traviswalken
Well-Known Member
I have a few BIAB batches under my belt and will try batch sparging for the first time this weekend. I am brewing a dry stout with a pretty low OG. I have been getting 70-78% efficiency with BIAB, but figure I might get efficiency as low as 60% batch sparging until I get the process dialed in.
Since the recipe has a low OG, I am a little conerned about undershooting gravity and making a watered down beer.
I was thinking about cutting back my sparge water by about 1 gallon and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Then I could check the gravity of the first runnings and second runnings. If it looks like I am getting reasonable efficiency, I would add the last gallon of sparge water. If not, I would just end up with 4.5 gallons of wort after boil. I'd rather get 4.5 gallons of beer at a reasonable FG/ABV than 5.5 gallons of watered down stout.
I used a similar method when sparging BIAB and was able to hit my target gravity pretty accurately. I just ended up with extra beer if I got good efficiency.
I suppose another strategy would be to lengthen my boil. However, I know there are things happening to the wort in a prolonged boil that aren't all desirable.
Sorry for the long question, just curious what others do when they are unsure about efficiency.
Thanks.
Since the recipe has a low OG, I am a little conerned about undershooting gravity and making a watered down beer.
I was thinking about cutting back my sparge water by about 1 gallon and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Then I could check the gravity of the first runnings and second runnings. If it looks like I am getting reasonable efficiency, I would add the last gallon of sparge water. If not, I would just end up with 4.5 gallons of wort after boil. I'd rather get 4.5 gallons of beer at a reasonable FG/ABV than 5.5 gallons of watered down stout.
I used a similar method when sparging BIAB and was able to hit my target gravity pretty accurately. I just ended up with extra beer if I got good efficiency.
I suppose another strategy would be to lengthen my boil. However, I know there are things happening to the wort in a prolonged boil that aren't all desirable.
Sorry for the long question, just curious what others do when they are unsure about efficiency.
Thanks.