Adjustments to mash: fermentability and efficiency

http://beersmith.com/blog/2008/07/04/5-ways-to-improve-your-all-grain-beer-efficiency/

 

Your attenuation is well within normal ranges, I wouldn't worry about that part.

Also, your efficiency is not great, but not horrible. The first thing I would look at is crush of the grain. IMO that is the most common issue with low efficiencies. Who crushes your grain now?

 

To decrease fermentability, mash in the high 150's, mash for less time (but long enough for full conversion), and use grains that yield less fermentable wort (e.g. Pale Ale malt instead of Pilsner)

 

The other option to increase the body of your beers is to add specialty malts like crystal malts and roasted malts to add dextrins (which will add mouthfeel and result in a higher final gravity).

You could also utilize Munich Malt as part of your base malts; Munich Malt is less fermentable.

Cheers

 

If you utilize CaraPils that will not add much in flavor.

Another option is to add some maltodextrin powder.

Cheers!

Edit. Is there a reason you do not want to mash at 158-160 degrees F?

 

Mash a little higher is obvious for fermentability control. I'd also suggest using a less attenuative yeast strain.

Efficiency can be adjusted with things like crush and also your tun engineering/set up. Every mash tun has a certain amount of liquid it simply can not recover do to geometry. For some that # can be small others a little higher. Your lauter technique (batch v. fly, speed of fly lauter) plays a role in the extent of the effect that has. But to make a jump from the 60s into the 70s for efficiency %, its likely leaning towards a finer crush to get there.