Hey everyone,
Been a member for several years but it's my first time through the forums. I have a new problem that I am having a hard to figuring out the answer to.
I switched to all grain a couple years ago and started out with a 10 Gal Rubbermaid cooler for a mash tun with a Bazooka screen. I changed my process slightly as I learned more, but ultimately ended up right around 70% efficiency by mashing in at ~150 degrees F, mashing out at ~168, batch sparging at ~168 and draining to my kettle. Over time, my bazooka screen started to "break down" and I decided to replace it with a false bottom.
Now, my problem begins -- I am averaging around 60% efficiency since the swap. I use the same process. I have used different grain sources and even purchased and have used my own grain bill on the last two batches. The 2nd most recent batch I ended up with 5 gallons of wort (as planned) and had a gravity of around 1.040 (expected ~1.050). This weekend I hit my gravity number (1.050) so I was prepared for better results, but ended up short on the wort and still ended with an efficiency of 62%.
I am close to ordering another bazooka screen and seeing if it corrects my results, but with either method I think my efficiency could be better overall. So, I am wondering if I am missing something fundamental since I would not have expected an efficiency drop with this type of equipment change.
Any help would be appreciated, and I can provide more details along the way if needed.
Thanks!
Tim