Can your mash tun lose efficiency over time?

[saffire]

I have been brewing all grain for 3 years now and I am noticing I am losing efficiency in my brews. Could it be my mash tun? I have the same equipment since I started, a Coleman chest cooler with a bazooka tube. I batch sparge and usually get around 68% efficiency, now I am getting around 60% or lower. I have not changed my process and get my ingredients from the same LHB for 3 years. Any ideas?

[codewritinfool]

Do you crush your own grain? Roller gap spacing may be increasing, affecting your crush.

[dmtaylor]

Your LHBS opened the gap on their mill to try to get people to spend more money on grain, or they are just clueless. Either way they don't care about your efficiency. So from now on, double mill your grains, and your efficiency will hit mid-70s or higher.

[Effingbeer]

Your LHBS opened the gap on their mill to try to get people to spend more money on grain, or they are just clueless. Either way they don't care about your efficiency. So from now on, double mill your grains, and your efficiency will hit mid-70s or higher.

As one of the LHBS workers who is either trying to rob you or clueless, what usually happens is the mill gets worn out over time. We put hundreds of pounds of grain through the mill every week and they just don't last forever. The guys at your LHBS want to make you happy. My guess is that there has been a subtle change in the crush, and no one has brought it to their attention. I check the crush on every bag, I would recommend that customers do the same. Happy to run it through again.

[Ozwald]

If nothing else has changed, I'd 100% agree. The LHBS hasn't touched their mill in 3 years because, to them, nothing seems off. The rollers have a slightly different opinion.

[saffire]

My LHBS are good guys. I will bring it up to them and I am sure they will double crush it. They have been using the same mill since I started going there.

[saffire]

My LHBS are good guys. I will bring it up to them and I am sure they will double crush it. They have been using the same mill since I started going there.

[codewritinfool]

You just double crushed that post.