How to increase my conversion?

I'm in the same boat as the OP (doing small 1 gallon batches due to space restrictions in my flat) so I will try this on my next batch (brew day this Saturday) and report back.

 

Wasn't ignoring your reply, but obviously my point has already been made for me.
FYI: 5 gal batches can be done in a very small amount of space. If you have a 3 or 4 gal pot to boil in and an empty closet corner to leave a fermenter, then you can do it.
Not trying to push you, but if you are interested there are a lot of "minimalist" brewers out there. Just ask questions. People are always coming up with space saving ideas that may be applicable to you as well.

 

Just get a refractometer. A gravity reading uses 2-3 drops maximum.

 

How many people have experience with the correction factor calculators for refractometers? I just got one and I had OG and FG readings by hydrometer. I then used my refractometer for FG values and used Northern Brewer's calculator with my OG value and got crazy values that were way off from my hydrometer measurements for my FG...

How many people have tested FG & OG both ways?

 

I have, and the best calculator I have seen is the one you can download at this page...
http://seanterrill.com/2011/04/07/refractometer-fg-results/
But no matter what calculator you use, it's only an estimate. Lot's of interesting reading on this at Sean's site.
Sean also has an online calculator which I have not tried and so can't vouch for it directly.

 

I have. I wasn't able to read a damn thing because the krausen residue completely covered the scale even after the krausen fell. I don't think the reading was affected by the krausen per se, its just that I couldn't see the numbers.

 

I think the simple answer, is get a glass wine thief for samples, and a sample cylinder.

Give them a quick spray and sanitize it, and take a sample. Dump it back. I've dumped them back a couple of times when it's all sanitized. I like to drink my last hydro sample after fermentation anyways, but in your case, you could pour some off and taste, or dump it back. If your clean, there's no real issue.

 

I'm not sure how much headspace you need in a gallon fermenter but there are 128 oz in a gallon. That's 9 or 10 beers, depending on trub. GreenKrusty also hit on an important note that conversion is the percentage of starches you convert into sugars that can be consumed by yeast. Most people above assume that you're talking about effiiciency, which is what percent of the sugar you pull out of the mash. If it's the prior, mash at low temps, use lots of hot sparge water and boil off as much wort as you can in your boil. If its the latter, our neighbor has you covered: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/maximizing-efficiency-when-batch-sparging-77125/

 

What about the fx of water chemistry on conversion?

Been fookin'around with salts the past few batches and brewhouse eff is up several points.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

"use lots of hot sparge water "...not sure I agree with that part...sounds like a mash out which should halt any further conversion...but something might have gotten lost in the translation : )

 

To obtain an OG just take a preboil gravity reading and do the maths.
For FG drop in the sanitized hydrometer into the fermenter after the krausen falls.

edit: damnit, I was taken in by the tangential question and never answered the OP. Mash pH and increased temperature is probably the best way to get the best conversion, although I think you may be confusing conversion and extraction.

 

I'm in New Orleans, so temperature wise, I'm not far off. I put my bucket in a rubbermaid container with water and add frozen 2 liter bottles. I usually have my t-stat on 74ish and, if I change the bottles in the morning and at night, I can usually maintain about 68-70 deg beer. You actually might be able to pick up a degree or two because it is so much drier in Vegas. The evaporation rate will be higher, thus cooler water in the tub. And some people add a small fan to aid in evaporation.
I understand this can all be a bit much in a closet (as earlier stated). I usually keep mine under a desk while fermenting.

 

Conversion is the conversion of starches to fermentable and unfermentable sugars/dextrins. The proportions of the various types of sugars/dextrins (and thus the fermentability of the wort) is influenced by some of the same factors (e.g. temperature, time, pH) that influence conversion, but you could, for example, have full conversion of starches in two different mashes that result in two very different worts from a fermentability standpoint.

Extraction (and the related measure) Brewhouse Efficiency measure how much fermentable and unfermentable sugars/dextrins actually make it to your boil kettle.

 

I thought it (Brewhouse efficiency) was what made it into your bottle/fermenter ( - trub, etc.)...I could be wrong

 

Yep, you're talking conversion (apples) and I was talking efficiency (oranges). It just depends on what the OP wants.

 

You are right, Brewhouse Efficiency is an 'into the fermenter' number. I should have made the distinction.