Loss of liquid from all grain mash

[PirateShiner]

Hey all, my first all grain mash fermented fine and is ready to go. I strained off the grain and found that I lost about 2-2.5 gallons of liquid due to absorption. How to if make up for the last wort? Should I just add some water?

Thanks

[Twisted Brick]

More details needed to help you. Type of grain, original mash volume, type of yeast, method of squeezing... SG and FG would be cool too.

[PirateShiner]

Guess that would help eh????

I used 12 lbs of malted rye in 5.5 gallons of water with red star yeast, the bulk bakers yeast from Costco. I squeezed the bad gently by hand when I strained it. And no sg reading. I forgot

[bcook608]

I would only add more water if it's needed to submerge a heating element.
Otherwise I would take notes on your next batches and see if it's a constant thing, if it is, you'll just have to adjust your recipe so you end up with the right amount of wort or improve your squeezing by using a press or NEW mop wringer.

AG mashes definitely produce less final yield, but you can justify it by the added complex flavors and smoother finish you get over a sugar wash.

[StillerBoy]

I squeezed the bad gently by hand when I strained it.

There's the answer to your lost..

AG need to be squeezed using a mop bucket or apple press or a press of some kind.. grains hold back lots of liquid.. hand squeezing will not do it, especially a "gentle" one..

Mars

[8Ball]

Guess that would help eh????

I used 12 lbs of malted rye in 5.5 gallons of water with red star yeast, the bulk bakers yeast from Costco. I squeezed the bad gently by hand when I strained it. And no sg reading. I forgot

Squeeze the crap out of it next time. I usually wind up with about 80% of my total mash volume after squeezing.

+1 Mars

[Deplorable]

You didnt squeeze enough.
From a mash of 50# of grain in 24 gallons of water, I get back 22.5 gallons after squeezing it dry with a mop wringer. Then I let the murky wort settle and clear. That clears out to about 3 gallons of custard and I get about 19 to 20 gallons for the still.

[PirateShiner]

Thanks for the help guys!

[Jstroke]

You know that saying about a long enough lever and moving the world—go apply that logic and if possible multiply it.

[StillerBoy]

That clears out to about 3 gallons of custard and I get about 19 to 20 gallons for the still.

No need to have that amount of lost D..

Run that custard through a geotex fabric and retain 90% of liquid from it..

When I do an AG i have less than half gal lost by pressing (apple press) and filtering the press shit through the fabric.. a little more effort but no lost..

Mars

[Deplorable]

That clears out to about 3 gallons of custard and I get about 19 to 20 gallons for the still.

No need to have that amount of lost D..

Run that custard through a geotex fabric and retain 90% of liquid from it..

When I do an AG i have less than half gal lost by pressing (apple press) and filtering the press shit through the fabric.. a little more effort but no lost..

Mars

I've thought about that on more than one occasion. Now, with all the aging stock I have on the shelf, I find myself wondering just how much more efficient I can get before I reach a point of diminishing returns. It'd be nice to stretch another quart or two of final blend from each mash and keep two full gallons from each ferment. My last ferment I got 7 quarts at 60% after cuts. Cool, slow, happy, ferments, and plenty of time between process steps pays big dividends in final yield.

[Big River]

That clears out to about 3 gallons of custard and I get about 19 to 20 gallons for the still.

No need to have that amount of lost D..

Run that custard through a geotex fabric and retain 90% of liquid from it..

When I do an AG i have less than half gal lost by pressing (apple press) and filtering the press shit through the fabric.. a little more effort but no lost..

Mars

Mars is that weed stop material or something else? You filter the custard through it? Could I make a filter and press through my mop press? Thx

[StillerBoy]

Mars is that weed stop material or something else? You filter the custard through it? Could I make a filter and press through my mop press? Thx

No.. it's a different material..

Here's the thread to the info on it..
viewtopic.php?t=58545&hilit=geotex+fabr ... &start=150

Mars

[sadie33]

when you say squeeze using a mop bucket (obviously new) do you mean one of those buckets on wheels that a custodian would use? With the handle like a lever...

[Deplorable]

when you say squeeze using a mop bucket (obviously new) do you mean one of those buckets on wheels that a custodian would use? With the handle like a lever...

Exactly. Get one of them and a few paint strainer bags from the hardware store. Makes quick work of getting all your hard earned wash from the spent grains.

[sadie33]

That's so funny!
My first mash I put a flat screen over my bucket and scooped my sweet feed mash on the screen and pressed it with my spatula. It didn't get out enough, so I put a strainer in the bucket with a flour sack on top, wore some gloves and twisted and squeezed it. I did that before fermenting. I did some reading after that and I think it might be better to ferment with the sweet feed in it. So I have two 5 gal buckets sitting here fermenting that will need to be squeezed. I have a feeling it will be harder to squeeze these ones out after siting all that time in the liquid. I think I will buy a mop bucket!

I did order the large brew in a bag bags, so my plan is to gently dump my mash in the bag in a bucket and then squeeze. Next time I will put the feed in the bag as intended.

[StillerBoy]

I did order the large brew in a bag bags, so my plan is to gently dump my mash in the bag in a bucket and then squeeze. Next time I will put the feed in the bag as intended.

Be aware and mindful, that it's much easier to squeeze/press a small amount that a large amount, be by hand, mod bucket, or press..

Mars

[sadie33]

I did order the large brew in a bag bags, so my plan is to gently dump my mash in the bag in a bucket and then squeeze. Next time I will put the feed in the bag as intended.

Be aware and mindful, that it's much easier to squeeze/press a small amount that a large amount, be by hand, mod bucket, or press..

Mars

Thanks for the tip! I hadn't thought of that. I'm sure I would have figured it out, but I'm sure it would have been messy!!

[higgins]

Keep in mind the tradeoff between the equipment/effort of squeezing vs a few more lb or kg of corn.

Using 10% more corn and doing nothing more than hand squeezing should get similar yields for the cost of a few more lbs of corn. Even at Tractor supply prices it's 30 cents a lb, so surely < $5 per batch.

[StillerBoy]

Keep in mind the tradeoff between the equipment/effort of squeezing vs a few more lb or kg of corn.

There's the efficient way and being properly setup, or there's the lazy way.. efficient way is always the best in the long run..

Mars

[higgins]

So I'm lazy and your way is best.

Good to know.

[StillerBoy]

your way is best.

It's not about "my way" as being best..

It's about efficiency.. zero lost of liquid when done right..

Mars

[squigglefunk]

your way is best.

you aughta know by now ... it's the "right" way

except he's wrong, the most efficient way is to throw it all in the still and run it

so there's the "right" way, or there's the pain in the ass squeezing 100 lbs of wet stinky grains in a mop bucket way because you wanted to be a janitor in another life and your still can't handle a few grains.