Hi I'm new to the forum, and have just (yesterday) brewed my second batch of all grain ale.
I have been brewing using extracts and kits with pretty good success to date, and finally made the move to all grain and brewed the first batch a few months ago.
I settled on felinfoel's double dragon, it's a beer I enjoy anyway, as the pub I work in, regularly stocks it!! - recipe posted by DRB on the recipes forum, but I adjusted it for a 10 gallon brew.
I have to admit that the beer turned out excellent, and the batch yesterday had to be the same again, as a friend of mine wants to take some with him when he goes to the eisteddfod!!
I must admit that although more effort than extract beers, the result is much more satisfying, and I am pretty convinced that the taste is better.
The first batch came out at 1.040 SG, but this one has come out at 1.047 which works out to an efficiency of 60% I believe - I worked ot that 100% would yeild 1.074.
What sort of efficiency do most people find normal? - and where should I be aiming?
Double Dragon has an OG of about 1.042 from felinfoel, so (assuming their efficiency is much higher than mine) does this mean I am using more grain than should be necessary? BTW I'm batch sparging and appreciate that this can decrease efficiency.
I'm now looking forward to doing something different for my next batch!
my first all grain beers
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BigEd
Welcome to Jim's and to all grain brewing, mikey. There is no "normal" efficiency. Your level of experience, techniques, type of equipment, etc will determine where your efficiency falls. Chances are it will increase as you get more experienced with the process but more important than outright efficiency is a consistency in your output. Once you establish a known baseline of brewhouse efficiency it will become easier to hit targets and modify existing recipes for your brewery.
If you hit 1.040 on your first AG brew while aiming at 1.042 I'd say you did just fine. I would suggest not changing anything for now but track your actual OGs compared to target OGs for the next couple of brews and see how it goes. After you get a few sessions under your belt it will be simpler to make adjustments.
I can attest to the quality of that Double Dragon recipe. It makes one terrific bitter. In fact I am enjoying a pint now.
If you hit 1.040 on your first AG brew while aiming at 1.042 I'd say you did just fine. I would suggest not changing anything for now but track your actual OGs compared to target OGs for the next couple of brews and see how it goes. After you get a few sessions under your belt it will be simpler to make adjustments.
I can attest to the quality of that Double Dragon recipe. It makes one terrific bitter. In fact I am enjoying a pint now.
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mysterio
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mikey
Thanks to all of you.
One other thought - what's anyone doing with their spent grains? - I've chucked them in my compost bin. Has anyone tried a Tudor style small ale? - supposed to end up at around 1%ABV, but wouldn't you just end up with all the tannins and a beer that was foul? - just the way I understand it.
One other thought - what's anyone doing with their spent grains? - I've chucked them in my compost bin. Has anyone tried a Tudor style small ale? - supposed to end up at around 1%ABV, but wouldn't you just end up with all the tannins and a beer that was foul? - just the way I understand it.
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Frothy
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BigEd
Like DaaB I turn my grains into the garden bed or compost them. They do make a great soil amendment. To do a small beer, parson's beer, etc you can just do a party gyle. Make a regular beer out of first runnings only then make another lower OG beer from the seconds. So called "batch sparging" is just combining the runnings from two successive lauterings instead of separating into two different beers. The terminology is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, you are either sparging or you're not. 
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PieOPah
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DRB
I could only ever hit 65% efficiency fly sparging all be it consistant,and that is with around about ,near as dammit the correct ph.Last few times I have batch sparged and reached 75% efficiency,strange in it, as fly sparging you are suposed to get better efficiency.
I have noticed too, that when fly sparging I could only collect about 4lt over my final volume before the boil, before I reached 1006,but batch I manage to collect 7 / 8 lt over so no need to top up with water so much and the last running are still about 1014.
I have noticed too, that when fly sparging I could only collect about 4lt over my final volume before the boil, before I reached 1006,but batch I manage to collect 7 / 8 lt over so no need to top up with water so much and the last running are still about 1014.
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PieOPah
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mikey