brewzofo1
Well-Known Member
I will be doing my second all grain batch next weekend. It is a PtE AG kit from morebeer.com. I've been reading the instructions trying to get ready for brew day. I built a 10 gallon mash tun and will be using it for this batch. Never done a mash & sparge before. My last batch I did the BIAB technique with a big beer (DIPA). It is still fermenting as I type this. I have a couple of questions before I begin brewing.
1) The AG brewing instructions has a "calculate mash water" formula:
____lbs x 1.1qts = _____ /4 = ____ gallons
I have 14.5lbs of grains. Using this number my calculations calls for 3.98 gallons of water. Is this for the mash tun? This seems very low. I used another formula (mash and sparge water calculator) and it calls for 9.25 gallons of water. This seems more like the correct answer. Am I right or am I way off? Or is 3.98 (4 gallons) the right number for the mash? Using 4 gallons of water for the mash and for the sparge I use 0.5 gallons for every lb of grain (7.25 gallons of water)? It just seems like the 4 gallons for the mashing is too low. But I guess when you add the sparge water it would make up the difference.
So on brew day, do I boil 4 gallons of water to 170F for my mash. Add that to the mash tun. Then add the 14.5lbs of grain inside the mash tun while the temp is around 154F. This recipe also calls for "mash hops (whole Cascade) to be added to the mash for 60 minutes. Do I add the whole hops in a steeping bag and throw it in the mash tun? Cover and let it sit for 60 minutes. Then boil another 7.25 gallons of water to 170F for the sparge. Sparge the 7.25 gallons while letting it flow into the pot for the boil. Is this the correct procedure. I'm still reading up on mashing and sparge.
Thank you.
1) The AG brewing instructions has a "calculate mash water" formula:
____lbs x 1.1qts = _____ /4 = ____ gallons
I have 14.5lbs of grains. Using this number my calculations calls for 3.98 gallons of water. Is this for the mash tun? This seems very low. I used another formula (mash and sparge water calculator) and it calls for 9.25 gallons of water. This seems more like the correct answer. Am I right or am I way off? Or is 3.98 (4 gallons) the right number for the mash? Using 4 gallons of water for the mash and for the sparge I use 0.5 gallons for every lb of grain (7.25 gallons of water)? It just seems like the 4 gallons for the mashing is too low. But I guess when you add the sparge water it would make up the difference.
So on brew day, do I boil 4 gallons of water to 170F for my mash. Add that to the mash tun. Then add the 14.5lbs of grain inside the mash tun while the temp is around 154F. This recipe also calls for "mash hops (whole Cascade) to be added to the mash for 60 minutes. Do I add the whole hops in a steeping bag and throw it in the mash tun? Cover and let it sit for 60 minutes. Then boil another 7.25 gallons of water to 170F for the sparge. Sparge the 7.25 gallons while letting it flow into the pot for the boil. Is this the correct procedure. I'm still reading up on mashing and sparge.
Thank you.
