Proper way to batch sparge?

I think I have over read to many all grain how to’s. Confused myself I think. Lord knows it don’t take much lol Do I have this correct?

I know I need to mash with 150-154 degree water. I let it sit for 60 minutes mash out using 2 gallons of 200 degree water to raise the mash to 168-170 let sit for 10 minutes. Vorlauf until no partials are present. Drain into brew pot. Add the sparge water around 175 degrees to grain bed and let sit 10 minutes Vorlauf and drain into pot and brew as normal. Am I missing anything??


I am using an igloo 10 gallon round cooler with ss false bottom. and using the for my mash calculations I am using this,


http://www.brew365.com/mash_sparge_water_calculator.php

Thanks for any input.

Pretty much it's that simple. Just remember to use the calculator to get your strike water temp for the mash so that after you add your grains to the water....it's at that magical 150ish number that your recipe/style calls for. I like to double sparge and I rarely mash out anymore... But what you have is the way I did my first time. Still do....just with some technique changes of my own.....

I've used that calculator before but found this one a little easier to understand...(for me anyway...)

http://www.brewheads.com/batch.php

You'll be surprised how easy all-grain is........

I thought you wanted to get the grain bed to 165-170F after adding sparge water. That's why I heat my sparge water to 195F, add to mash, stir like crazy, vorlauf and drain into brew pot. I don't let it sit for 10 minutes.

You may go straigt to the source: Denny's page: http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/

kai

See also my sticky on tips for batch sparging:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/maximizing-efficiency-when-batch-sparging-77125/

I've been using Bobby M's no mash-out double batch sparge process with great success:

http://www.suebob.com/brew/allgrain.htm

RunBikeBrew said:

I've been using Bobby M's no mash-out double batch sparge process with great success:

http://www.suebob.com/brew/allgrain.htm

Click to expand...

+1 on this. Bobby has some great how-to videos. I will say that a mash-out is probably not needed. Just do a double batch sparge (heating your sparge water to 195-ish will get you to 168-170), or I've just been doing a single batch sparge with no negative effects on efficiency.

RunBikeBrew said:

I've been using Bobby M's no mash-out double batch sparge process with great success:

http://www.suebob.com/brew/allgrain.htm

Click to expand...

Also, thanks to FlyGuy for the guidance on crush and 5.2 Buffer. Those plus the above have given me a nice repeatable process.

So many ways to skin a cat. I think one of the easiest ways is what the OP listed but without worrying too much about the "mash out". It requires water at two different temps. You can heat up all the sparge water to like 185F, stir in like a gallon of it to the mash right before the first vorlauf, then drain. Add the rest of the sparge, stir, vorlauf and drain.

That's the best you can do if you only want to sparge once and it's nice and easy.

Thanks for all the great replies!! I can't wait to try out these tips out. I hope to brew this coming weekend.

Kaiser said:

You may go straigt to the source: Denny's page: http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/

kai

Click to expand...

Thanks, Kai. It's easier now...just go to dennybrew.com

I had been asking a couple friends of mine that are looking to start batch sparging and there seemed to be some confusion on what to do after draining the first runnings. Someone told me that after you drain the first runnings and then fill the mash tun back with the hot water you should stir and then let sit for 20 minutes or so before draining it again. Then repeat is needed to obtain your desired BK starting volume. If I'm reading things right in my research it doesn't seem necessary to let the batch sparge "sit" for any length of time before draining again. Seems to just need a good stirring and vorlouf and then drain immediately. Is this correct? Thanks for any tips!