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Increasing grain bill to improve efficiency

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Bowdoinbeerboy, Feb 27, 2012.

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  1. Bowdoinbeerboy

    Bowdoinbeerboy Initiate (0) Sep 28, 2006 Maine

    I have read in various places that one easy way to get my gravity up if I am having efficiency troubles is to use more grain, say 1 extra pound for every 10 lbs. Does this work? I have been having trouble getting my OG where it needs to be, would using a little more grain solve this problem?
     
    #1 Bowdoinbeerboy, Feb 27, 2012
  2. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    That doesn't increase efficiency, it compensates for poor efficiency. Are you basing your recipes on any given efficiency?
     
    #2 leedorham, Feb 27, 2012
  3. coronajm

    coronajm Initiate (0) Jan 4, 2010 Ohio

    What is you efficiency at? What is you mashing technique and temperature? As leedorham stated, adding more grain will simply compensate for poor efficiency. The best thing would be to evaluate your mash/lauter method and equipment and see where you can increase your efficiency. This can include stirring the mash, longer mashing, or splitting your sparge into multiple steps, if you are batch sparging.

    As you try new things and manipulate your variables, you could always keep some light DME on hand to add to the boil if your pre-boil gravity comes out a bit under.
     
    #3 coronajm, Feb 27, 2012
  4. Homebrew42

    Homebrew42 Initiate (0) Dec 20, 2006 New York

    Increasing your grain bill will increase your gravity but it will not increase your efficiency. Ways to increase your efficiency include crushing your grain finer, refining your sparging technique, or building a mash tun with better fluid dynamics.
     
    #4 Homebrew42, Feb 27, 2012
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