bassmaster911
Well-Known Member
Does batch sparging equal more than one sparge? In Beersmith it looks like after the first runnings there is only one sparge after. Could someone explain this to me? Thanks
Batch sparge?
- Thread starter bassmaster911
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As with anything there are different ways to do everything. I'll give you my process and I'm sure others will chime in soon. I don't mashout I don't feel its necessary with with batch sparging. I pull out my first runnings after recirculating transfer it to the boil kettle and start heating it up. I double batch sparge with 2 equal sizes. So I put my sparge water in stir it up recirculate and drain it to the kettle. Since you basically get out what you put in I see how much more I need and then repeat the last step and viola I have my intended volume. Everything is up for debate, some people only use one batch sparge but that may not fit in your tun all at once and to me seems less efficient. Hope that helps a bit. Also in Beersmith you can check the box that says use equal amounts or something ike that and it will give you a good baseline.
SamuraiSquirrel
Well-Known Member
I do the same as krelja,
I don't mess with it in beersmith. I simply use what it tells me for the mash in water addition.
Then I run that off. Say I get 3 gallons out of the first runnings and I want a 7.0 gallon preboil volume.
I just do 2 equal sparges of 2 gallons.
I don't mess with it in beersmith. I simply use what it tells me for the mash in water addition.
Then I run that off. Say I get 3 gallons out of the first runnings and I want a 7.0 gallon preboil volume.
I just do 2 equal sparges of 2 gallons.
I do the same thing I try to use beersmith as a starting point. Every system is different. I mash a little "thin" due to a decent amount of dead space in my system. Its a keggle based RIMS system and there is some loss due to my false bottom and wort that is almost always in the RIMS tube and hoses as well.
bassmaster911
Well-Known Member
Follow up question......If the instructions say to sparge at 170 does that mean the water should be 170 or does the water need to be adjusted so the grain and sparge equal 170?
It means that the grain bed and sparge equals 170.
Doesn't matter at all if they are a bit lower than that, but you don't want to go any higher than 170 because you could get excess tannin extraction. You want something between 160 - 170. If you go much below 160, you may lose a little bit of efficiency.
-a.
Doesn't matter at all if they are a bit lower than that, but you don't want to go any higher than 170 because you could get excess tannin extraction. You want something between 160 - 170. If you go much below 160, you may lose a little bit of efficiency.
-a.
I use the calculators at this website and it's pretty much spot on each time.
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml
Teufelhunden
Well-Known Member
Hey, on this calculator, when it says mash thickness, does that mean how many pounds of grain?
Mash thickness just refers to how much water you are going to use per 1 lb of grain. It usually is somewhere between 1.25 qts(thick) and 2.0 qts(thin). And just remember all these tools are just guidelines until you find out what works best for you and your system
cklages
Well-Known Member
I am still something of an all-grain noob myself, but one thing I would like to chime in on is that I have done it both ways. My first all grain I actually did 3 sparges of about about 1.5 gallons each. I got 70% but I think I might have gotten a little tannin extraction, because by the time I did the third sparge, the pH of the mash would have been climbing a bit, and the quality of the beer suffered a little bit in my opinion.
On my second batch, I did a mash out with a gallon and a half of 200 degree water (added before taking first runnings) then a single sparge of 4 gallons. This hit my preboil volume perfectly, and gave me exactly 70% again, but this time with no risk of tannin extraction (due to the pH staying low enough). Now I know I left a little sugar in the tun, but I think a higher quality beer is worth it.
I don't know what potentially I might have got for efficiency on the second attempt if there had been another sparge, I'm still experimenting a bit, but 70% isnt bad in my opinion. That being said, you may want to try it both ways and see how it works with your system. You may find that a single sparge makes it simpler and gives you better beer.
On my second batch, I did a mash out with a gallon and a half of 200 degree water (added before taking first runnings) then a single sparge of 4 gallons. This hit my preboil volume perfectly, and gave me exactly 70% again, but this time with no risk of tannin extraction (due to the pH staying low enough). Now I know I left a little sugar in the tun, but I think a higher quality beer is worth it.
I don't know what potentially I might have got for efficiency on the second attempt if there had been another sparge, I'm still experimenting a bit, but 70% isnt bad in my opinion. That being said, you may want to try it both ways and see how it works with your system. You may find that a single sparge makes it simpler and gives you better beer.
