What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[Mike Neilson]

79% Yeah but it has probably alot of Diastatic strenght which has extracted more out of the lower extract cara type malts?? just a thought

[James P]

I have to replace my hydrometer, as my last beer finished at .990...

[jt]

Yea, but yours has been severley shaken (not stirred) !

[Mike Neilson]

You ringing out that grist again?? hahaha. Good stuff I still think you need to dial in your extract to beer tools

[JoKing]

I just got the spec sheet's in for the Halcyon Malt - and the Potential extract on the Fine Grind is 81.5% so throwing this into the system gives me 100% efficiency... not the 103%.

I feel a bit better about that now: I mean over 100% is impossible isn't it?

[Reviled]

"I mean over 100% is impossible isn't it?"

lol, I dont think it is, I recall Steve saying he gets like 103%ish alot of the time?

[denimglen]

You can't extract more sugar that's in the grain...unless you're rocking Chelsea styles like the big boys do :-P

Where is that efficiency measured Jo, the mash efficiency, lauter or into the fermenter?

[JoKing]

It's Brewhouse efficiency...

When I brew the "Brewing Classic Styles" recipes as is in the book, I get much higher OGs than the book does (if that makes any sense).

[warra48]

You can get more than 100% extraction efficiency.
The quoted spec figures are theoretical figures done on various mash methods in a laboratory. They are not absolute figures.
I have on a couple of occasions had up to 103% from my mash, according to calculations done in BeerSmith.
In other words, using the example of the Halcyon mash above, I got 103% of 81.5%, so there's still more left to extract.

[denimglen]

The quoted spec figures are theoretical figures done on various mash methods in a laboratory. They are not absolute figures.

Indeed. But the congress mash system is a lot more intense than your average homebrew setup. Paper filters, two hour mashes and sparges, and laboratory grade equipment. So I'd say they're generally pretty accurate. I do agree that it is an organic product and each kernel will differ slightly. I'd be inclined to say that it's more likely a homebrewer's volume/weight/gravity measurements are far more inaccurate than the maltsters lab and spec sheet.

In other words, using the example of the Halcyon mash above, I got 103% of 81.5%, so there's still more left to extract.

I don't understand what you're getting at here? 81.5% is the weight of soluble extract from the total weight of grain. Assuming the extract of the malt is actually 81.5% if you actually got 103% efficiency you've somehow managed to turn insoluble grain matter soluble. If you have obtained 100% conversion efficiency then you've managed to extract all of that 81.5% of soluable extract.

Meh, don't really care, it's not a pissing contest, just sayin'.

[Mike Neilson]

You the man!! And yeah you can extract more potential by creative mashing

[Simon David kelly]

What was your BG Jo?