Evan!
Well-Known Member
Gonna repost this from another thread...
I do PM's exclusively. My method consists of a stepped mash (133f for 30 mins, 149-155f for 45 mins, 158f for 10-20mins, bring to 167f, sparge w/ 170f water). The way I sparge is to use my pasta colander, which has holes just like a false bottom. It has handles on two sides, so I just put it into the top of a big plastic bucket and the handles keep it suspended at the top. I pour the first runnings, along with the grain, into the colander, stir it, press most of the liquid out with a big bowl. Then I pour batches of the sparge water into the grains, stir, press, repeat...until I get to my desire boil volume. Typically, I get clear runnings by the end.
My question is, do you think that I would get better efficiency if I were to pour the first runnings and the grain into the colander, press out all the liquid, return the grains to the mash tun, mix the sparge water in, and stir it for a minute or two before sending the whole mess through the colander again? My main concern about my current method is that the sparge water only passes through the grains, and doesn't get a whole lot of time sitting with them. Does it make any sense to add this step to my process? I'm not gonna buy any extra equipment until I decide to go AG, but it seems like this may be one way to increase efficiency slightly. What do you think?
I do PM's exclusively. My method consists of a stepped mash (133f for 30 mins, 149-155f for 45 mins, 158f for 10-20mins, bring to 167f, sparge w/ 170f water). The way I sparge is to use my pasta colander, which has holes just like a false bottom. It has handles on two sides, so I just put it into the top of a big plastic bucket and the handles keep it suspended at the top. I pour the first runnings, along with the grain, into the colander, stir it, press most of the liquid out with a big bowl. Then I pour batches of the sparge water into the grains, stir, press, repeat...until I get to my desire boil volume. Typically, I get clear runnings by the end.
My question is, do you think that I would get better efficiency if I were to pour the first runnings and the grain into the colander, press out all the liquid, return the grains to the mash tun, mix the sparge water in, and stir it for a minute or two before sending the whole mess through the colander again? My main concern about my current method is that the sparge water only passes through the grains, and doesn't get a whole lot of time sitting with them. Does it make any sense to add this step to my process? I'm not gonna buy any extra equipment until I decide to go AG, but it seems like this may be one way to increase efficiency slightly. What do you think?