Sparge question

I have a new system that I have only made 5 batches on so far. It's a single tier 3 kegs with 1 pump. I recirculate my mash thru a false bottom and when it's ready I heat to mashout temp and pump over to my BK. I then send half of my hot water (sparge) into the MLT and recirculate for 15 minutes and send that to the BK and then I repeat a second sparge for another 15 minutes until everything is in the BK. Basically I usually do 2 batch sparges. Since I'm recirculating with a pump is there any good reason why I shouldn't just fill the MLT with all of my sparge water and recirculate? I guess what I want to try is 1 sparge to save time. I know I won't always have room to do this with bigger beers or 10 gal batches but I can do it without smaller batches.

Hi nyer,
the question is -'why are you sparging twice to begin with'? I don't see any reason not to try sparging with the entire HLT content but I would make sure to have an efficiency number with the process you're using now to compare with the alternative process. I don't personally batch sparge but use a gravity feed fly sparge so you may get some better feed back from others here, but the idea is to efficiently extract the sugar from the grain and so however you do that best is the way to go. There's more than one way to skin a cat. I would try adding all of the sparge water and see how it goes.
mark
www.backyardbrewer.blogspot.com

I batch sparge exclusively. Sometimes I do one sparge with the total volume, or, I will sparge twice using half the volume.

BTW - I also use a pump and mine clears within five minutes. Must you wait the whole 15? If time is precious, you may want to reduce that vorlauf time.

Surly said:

I batch sparge exclusively. Sometimes I do one sparge with the total volume, or, I will sparge twice using half the volume.

BTW - I also use a pump and mine clears within five minutes. Must you wait the whole 15? If time is precious, you may want to reduce that vorlauf time.

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Mine clears fast to, I guess I'm still caught up doing the double batch sparge method that I used when I had a cooler MLT. Now that I have the new system I think I can change my methods but I'm a little worried about messing things up. I think I will try it on my next batch.

None of this will really make sense until you measure how many gravity points you are pulling out of your mash each time. First, what is your intended pre boil gravity? What do your first runnings give you? Now, how much more liquid and points do you need to get from the second running? Do the math. You'll probably find you get what you need from two runnings.

Surly said:

I batch sparge exclusively. Sometimes I do one sparge with the total volume, or, I will sparge twice using half the volume.

BTW - I also use a pump and mine clears within five minutes. Must you wait the whole 15? If time is precious, you may want to reduce that vorlauf time.

Click to expand...

I agree with this. If I'm batch sparging to save time, I pump the water in, stir like a crazy person, vorlauf with the pump and go right to the BK. I don't see any advantage to recirculating more than what a vorlauf would be. Stirring is crucial, of course, to "loosen" up the dissolved sugars. But no need to recirculate 15 minutes! You might as well do a continous sparge if you're doing two 15 minute recirculations!