Sparge once or twice?

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junior

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Hello to all, I was doing a search here looking for opinions on sparge water temperature and noticed I was not doing it correctly. I batch sparge and this is what I have been doing as of last batch. I collect my first runnings from my mash, then fill my tun with 200 degree water to get to 170 degree grain bed \water, let sit for 30 minutes then collect runnings.The volume of water is the amount I need to make boil volume, so I am doing one sparge, what I have read here is that most people do two or more sparges. I always hit my numbers, as far as OG. What would be the advantage of splitting sparge into two or more sparges?
 
I've heard of people doing two or three sparges. But I just watched a video where John Palmer debunked the myth of more efficiency from multiple sparges. He suggest that one, done right, is all you need.
 
I collect my first runnings from my mash, then fill my tun with 200 degree water to get to 170 degree grain bed \water, let sit for 30 minutes then collect runnings.
All good except this. Letting it sit is a waste of time. Stir the crap out of it and start your second lauter right after vorlauf.
 
You would do multiples if you were short on space in your MLT. But if you have the room, one sparge is fine. BIABers do full volume mashes, eliminating sparging altogether. Whatever works best for your system, i guess
 
Wow that's a relief to know I am sparging correctly. Thank's to all you nice home brewers for your help.
 
I do a combo batch sparge/BIAB in 5 gallon cooler with paint strainer bag. Drain the first runnings into buckets, refill and stir, drain that. Then i take the bag and do a dunk sparge in the kettle and usually get another 1.015 out of that. Then pour in the first runnings and boil.

I end up doing some squeezing, holding the grain bags over the kettle and draining, etc. theres so much liquid trapped in the grain with sugars, i like to try to get that out. No astringincy in my beers, though i could try a larger starting volume and vorlouf to get them a little clearer.
 
I do two as well though one is all that is needed. I do it out of force of habit since I'd learned that way, plus I always get a consistent 81% efficiency these days and I've been reluctant to experiment or change what's been working so well for me. I also found one neat little bonus is after the first sparge if I see I won't hit my preboil volume I can add the necessary water to the second sparge, quickly heat it back up to temp, and proceed to hit my volume exactly. Of course you can always just top off with water but I prefer to get as much sugar out of the tun as I can. But that rarely ever happens, like twice in two years.


Rev.
 
Wow that's a relief to know I am sparging correctly. Thank's to all you nice home brewers for your help.

Well, not quite...letting it sit for 30 min. after adding the sparge water is a waste of time. I add the water, vorlauf, and run off immediately. I average 83-85% efficiency.
 
Do you all squeeze the grains to extract more liquid or is it best to not?
 
Well, not quite...letting it sit for 30 min. after adding the sparge water is a waste of time. I add the water, vorlauf, and run off immediately. I average 83-85% efficiency.

Denny, thank's for the reply. I am relieved that I am closer to perfection that I originally thought I was . What is fifteen minutes in a life time?
 
Squeeze? What's to squeeze? Are you going to go ape sh*t on your mash tun pushing the grains down and leeching tannins

LOL, he's referring to BIAB I'd think, and he's not the OP. I was temped to jokingly say, "Yeah I squeeze my mash tun really hard but nothing happens accept I get tendinitis trying it" :D I opted not to be a joker. Oh, and tannin leeching via squeezing grains has been mostly proven to be a bogus myth.


Rev.
 
OK, thanks for the reply, i still speak British most of the time! plus im new to all grain brewing.
 
Denny, thank's for the reply. I am relieved that I am closer to perfection that I originally thought I was . What is fifteen minutes in a life time?

Done repeatedly, that 15 min, adds up to hours out of your life! Plus, I hate unnecessary processes when I brew. I like to have a verifiable reason for anything I do. There's just nothing to be gained from taking that time.
 
Done repeatedly, that 15 min, adds up to hours out of your life! Plus, I hate unnecessary processes when I brew. I like to have a verifiable reason for anything I do. There's just nothing to be gained from taking that time.
Denny, I am type A personality like you, just hope I never met you in a dark brew house.
 
Denny, I am type A personality like you, just hope I never met you in a dark brew house.


;)

OK, I've done 431 brews. An extra 15 min. for each means that I would have added over 100 hours to my brewing process. When you get to be my age, 100 hours is a LOT of time for something else.
 
I used to do 2 sparges but I didn't noticed huge difference regards to single batch sparge except it is more time consuming.
As for efficiency, I don't think you'll boost your efficiency greatly with 2nd sparge.
IMO it is better to change another factors (grain crush, pH, temperatures..) to improve efficiency.
 
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