46binder
Well-Known Member
Brewed third AG batch today. First two were Centennial Blonde, and 1st one grind was way off and didn't hit the numbers. Second batch we did good and got the OG on target, everything went good. Our setup we got off C-list, from someone who used to brew alot but was back in the 80s-90s. We have an igloo cooler with a plastic bucket 'falsebottom'. Also have a Phil Mill, and Phils Sparge Arm. Today we brewed the Holly Christmas beer. Mashed at 152, and the 13 lbs were to the top of the cooler. Sparged water was 170. Sparge arm kept stopping, and had to stand there and make sure it spun. Stopped sparging when we got 6.5 gallons. Did not take a gravity reading at that point, should have I know. Boiled 60 min, and OG reading was 1.068, supposed to be 1.077. Beautiful color, smelled great. Pulled the grain out of the bucket after it all drained and there was another 1/2 gallon of oh so sweet looking wort still. Should we have kept sparging to get more? We stopped when we hit the 6.5 gal even though the wort was still nice and dark. My brother in law and I plan on some 10 gallon batches, and are going to buy a 10 gal igloo. Should we go with batch sparging with it and forget the phils arm? Already have parts for the SS supply hose for it. The rate of sparging was set by the flow from the arm, just enough to get it spinning, but with no stuck sparge, we got 6.5 gallons in 35 mins. Any ideas on what could be off or improve on?