Problematic Menshutkin reaction

I'm quite new to organic chemistry and want to try menshutkin reaction. Like the reaction in an attachment.


I use that recipe:


I do everything in a 60ml beaker. I dissolve 18 mmol of pyridine in 35 ml of acetone. I add 115 mmol of 1,6-dibromohexane and stir for 30 minutes. Then I add 76.6 mmol KOH (in the form of crushed pre-flakes). Stir for the next 24 hours.


Then I put the whole thing into a solution of 50 ml of dichloromethane and 100 ml of water. I mix for 1 hour, then pour into a funnel (I have a small 25ml one, so I do it several times).


I evaporate the whole thing using a 60-80 degree water bath until all the dichloromethane evaporates. Then, after cooling down, I wash it a few times with pentane (it cleans the material from the residual dibromohexane, unfortunately I don't have a vacuum pump).


Unfortunately, I only got 5% yield and the product still look little reddish, what am I doing wrong? Could you help me on what to do better?


I can buy equipment but not so sure what to buy


[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5T1Sb.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5T1Sb.png)


