How much water does the grain absorb?

I would like to know how much water 1 pound of grain will absort. I'm brewing tomorrow and my grain bill is 12.5 pounds. Thanks.

RotorHead6 said:

I would like to know how much water 1 pound of grain will absort. I'm brewing tomorrow and my grain bill is 12.5 pounds. Thanks.

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Don't know what the absorption rate is for grain, but most will tell you to dough in with 1.25 quarts per pound of grain (in your case that would be right at 4 gallons).

Then (I would) sparge with about 4 more gallons at 180 degrees. That should get you very close to a 6.5-7 gallon preboil, but I alwasy heat an additional 2-3 gallons just to make sure.

Different grains will absorb at different rates (barley VS flaked wheat...etc.)

Average grain absorption is 0.15 gallons per pound. It can vary between 0.1 to 0.2.

12.5 * 0.15 = 1.875 gallons lost. (Thereabouts).

Definitely have extra water heating. I did my first AG batch yesterday and thought I'd pretty much worked everything out. Didn't realize that 7.5 gallons into the mash tun (mash + sparge water) would only result in 6 gallons out and didn't have additional hot sparge water ready to go. Live and learn.

I just did the math and PseudoChef's grain absorption rate is spot on.

Chad

Thanks for all of the help! Cheers

As a rule of thumb, I just figure a pint per pound for absorption. Makes it easy to figure in my head. Of course I always make sure to have an extra gallon or two of sparge water.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

There is also some water lost to your system that you will need to calculate as well. My grain absorption measures out at 0.12g per # of grain.

GT