improving biab efficiency

[oliver tate]

Hi,
I have been doing a few biab brews now and been very happy with them. My efficiency has been around 67% so there's room for improvement. Some reading suggests that milling the grain finer might help improve it. Has anyone any experience of this and is there any other suggestions on improving my efficiency?
I was thinking maybe to try a budget miller first to see if it had any effect?
http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... _Mill.html

Alternatively is there any supplier who will do this for me?

[Jeltz]

I know its not in the spirit of BIAB but it may be worth having a 2nd vessel to "sparge dunk" the bag in about 10L of water at a temperature of 78°C.

I do a MaxiBIAB and I'm getting an efficiency of about 85%. My boiler is only 32L (electrim) I mash over night with 20L and dunk the bag in a half full 19L stock pot @ 78°C for 10 minutes then add back into the boiler in 2 lots so it doesn't boil over. Even then I have to top up with a couple of litres to account for losses and make up a full 23L brew length. FWIW I'm using Bairds from WHS which I believe some people have had issues with.

Otherwise I think if you had a word with Rob at the malt miller he's able to help you out.

[AnthonyUK]

Hi Oliver,
What are your reasons for wanting to increase efficiency?

[Twistedfinger]

I think a normal grind is fine for Biab and going finer is a waste of time. As long as all your grain is cracked/split as per a normal crush and it all comes in contact with your water then the enzymes will do there stuff.

More detail would help:

At what point do you measure your efficiency? Efficiency into kettle/End of boil/into fermenter ?
How accurate is your hydrometer ?
How accurate is/are your thermometers?
How long do you Mash for?
What is the gravity of your brews ? bigger beers = lower efficiency

I hit 80% plus on 1.045ish brews and can add a few point if I do a mash out.

[Beer O'Clock]

I found the best way to improve efficiency is to just ignore it and get on with the brewing. Numbers only serve to confuse or be used a "willy wagging" points scorers.

Seriously though. Don't get hung up on it. You could try "mashing out". Raise the temperature to about 80 deg C. Making sure to protect or raise the bag. Steep the grains for 30 mins. Then pull the bag, drain and boil as normal.

[Lars]

I BIAB and I get really high efficiency (and lower FG) when I overnight mash but it results in thinner beer, great for 'some' styles. I think BOC is right, adding a mashout can only help

[oliver tate]

Thanks for all the advice.

I was looking at improving my efficiency as I am usually getting close to my target gravities and volumes but not always spot on, so I was looking at trying to achieve consistently efficient brews.

However, I also maybe 'read into things a little too much', and presume if someone else says they are getting X% then so should I (if that makes sense?). As I am still inexperienced I reckon maybe the best advice for me to follow would be what beer o'clock says above.

that's not to say I wont be trying sparging and mashing out at some point.

[AnthonyUK]

The differences in efficiency % points is easily compensated for by a small increase in grain which on the scale we brew at is a negligible cost.
This may have been something that has been carried over from commercial brewing where consistency and cost are critical.

[spanspoon]

Mash out works for me!