Cutting malt costs through better mash efficiency

Brewers can cut costs and boost profits by making their mashing and lautering operations more efficient. If the extract efficiency in the mash tun and lautering operation is less than 80%, the opportunity for savings can be substantial.

Mashing and lautering at first glance are simple and elegant processes. Dig a little deeper and it is clear they are complex operations where subtle nuances can make a significant difference in quality and efficiency. However, there are simple and inexpensive steps a brewer can take to increase extract efficiency and reduce ingredient cost.

Understanding Parameters

The amount of information provided on a malt Certificate of Analysis (COA) can be daunting. While each of the values provided by a COA has a story to tell, a brewer wanting to take the first steps towards increasing efficiency can focus on two parameters, extract and assortment. When you ready to lower your cost of goods, dive into Understand Malt COAs: A Guide for Small Breweries Focused on Efficiency. This short primer provides a basic understanding of critical aspects in your COA along with additional links to deeper dives into increasing efficiency.

Establishing a Baseline

Understanding current efficiency and establishing a baseline for improvement is the next step. The Brewers Association (BA) Brewhouse Efficiency Calculator is a quick and easy way to measure of the amount of extract recovered from the wort compared to the amount of extract available in the malt, expressed as a percentage. Accurate measurements are critical. Brush up on your basic skills with these quick videos; ASBC Beer Method 3b: Apparent Extract Determination Using Hydrometers and ASBC Beer Method 2b: Specific Gravity Determination Using a Digital Density Meter.

Tracking your Savings

Once you have established a baseline, you can take a deeper dive with the BA’s Waste Less, Gain More: A Brewhouse Efficiency Tool. This tool provides two ways to track brewhouse efficiency across different batches and recipes and provides a bonus calculator that annualizes savings. The introductory page to the Brewhouse Efficiency Tool also provides a list of resources that deliver tips and tricks to increase extraction rates.

Efficiency Matters

Increasing the extract efficiency can result in real savings. A 10% increase in extract efficiency could lead to a similar reduction in the amount of malt used. As an example, depending on the beer’s parameters, a 10% increase in extract efficiency could result in using one less 50-pound bag of malt in a seven-barrel batch.