches after? I know it has been a bit of a learning curve for me shifting to 10G batches and 240V system vs my old 5G 120V... I'm about to go through it again with my purchase of the newest Brewzilla....

Lastly, have you changed your final volume recently without accounting for it? Like making 3G instead of 2.5 so you could leave a bit of trub behind?

I'd hate to see you quit! (Unless that was sarcasm - I've never been too good with sarcasm! lol)
 
Yeah sounds like your brew house efficiency needs adjusting.
Sunfire hit the nail on the head on big abv beers brew house is for me easily 5%lower on these big beers so I'll set it to 72% as opposed to 78 on them beers.

Sparging for me seems to get more sugar in the boil too. Inused to be 83% average now full volume Biab No sparge I'm averaging 78% this is where I've set my efficiency to and I'm hitting my numbers or off by a point in the last couple of sessions.
 
Could we see the recipe and hear more about your methods?

What mash temp rest and how long? What are using to measure temps with?

What efficiency were you previously hitting and was it consistent?

Have you changed out any equipment (brew pot, mill, etc?) that might make the difference or have you changed any of your process recently?
- Did efficiency change when you shifted to 2.5G or was it 5-6 batches after? I know it has been a bit of a learning curve for me shifting to 10G batches and 240V system vs my old 5G 120V... I'm about to go through it again with my purchase of the newest Brewzilla....

Lastly, have you changed your final volume recently without accounting for it? Like making 3G instead of 2.5 so you could leave a bit of trub behind?

I'd hate to see you quit! (Unless that was sarcasm - I've never been too good with sarcasm! lol)
Pure sarcasm.....I'm going to keep brewing until I can't. :D
 

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