Attenuation Improvement

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

Ever since making the decision to go forward with the brewery, I have been running my brew house like a professional system. Meaning tracking everything from water usage, grain bills, spent grain disposal, attenuation, etc. etc. Over the last few brew days I have seen the attenuation percentage begin to steadily increase with each brew. Looking over notes prior to keeping to the point records, I see where it has really been increasing over say the last 10 batches I have brewed.

Just in 2014, the first four batches I have brewed have gone from 78.85%, 84.31%, 82.46% to 86.12%

Not even sure why I posted this other than to see who out there in the also tracks this in their brewing. I know Palmer has it ranked as this:

65-70% = Low
71-75% = Medium
76-80% = High

Anyway, like I said .... More curiosity than anything else. All of our beers are turning out fine and taste as they always have, minus tweaks and modifications here and there. Just as we move forward with this project it was time to start treating it as if we were already up and running and Uncle Sam wants to know these types of numbers. Also, if you are wondering what your brews attenuation are at, here is the formula to calculate it.

[(OG-FG)/(OG-1)]*100

So if you have the following:

OG - 1.050
FG - 1.010
Attenuation = 80%

[Rebel_B]

I don't really keep track; but for each batch I do, my brewing software calculates the attenuation efficiency. I just looked at the last three batches I finished; 73%, 82%, & 83%.

[BlackDuck]

You really have to submit your attenuation numbers to the Govt....you can't be serious????

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

You really have to submit your attenuation numbers to the Govt....you can't be serious????

You'd be very surprised of what they want actually. How they want it, When they want it, Where you have to keep them, Who has access, Why they have access. It goes on and on and on. If you dump unsold beer ... Why, How much, Where, How much was taxed. It gets to the point of insanity at points on what numbers they want to know and offer no explanation of why. Here is an example right off a TTB form for waste you have to fill out every month and keep on file.

Solid Waste
A. Describe amount and composition of all solid waste to be generated and why it was generated.
B. Discuss proposed methods of disposal (Incineration, open burning, landfill, government or commercial garbage collections, etc.)
C. Describe any air pollution control equipment proposed for use in connection with any disposal methods.

Liquid Waste
A. Describe amount and content of any liquid waste that is generated and why it was generated.
B. Describe proposed method of disposal (Sewer, flaming, recycling, etc.) Describe any proposed means to monitor quality and characteristics, and any proposed equipment or facilities for treatment or control of liquid waste.
C. Was the liquid waste subjected to taxation prior to disposal. If so, what amounts were subjected to taxation prior to disposal.

Noise
A. Describe operational noise sources and their levels other than the normal associated with office operations, building maintenance, or utilities.

This is just an example of a portion of that report you have to file each month. The Brewpub Report of Operations is the one that gets into how much of this, how much of that, why, when, tax liability, wort received and used, wort removed, materials for beer & cereal beverage. Believe me, you have to be part lawyer, brewer, CEO, accountant and mathematician to fill some of these things out. And don't forget on time and properly or you have to do them all over again. At which time they can shut you down until they are done correctly, resubmitted and approved.

[Yankeedag]

The Nong Brewery shall ever remain a small operation...for which, I plan to consume 100% in Quality Audit tests.

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

The Nong Brewery shall ever remain a small operation...for which, I plan to consume 100% in Quality Audit tests.

Hahahahahaha, NICE!!!

[BlackDuck]

Holy cow...I would have never guessed you had to track all that. Are those state or federal requirements?

[berryman]

Eddie, and I'm being serious about this :)I plan on retiring in the next couple years and I know where Florida is (been there a lot of times) once you get your operation going I would like to apply for a job as a taste tester. No worry about Minimum wage or on the books as I would work under the table and where I would end up at the end of the day anyways.
Really though, I like reading about your progress and wish you great success on your endeavor.

Edit: but keep me in mind if that position becomes available.

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

Holy cow...I would have never guessed you had to track all that. Are those state or federal requirements?

99% are federal on what I listed out. The state pretty much goes off of whatever the federal says.

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

Eddie, and I'm being serious about this :)I plan on retiring in the next couple years and I know where Florida is (been there a lot of times) once you get your operation going I would like to apply for a job as a taste tester. No worry about Minimum wage or on the books as I would work under the table and where I would end up at the end of the day anyways.
Really though, I like reading about your progress and wish you great success on your endeavor.

Edit: but keep me in mind if that position becomes available.

Hahahahaha...You would not surprised how long that list is for that position

Thank you very much for the continued support as well. I'm hoping I help someone else down the road as well by documenting as much as I can through the entire process.

[mashani]

So if 76-80% = High what is French Saison/Bella Saison (97%+).

I can't believe the government wants to know this. Attenuation tax in the making like the old British hop taxes? (If unfamiliar - back in the old times at one point for it to be called "Beer" had have hops in it, it was taxed, and country folk who didn't like that kept brewing "Ale" which legally at that point could not be named "Beer" and could have no hops so they used wormwood and other stuff because they didn't want to pay that tax).

[John Sand]

I've been reading on HBT a little about increased attenuation. Some credit it to modern malts.

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

So if 76-80% = High what is French Saison/Bella Saison (97%+).

I can't believe the government wants to know this. Attenuation tax in the making like the old British hop taxes? (If unfamiliar - back in the old times at one point for it to be called "Beer" had have hops in it, it was taxed, and country folk who didn't like that kept brewing "Ale" which legally at that point could not be named "Beer" and could have no hops so they used wormwood and other stuff because they didn't want to pay that tax).

I would think a gold star would be in order for 97%, Mashini

[Funky Skunk Brewing]

I've been reading on HBT a little about increased attenuation. Some credit it to modern malts.

I could definitely believe that. Hoping that once the brew house is built (and paid for) that the equipment with perfect temps, etc. will aid in that process and result as well. Still a ways off from that right now.

*Edited for my idiotic typo (long night)

[russki]

I've been reading on HBT a little about increased attenuation. Some credit it to modern malts.

I could definitely believe that. I would ultimately like to get all attenuation near 95% in all of our beers. Hoping that once the brew house is built (and paid for) that the equipment with perfect temps, etc. will aid in that process and result as well. Still a ways off from that right now.

Why would you want to dry your beers out so much? Unless it's a saison or a sour, you should be aiming at 70-80% depending on a style. As a commercial brewer, it's consistency you should be after, so that the beer tastes the same batch to batch. Mash and fermentation temperature control as well as proper pitching rates should help.