Vigo_Carpathian

Recipes 

Up to this point, I have always batch sparged and ended up with very good results. This past brew day, instead of draining the wort after mashing 60 mins, I simply added the remaining balance of water at the necessary temperature to result in 168F. I then let it sit for 10 mins (same as I do if batch sparging) and drained the entire volume into the brew pot for the boil. After doing this new method, I ended up getting the same efficiency as I always get (about 75%). Is there anything wrong with this technique? I can't think of any difference it would make as long as the efficiency is maintained. It makes things so much easier.

__________________
Irony can be ironic sometimes

MalFet

Recipes 

That's essentially just no-sparge brewing. Most people see lower efficiencies than with a batch sparge, and likely you would too if you did controlled comparisons across multiple batches. But, if you're happy with the efficiency you get this way, there's no reason not to.

__________________
"Be excellent to each other." -Benjamin Franklin

Vigo_Carpathian

Recipes 

With bigger beers, I have had problems in the past with getting almost all the wort volume in the first pass, leaving only like a gallon or so more to the brew pot from the sparge. The rest of the sparge water just gets wasted. Fly sparging with only a gallon isn't enough to raise the grain temp to 168. Before doing this no sparge mehtod, on big beers, I always have to boil for over two hours just to get down to volume. Is this the norm for big beers, or there a better way of doing this?

__________________
Irony can be ironic sometimes

MalFet

Recipes 

Hmm...I'm not totally following.

In batch sparging, why are you adding more than your required preboil water such that there's water left behind that just gets wasted? Ideally you want your first and second runnings to be of roughly equivalent volume, but even being vaguely in the ballpark on that is good enough. I think I might be missing something on your numbers. I just did a single batch sparge 1.100 beer with a 20lb grain bill and I still needed 3 gallons from my second runnings.

Also, don't worry too much about hitting 168º with your mash. Some people like to do a mashout, but it's more personal preference than anything else.

__________________
"Be excellent to each other." -Benjamin Franklin

Vigo_Carpathian

Recipes 

A couple batches ago for example, I collected 4 gal after the mash (5gal batch and I use a 1.25qt/# ratio). I only needed 2.5 gal more for the boil. Do I have to cover the grains with water for the sparge? Or should I just add the balance and not worry about it? Thanks.

__________________
Irony can be ironic sometimes

MalFet

Recipes 

Just add the remainder and stir really well.

__________________
"Be excellent to each other." -Benjamin Franklin

Vigo_Carpathian

Recipes 

Ah, I was just overthinking things then. Thanks for the info.

__________________
Irony can be ironic sometimes