BIAB brewhouse efficiency

[Richie_asg1]

My first attempt at all grain in my new kettle today using BIAB.

I used the Brewers friend recipe builder to cobble together two existing recipes for something similar to Hobgoblin British brown ale.

2.5kg Maris Otter
200g Crystal Malt
90g Chocolate Malt
Total 2.78kg

12L strike water 70°C
Mash 68°C 40 minutes
Lift to drain,
Sparge at 70°C with 4L 5 mins.
Boil 60 Minutes.

Hops-
5g EKG 60 Mins
10g Fuggles 60 Mins
20g Fuggles 10 Mins
20g EKG 1 Min

Irish Moss 2tsp 15 Mins

All seemed to tick all of the boxes and I estimated 65% efficiency because I am new to this and don't know what I am doing. No idea what it will turn out like as it is my first ever all grain brew, well first with any grain actually.

It calculated an OG of 1.047, and I got 1.058 so is likely to end up at 7.5% Ended up with 10L in the FV.

How do I work out what my system efficiency is so I can be nearer the mark next time? Or how does anyone work this out?

(And thank you to this forum and all contributing members for getting me this far)

 

[Cowman]

Is the 65% mash conversion efficiency or brewhouse efficiency? If its brewhouse then that's your overall efficiency

 

[Richie_asg1]

On the sheet it is brewhouse efficiency which I understand is the whole system rather than just grain conversion.

I have just found the calculator page . Seems my brewhouse efficiency came out as 66.28% so I was not far off on a guess of 65% I will use that figure in future brews.


For the grain conversion I got 73.13% Not sure if that is good or bad but the spent grains looked pretty empty and light.

 

[Cowman]

I get about the same brewhouse efficiency and I've been doing biab with batch sparging for a year so its not a bad percentage

 

[Richie_asg1]

Cool

- And it's on it's way.

 

[dwhite60]

Second to last batch I did BIAB and got 85% efficiency. Thinking this was a fluke I didn't adjust for the increased efficiency on my last batch I got the same. I crush pretty fine and expect that is the reason.

My previous mash / lauter method got me 75% on a good day.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[PhilBrew]

Hi Richie

It calculated an OG of 1.047, and I got 1.058 so is likely to end up at 7.5% Ended up with 10L in the FV ...
... found the calculator page ... Seems my brewhouse efficiency came out as 66.28% so I was not far off on a guess of 65% I will use that figure in future brews.

... if you weren't that far off with your efficiency estimate, but got a much higher OG, then I guess you were looking to make a bit more than 10lts ... it's worth remembering that if that happens next time you could always "liquor-back", that's the technical term for diluting down to the desired OG. The calculator there (link) will help calculate how much water to add

Hopefully, you took lots of volume measurements during your brewday (before and after boil, as well as into FV) so you can get a better idea of your losses and get the "right" amount into your FV, as predicted by your calculations, next time

Cheers, PhilB

 

[Lee Brown]

I've not done it, but liquoring back can sort this, so that you can get back to your target abv. Basically let's say you have a grainfather, you dump the trub and add water and boild then pass through the cooler and then into the wort. Formula Actual OG x volume / intended OG minus volume.

 

[Richie_asg1]

I ended up batch priming using about 1.5L of boiled water with the sugar.
It's been sitting for 2 weeks at about 20C and just tried a bottle tonight- Flat as a pancake so I think the temperature rise may have sterilised the yeast. . I will give it another 2 weeks in the warm then if it is still dead will transfer to a PB, and force carb it.
Quite a tasty pint, just flat.

First attempt at all grain I didn't expect miracles.

 

[skulltat280]

I've only batch primed 1 brew but used a lot less water

Not sure if that's the problem but that seems too much water for dissolving sugar, especially in such a small batch of beer

 

[Richie_asg1]

I've only batch primed 1 brew but used a lot less water

Not sure if that's the problem but that seems too much water for dissolving sugar, especially in such a small batch of beer

Yes it was more water than I usually use because I wanted to reduce the ABV a bit. The FG turned out higher than expected so needed to bring it down a little. What I didn't count on was how the water temperature would affect the relatively small batch. Should have cooled it but was concerned over the beer sitting around waiting for that.
Lesson learned I think.

 

[skulltat280]

Yes it was more water than I usually use because I wanted to reduce the ABV a bit. The FG turned out higher than expected so needed to bring it down a little. What I didn't count on was how the water temperature would affect the relatively small batch. Should have cooled it but was concerned over the beer sitting around waiting for that.
Lesson learned I think.

Did you add extra sugar to compensate for the extra water volume?

 

[Richie_asg1]

No, I wanted a lower ABV than the 7.5% I was going to get. Not much, just a bit, and stretches it out by another 3 pints out of it. Lovely colour, dark ruby like the Hobgoblin Not quite as hoppy. I think they must have a higher hop addition near end of boil or dry hop. Something to aim for next time.

 

[skulltat280]

That could be the reason it's flat. I'd make note of it and adjust next brew

I've never dry hopped, so I've no experience of what it adds. The way my nose is I couldn't taste it properly. With allergies I rarely get full taste ffs

As long as it tastes good, I'm sure you can live with it being flat this time