2nd AG batch tomorrow, need mash/sparge advise

Cheers everyone! I am getting ready to do my 2nd AG brew tomorrow and how to do my mash is really starting to bug me... Here is my scenario:

Brewing Dogfish 90 min style clone
Grain bill is 17.25 lbs
Sparge for 60 at 152*
OG should be around 1.085-90
Target is to get 5.5 gallons into primary.

According to Papazian, i should be spargeing this much grain with about 8 gallons of water...

here are 3 options i am looking at running:

1. Mash with 1 qt/lbs = 4.5 gal -1.7 gal (grain absorb) + sparge with 5.5 to 7 gal - 1.5 gal (evap on 90 min boil) = ~ 5.5 finished yummy goodness

2. Mash with 1.25 qt/lbs = 5.5 gal -1.7 gal (grain absorb) + sparge with 4.5 to 6 gal - 1.5 gal (evap on 90 min boil) = ~ 5.5 finished yummy goodness

3. Mash with 1.5 qt/lbs = 6.5 gal -1.7 gal (grain absorb) + sparge with 3.5 to 5 gal - 1.5 gal (evap on 90 min boil) = ~ 5.5 finished yummy goodness

Any advise on this would be grateful. Still trying to figure out the AG process.

-All the Way!

-Rob

Any help?

Option 2

Sounds yummy-good!

Seriously, I am no expert but have always heard to start with the most water you can. With that in mind #3 looks best, but in the end you'll get some great beer no matter which you choose!

Generally, a good rule of thumb for mashing is 1.25- 2 quarts/pound of grain.

I tend to go with the middle, with 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain.

Then sparge up to your boil volume.

What's your mashing and sparge set up like? Knowing that we can help you with more specifics.

Yooper said:

Generally, a good rule of thumb for mashing is 1.25- 2 quarts/pound of grain.

I tend to go with the middle, with 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain.

Then sparge up to your boil volume.

What's your mashing and sparge set up like? Knowing that we can help you with more specifics.

Click to expand...

I'm mashing in a 10 gallon Home Depot cooler. I'm going to attempt a fly sparge. Gravity fed to a keggle.

Thank you for all the input so far!

I fly sparge and I just did my house RyePA which has 16.5# of grain. I use 3 kegs for my vessels and use a 1:1.20 (lb:gal) ratio. I have have great success with this ratio, so thats what I go with.

That said, I used 10 gallons overall. 5 in the mash, and 5 for the sparge. Ended up with 7.5 gals for the brew pot over a 90 min boil, resulting in a full 5 gal carboy and actually overshot my OG by 4 points (1.077 @ 59*).

I've only done about 10 AG batches, and finally found that the 1:1.2 ratio works really well with my set up about 5 batches ago. I am consistently hitting the 70-75% efficiency marks over the last few brews (though my rye was closer to 80% for some reason). The %ages are coming from Beersmith 2.0

SoSublime said:

I'm mashing in a 10 gallon Home Depot cooler. I'm going to attempt a fly sparge. Gravity fed to a keggle.

Thank you for all the input so far!

Click to expand...

Ok, with the 10 gallon cooler I assume you have a false bottom with it.

I'd mash in with 1.33 quarts of water per pound of grain. Here's why- you'd use 22 quarts of water (5.5 gallons) in the mash. But you could have some boiling water on hand, and some ice cubes, just in case you need it to adjust the mash temperature if you miss your target. Using 1.33 quarts/pound gives you plenty of wiggle room, without a too-thick or too-thin mash.

If you do miss the temperature, though, stir quite well first and then some more and cover it up and then check again. Give it a chance to equalize. Too many times, brewers miss high and add cold water, so add more hot, etc, and don't give it time to settle. Also, preheat your cooler with 180 degree water first, to avoid losing too much heat in the mash tun.

If you strike with 5.5 gallons of water, the grain should absorb 2 gallons of that. That gives you approximatly 3.5 gallons out of the mash. You can plan on sparging with 3 gallons, or whatever you need to get to your boil volume. I am assuming you'll start with 6.5 gallons. If you lose 1.5 gallon per 90 minutes, 6.5 gallons is a good place to start.

In the winter, I boil off more since it's so dry here, so I start with 7 gallons for a 5 gallon batch.

Yooper, I am not using a false bottom (yet) I am using the high speed stainless mesh tube you get at TLBS. Will this make a huge difference in your estimation?

Komocabo said:

I fly sparge and I just did my house RyePA which has 16.5# of grain. I use 3 kegs for my vessels and use a 1:1.20 (lb:gal) ratio. I have have great success with this ratio, so thats what I go with.

That said, I used 10 gallons overall. 5 in the mash, and 5 for the sparge. Ended up with 7.5 gals for the brew pot over a 90 min boil, resulting in a full 5 gal carboy and actually overshot my OG by 4 points (1.077 @ 59*).

I've only done about 10 AG batches, and finally found that the 1:1.2 ratio works really well with my set up about 5 batches ago. I am consistently hitting the 70-75% efficiency marks over the last few brews (though my rye was closer to 80% for some reason). The %ages are coming from Beersmith 2.0

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input komo! I know there is going to be a bit of trial and error here.

SoSublime said:

Yooper, I am not using a false bottom (yet) I am using the high speed stainless mesh tube you get at TLBS. Will this make a huge difference in your estimation?

Click to expand...

Yes.

It's very inefficient for fly sparging.

If you're not set on fly sparging, I would definitely recommend batch sparging. With fly sparging, you really need a false bottom so that you don't get channelling during the sparge. The mesh tube is fine for batch sparging.

For batch sparging, when your 60 minute mash is over, just crack open the valve and put the tubing in a pitcher. Recirculate the runnings back into the MLT until they are fairly clear- often about two quarts. Then, drain into your boil kettle, opening the valve wide. Measure those runnings (drain into a bucket first if you don't have your kettle marked) and then batch sparge with the amount remaining. For example, if you have 3.5 gallons, then sparge with 3 gallons by dumping 180 degree water into the mash tun, stir like mad, stir some more, and then yet again. Vorlauf (recirculate) again, and then drain that into your boil kettle. Couldn't be easier!

Right on, do I need to let it rest at all or just go wide open after stirring?

SoSublime said:

Right on, do I need to let it rest at all or just go wide open after stirring?

Click to expand...

No need to let it sit, but make sure it's stirred like you mean it! That's what "knocks" the sugars into the water.

Then just crack it open, vorlauf, and then run it wide open into your boil kettle.

Spend the $22 on Beersmith, I have found their strike and sparge calculations to be right on the money