I'm still pretty new to home brewing but here's how I do it. I heat my strike water to about 160 and mix in grain. I wait and hour and collect my first runnings. I then heat water to 170 and mix in. Let it sit for 15 mins and collect the wort. My question is If I collect 3.5 gallons off my first runnings, how much water do I need on my second in order to collect 6.5 to 7 gallons of wort. For my mash I generally follow a two to one ratio. For ten lbs. of grain I use 20 quarts of water.
Mashing and sparging
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kylevester
Well-Known Member
2:1 is pretty thin. The rule of thumb is 1.5:1 and you can go a little thicker or thinner depending on variables like mash tun size.
Also, 160 seems a little low to me. For my 5 gallon batches, I need to heat to 163 to 168 depending on amount of grain, desired mash temp, and whether I pre-heat the mash tun. I've had two mash tuns and both needed roughly 15 degrees higher than mash temp for strike temp.
At 160, I'm guessing you're mashing in the mid to upper 140s. Which isn't bad, but sometimes you want to be higher, and too low is bad as you won't get the right conditions for enzyme action.
As for sparging, again your water at 170 seems low. Remember, you need to raise the entire bed to 168-172. This means at least 180 if not over 200 to accomplish.
And now to answer your question: Your grain has already soaked up all the water it's going to, so you'd only need to sparge with 3.5 gallons of water.
Also, 160 seems a little low to me. For my 5 gallon batches, I need to heat to 163 to 168 depending on amount of grain, desired mash temp, and whether I pre-heat the mash tun. I've had two mash tuns and both needed roughly 15 degrees higher than mash temp for strike temp.
At 160, I'm guessing you're mashing in the mid to upper 140s. Which isn't bad, but sometimes you want to be higher, and too low is bad as you won't get the right conditions for enzyme action.
As for sparging, again your water at 170 seems low. Remember, you need to raise the entire bed to 168-172. This means at least 180 if not over 200 to accomplish.
And now to answer your question: Your grain has already soaked up all the water it's going to, so you'd only need to sparge with 3.5 gallons of water.
TromboneGuy
Well-Known Member
After first runnings your grain has absorbed all the water it's going to, so just subtract. You want to end with 6.5 gallons and you already collected 3.5. Sparge with 3 gallons.
Take a look at www.dennybrew.com. I can tell you right off that you're wasting 15 min. by letting your sparge water sit. Stir it in, vorlauf, and run off.
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