"No Sparge method"

The usual no sparge technique is the "Dilute Mash" method. For this method, the grain bill must be increased by 20 to 30% over that for a traditional sparged batch. The mash is conducted as usual. After the mash is complete, all sparge water is added as a mash out infusion

Regarding a No Sparge Method, and the above paragraph, What does it mean when they say After the mash is complete all sparge water is added as a mash out infusion? Are you suppose to add the extra water to your mash after the 1hr rest, circulate until clear and drain, or Drain the first runnings and dillute with water to desired gravity? Thanks

Dark_Ale said:

The usual no sparge technique is the "Dilute Mash" method. For this method, the grain bill must be increased by 20 to 30% over that for a traditional sparged batch. The mash is conducted as usual. After the mash is complete, all sparge water is added as a mash out infusion

Regarding a No Sparge Method, and the above paragraph, What does it mean when they say After the mash is complete all sparge water is added as a mash out infusion? Are you suppose to add the extra water to your mash after the 1hr rest, circulate until clear and drain, or Drain the first runnings and dillute with water to desired gravity? Thanks

Click to expand...

Just what it says: "After the mash is complete" (your 1 hr rest) "all sparge water is added as a mash out infusion" (as it is an infusion, it is added to the mash water already in the tun)... In other words, you dilute the mash with more water before you preform a vourlaf and then runoff... if you drain first, it becomes Batch Spargeing, not a Dilute Mash (true no sparge brewing is just that... using NO sparge water at all for a very high gravity wort. see: http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html Warning!!! Here There Be Math!!!)

Google "no sparge" for much more info...

hope that helps some!

later,
mikey

When you add the extra water to the mash tun do you stirr your grain up? or just add it to the top of the mash?

Dark_Ale said:

When you add the extra water to the mash tun do you stirr your grain up? or just add it to the top of the mash?

Click to expand...

Stir it up real good so that you get as much sugar in suspension as possible, then recirculate till clear... the reason you add the extra water is to thin the mash and bring the temp up to help flow as much of the sugar as you can into you kettle (as well as preform a mash out)... the limitation to this is the size of your mash tun... if you run out of room, or can't add enough sparge water into the main mash, then batch sparging may be a better option for you and only takes a few minutes more due to the second recirculation for the runoff

later,
mikey

Ok great I have one of the 10gal igloo's as my mash tun. Hopefully I can get enough water in there to give me 6 gal of 1.060 wort. I just need to figure out how much water loss I will have in the grain. How about after the mash do I want my temp in the 170 range before dumping?

I would add the extra water at 170F. Even though this means a slightly lower overall temperature, you reduce the risk of getting tannins in the batch.

On the other hand, if you just drain the mash, then add the extra water, stir, recirculte and drain, you are batch sparging. This has the advantage that after draining the first wort, you can calculate how much more water to use for the rinse. Since the grain has absorbed all of the water it can, the second addition is just target gallons - first wort. It doesn't require extra grain, either.

I agree, I did my first batch sparge the other day it went good, I stopped at 1.030 a little high and my ph was between 5 and 6 I was probably ok to keep going but did not want to be greedy. I still ended up with 5 gallons of 1.050. I was thinking about the No Sparge just to taste the differance for my self. I just wanted to make sure I did it right. For me with the equipment I have batch spargeing is so much easier for me.