Hi All, I’ll be trying out a 10gal cylindrical cooler that I’m making into an MT. I set up my recipe on Beersmith and input a potential 65% efficiency since I don’t know what to expect on this first go around. Per my recipe, the est. OG from Bsmith is 1.060. So what happens if the post boil OG is higher, for example 1.070. I then know I can increase my efficiency but would I do it by 15% to 80%? My mind is not firing on all cylinders today and I can’t seem to think this out. Sorry if this is a dum dum of a question.
Mike :?
If an OG of 1.060 works out to 65% eff, and you end up getting an OG of 1.070 then your eff on the batch was around 76%.
60/ 65% = 92.3(this would be you OG if you had 100% eff)
70 / 92.3 = 75.8% eff
I’d be more concerned about using a cylindrical cooler… :shock:
Thank you for the calculation. Hey, what’s wrong with a cylindrical? It’s orange :?
[quote=“Steppedonapoptop”]It’s orange[/quote]Strike two…
Well as long as you don’t wear pants I think it’s still ok…
Guys, you’re making me a little nervouse here.
Truth be told, I use a round orange cooler too…I just don’t tell anybody around here, this is more of a rectangular blue(or is it red?) kind of crowd…oh crap my secret is out 
Still, brewing without pants regardless of cooler color is the way to go though :cheers:
Yeah, I have to agree, in an orange cylindrical cooler I don’t really see you getting above about 60% efficiency. Sorry.
There are some steps you can take to minimize the effect. If you keep the grains covered until they’re actually in the tun, then they’ll only see the inside and they might not figure out that it’s orange. There’s really no way to keep them from finding out that it’s round though. You’re just going to have to take the hit on that one.
I do my best to read and or search posts before I make my own, but until today I’ve never heard about the angst over cylinders especially orange. So now that I’m out of the closet so to speak, an orange igloos what I got, and do or die its going to make my 2nd AG. I hope I can remain in the good graces of all you ‘squares’ or rectangles; red, blue, camo, green or even rainbow. Grain knows color. Brew on I say. In grain we trust.
I think they’re worried that you might be putting a false bottom in there. 
Man, am I ever screwed :roll:
In all seriousness I do use the same style igloo cooler you have. I use a steel braid for lautering and it works just fine. Once I started crushing my own grains I consistently get about 80% efficiency, pretty much between 78-82%, so I use 80 when planning my recipes. Hope that helps.
All that being said I do try to keep the grain blindfolded…I mean covered like a10t2 said, that certainly helps out with the color issue, and I’ve been known to condition the grain with bourbon, seems to disorient them just enough so they don’t realize the cooler is round until it’s too later. Those steps are optional though, really just for my peace of mind. 
Wowzer, good thread for a laugh anyway. I had thought about spray painting my round cooler blue just for the cool of it all, but I figured nah the orange will fade over time and it will be more of a GOLD-ish tone later in its life.
It all boils down to what method of lauter your using and if your batch or fly sparging. I use a Cvpc manifold and fly sparge and my usual predicted percentage is 80% when formulating recipes. Depending on actual grist and OG I will vary in between 77-85% and this is using NB St Paul store crusher. When I eventually move to a false bottom I will expect a tick upwards and do not really ever want to exceed 85% as a norm as I feel quality does suffer. I think your wise to aim low at 65% and be pleased when you hit higher. But I would suggest raising your expectations to hit at least 70% minimum if fly sparging. And 65% or lower if batch sparging. Not a dig as I have only heard to expect lower effic if batch sparging. I have not actually batch sparged in a round cooler. So those with this particular experience could weigh in if this is incorrect for approximates for a newer brewer to expect.
Also be real if you weigh in on my last sentence. I dont want to see this exaggerated OH I hit 90% batch sparging in a round cooler bu(( unless you can fully explain your SOP to justify a wild number to the newer brewer and exacting experienced brewers that will call you on it. :mrgreen:
Your input is much appreciated. Based on some reading here, I intend on mashing thin and hope to hit my needed boil volume to end up with 5g’s. Not sure if I’m out of my mind on this one but I am loaded for bear with my grain bill based on an anticipated .65 eff.
[quote=“ITsPossible”] And 65% or lower if batch sparging. Not a dig as I have only heard to expect lower effic if batch sparging. I have not actually batch sparged in a round cooler. So those with this particular experience could weigh in if this is incorrect for approximates for a newer brewer to expect.
[/quote]
I generally get about 80% efficiency batch sparging in a round cooler using a steel braid. That’s with a 1.5 quart/1 pound water to grain ratio and a Barley Crusher at the factory setting.
Good to know sounds like your hitting about the same numbers I see although you do have a tighter control on crush which is something I will have one day I figure heck at 80% there’s no need to invest in one just yet. I have heard folks such as Denny and other long time batch sparge proponents making light of average 80% effic but I thought maybe the round/ slimmer profile started an issue just to the effect of grain bed depth dimension etc… that causes a steep drop in % over a wider lower grain bed. Do you use a single straight piece of braid or a ring of some sort?
And to follow up I use an average ratio of 1.25
single straight piece probably about 6 inches long
[quote=“ITsPossible”] but I thought maybe the round/ slimmer profile started an issue just to the effect of grain bed depth dimension etc… that causes a steep drop in % over a wider lower grain bed.[/quote]Cooler dimensions and grain depth are non-issues in batch-sparging. A rectangular cooler, with the wider opening, makes it easier to thoroughly stir the grains, and if you want to use a big MT, you pretty much have to go with a rectangle (largest round cooler I’ve ever seen was 15 gallons).
