Would this affect my efficiency?

So I realized AFTER I brewed, that I did not sparge correctly. I had my mash all ready to be drained, 1st batch sparge water heated to proper temp, everything was looking good. Then I ran off the wort from inside the MLT into the kettle WITHOUT adding my 1st batch sparge water first! After the first runnings were complete, THEN I added the 1st sparge water, waited 10 mins, drained. Then I did my 2nd batch sparge.

So, would NOT adding the sparge water (to raise temp to 170º) before running the wort off cause a loss of efficiency? What other problems could this cause for the beer?

you're fine. You did what Bobby_M calls a "no-mash-out-double-batch-sparge."

what was your sparge water temp?

It should make no difference at all. In the end, the total volume of water and total stored heat was the same, regardless of the sequence of steps. That is, your first runnings were a lower temperature, but you compensated with a hot sparge (which is what a lot of people around here do).

I think that if anything, it would increase your efficiency. Draining the first runnings before adding any sparge water would substantially reduce the amount of sugars that needed to be collected by the subsequent sparges, thus making those sparges more effective.
However, did you stir the sparge water before draining? Failing to stir will cause a big reduction in efficiency.

-a.

AZ_IPA said:

you're fine. You did what Bobby_M calls a "no-mash-out-double-batch-sparge."

what was your sparge water temp?

Click to expand...

I heated my water up to 186º and when I stirred it into the grain bed, the temp leveled out to 167º. The second sparge I got the temp leveled out to 170º.

You didn't mess up a thing! If everything else goes well you'll have a great beer...