Mash efficiency on NEIPA vs everything else

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by grahamp33, May 22, 2022.

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  1. grahamp33

    grahamp33 Aspirant (210) Feb 27, 2019 Indiana
    Trader

    Do those brewing all grain NEIPAs on a regular basis get the same mash efficiency versus other styles?

    For further detail… I am using BeerSmith 3 (mobile version) and get mash efficiencies from 57-68% on NEIPAs, 74-84% on all other styles. I am assuming the flaked oats are taken into consideration in beersmith, but maybe that is a poor assumption. I realize my efficiency has a lot of variation, but no matter how I mash I am in those ranges for each type. I have a mill that is checked often and set at 0.032” gap. Thoughts?

    Pete
     
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    There are at least a couple possibilities here. Assuming those mash efficiency differences are showing up between beers of the same recipe size and roughly the same grainbill size...

    Are you using wheat malt? A mill gap that's perfect for barley malts can be too large for wheat malt (smaller kernels), resulting in more uncrushed grains and thus lower mash efficiency.

    Also, I'd check the "PPG" specs for any of the non-barley grains you're using. If your software overestimates the potential extract, then it will look like you're getting (all else being equal) lower mash efficiency.
     
  3. grahamp33

    grahamp33 Aspirant (210) Feb 27, 2019 Indiana
    Trader

    Thank you VikeMan, excellent things to check on for my BeerSmith settings. Also, I will need to remember the gap setting when I use other grain types. I mill and mash with 2-row brewers malt or pale ale malt, a little acid malt, a little carapils, and then add my flaked oats to the mash, no milling on those obviously. The flaked oats always come from my local home brew store. I originally had them mill the grain but brewed with low efficiencies and assumed I was getting a poor crush, but now think It wasn’t their milling.
     
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