Is there really a diff between batch sparging and Mash out?

jacksonbrown · 08-04-2008, 03:27 PM

I was just thinking about this. And I'm curious what people think. Is there really a difference between performing a batch sparge and a mash out? The goal in both is to raise you grain bed temp to 168. In the mash out, you add hot water, rest, drain, add water, drain. In the batch sparge you drain the first wort, and sparge twice. So, where does the difference lie? What does one method do for you that the other does not?

CBBaron · 08-04-2008, 03:34 PM

Mashout raises the mash temp to around 168F. This can be done with an infusion of hot water or by heating the mash. At that point you start the sparge either a batch sparge or a fly sparge.

With a batch sparge you drain the lauter tun 1 or more times. After each draining you add additional sparge water then drain again.

The two steps are not exclusive nor do they have to be done together. After a mashout you can either fly or batch sparge. And you do not have to mashout before starting a batch sparge. I use a 5gal cooler and my larger beers completely fill the MLT. So I have to drain the mash water before I can add any additional water. This means I cannot perform a mashout, though I do batch sparge.

Craig

**Vagrant** · 08-04-2008, 03:35 PM

The goal of sparging is to rinse the converted sugars from your grains. The goal of Mash Out is to stop the enzymes from converting sugars. This "freezes the clock" on your SG and prevents your wort from bumping up an extra .01 or .02 to fine tune your brews.

davesrose · 08-04-2008, 03:38 PM

Isn't a mash out just a throw back from when fly sparging was the only accepted method? I dunno....I just have seen from contributers on this site that do batch sparge: that mash out is indeed not as noticable. I do fly sparge, so I find I get the best results doing a step mash with fly sparging (start off with a 30 min protein rest at 135, 30 min mash at 153, then 10 min mashout at 168....mashout just means to raise the temp enough to stop the "mash" process that the enzymes are doing). I would think that time is the only factor about when to get your grains up to 168 (so that you can stop those enzymes: otherwise, it might alter the characteristics of your beer). If you're not puttering around with your runnings, then maybe you can get what is effectively a mashout with your second batch sparge: and hence why the batch folks here say they see no difference with/without mashout.

**Lil' Sparky** · 08-04-2008, 03:53 PM

Raising the temps at mashout also makes rinsing the sugars from the grain easier.

**david_42** · 08-04-2008, 06:00 PM

I've been batch sparging for years, but rarely ever do a mash-out. So, for me they aren't the same thing. I control unfermentables and maltiness with the recipe and not worry about stopping the enzymes at a specific point.

jacksonbrown · 08-04-2008, 07:04 PM

I have been doing batch sparges since I began AG. I did a couple Mash outs the last few times though just to see if I noticed a diff. I did not.

Quote:

The goal of Mash Out is to stop the enzymes from converting sugars.

When I batch, my first half of the sparge water goes in around 180-190 in order to raise my mash temp and stop converstion. So what's the difference? I let it sit for 5-10 min before drianing.

CBBaron · 08-04-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonbrown

I have been doing batch sparges since I began AG. I did a couple Mash outs the last few times though just to see if I noticed a diff. I did not.

When I batch, my first half of the sparge water goes in around 180-190 in order to raise my mash temp and stop converstion. So what's the difference? I let it sit for 5-10 min before drianing.

You are doing a mashout, then a batch sparge. If you were like me and didn't have room to add additional water before starting the sparge then you would skip the mashout step. Since you are adding water then it makes sense to add in such a way to become a mashout.

So basically your batch sparge technique accomplishes a mashout. But that does not mean that a mashout and batch sparge are the same thing.

Craig

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 08-04-2008, 08:28 PM

Wow, I think I've been doing it wrong all the time. I put in my strike water and hold for 60mins, drain. Then add 168º water and let sit for 10 - 15mins. Repeat as necessary. From what I'm reading my first sparge water should be higher than 168º? Same holds true for each additional sparge?

**Lil' Sparky** · 08-04-2008, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilted Brewer

Wow, I think I've been doing it wrong all the time. I put in my strike water and hold for 60mins, drain. Then add 168º water and let sit for 10 - 15mins. Repeat as necessary. From what I'm reading my first sparge water should be higher than 168º? Same holds true for each additional sparge?

That's an acceptable method, but you may get some more efficiency by using sparge water hot enough to raise the mash to 168º.