panicbuttonguy
Well-Known Member
First let me start out by saying that I've been having an issue with efficiency so I've been trying to troubleshoot my process. Everything from crush to pH to thermometer and hydrometer corrections and calibreations. That being said I'm still running into issues but getting better since I've started this new process. I'm just wondering if this new process is "bad" in some way.
What I've been doing is batch sparging to get a higher preboil volume than normal and then boiling for like 15 - 20 mins before I add my first hop addition. This way I figure that I'm only concentrating the sugar in the wort down and then still getting my desired IBU's/hop utilization. Is there an issue with this process? I'm only adding .25 gallons to each sparge to end up with an extra 1/2 gallon for per boil. This has gotten me a lot closer to the numbers I'm after.
Another question is about vorlaufing. I run my runnings through a strainer before they go into the kettle. I feel like this helps collect a bunch of grain that makes it though the false bottom and keeps the wort clear. The 2 part question is, do I need to vorlauf if I'm going though a strainer anyway? and Is there an issue with using that method of straining while collecting runnings?
What I've been doing is batch sparging to get a higher preboil volume than normal and then boiling for like 15 - 20 mins before I add my first hop addition. This way I figure that I'm only concentrating the sugar in the wort down and then still getting my desired IBU's/hop utilization. Is there an issue with this process? I'm only adding .25 gallons to each sparge to end up with an extra 1/2 gallon for per boil. This has gotten me a lot closer to the numbers I'm after.
Another question is about vorlaufing. I run my runnings through a strainer before they go into the kettle. I feel like this helps collect a bunch of grain that makes it though the false bottom and keeps the wort clear. The 2 part question is, do I need to vorlauf if I'm going though a strainer anyway? and Is there an issue with using that method of straining while collecting runnings?