Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Alternative to lactic acid  (Read 11317 times)

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4880
Re: Alternative to lactic acid
« Reply #30 on: October 14, 2014, 05:19:31 am »
Are you fly sparging?  How fast is your runoff? 
Are you batch sparging? Have you changed how many rinse additions you use?
Is it possible that your mill has widened over time?
Many efficiency problems are crush related.




I had my mill slip to a wider opening and the efficiency dropped like a rock.  Now I double check before crushing by using a mark for the sweet spot in the settings.  Just a little tighter than factory settings.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline klickitat jim

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8604
Re: Alternative to lactic acid
« Reply #31 on: October 14, 2014, 05:35:19 am »
I like what Denny says, we're not brewing gaps. Not totally sure what it means but I've found that mill gap depends on your system. I was milling at about .030 and was getting a harsh tannin thing. Efficiency was about 72%. Then I opened it up to who knows what, but my hulls are intact and the grain looks to be about 5 or 6 chunks per kernel. Tannin thing gone and my efficiency went up. Go figure

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4880
Re: Alternative to lactic acid
« Reply #32 on: October 14, 2014, 06:02:06 am »
I like what Denny says, we're not brewing gaps. Not totally sure what it means but I've found that mill gap depends on your system. I was milling at about .030 and was getting a harsh tannin thing. Efficiency was about 72%. Then I opened it up to who knows what, but my hulls are intact and the grain looks to be about 5 or 6 chunks per kernel. Tannin thing gone and my efficiency went up. Go figure

Agreed - I have encountered stuck sparges at too tight of a mill setting, as well as it becoming too hard to mill for my cordless drill (or hand crank for that matter).  I backed it off to about .035-.040 (guessing by eyeball) or so and like my crush.  Like I said, I have it marked so I can be consistent.  I am not terribly concerned about efficiency, but I don't want terrible efficiency, either (72-75% is fine for me).
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"