My first mash

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pingeyeg

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Well, I tried my first all grain recipe a few days ago and have to say, it was a bit intense. Based on the threads I had read on the net, nothing really prepared me. I never thought I would need two large pots for this (1 for brewing and 1 for sparging). I had to think quick once I realized my sparge pot was my brew pot as well. I wound up making my fermentation bucket as my sparge water container. Any advice on future all grains brews?
 
You can look into BIAB brewing, you can get another root for sparge water, or you can use a bucket to collect all your runnings and wort and then dump all that into your kettle when you are ready to boil although depending on your boil volume, 2 buckets
 
I have always collected my runnings in my fermentor bucket so I can use the volume markers to make sure I'm getting proper volumes. Haven't had any issues yet. I even have a second pot I could use now, but I prefer using the bucket still.
 
The twin kettle, BIAB method works well. Mash in one kettle then dip the grain bag several times in plain, mash out temp water held in the second kettle. This sort of acts like a sparge in a sense that you're mashing out and rinsing the grain at the same time. After rinsing, let the grain bag drip any residuals in the main kettle. Proceed as normal.
 
If you are fly sparging, you need a place to keep the sparge water hot. If you are batch sparging, you can just drain the first runnings into a bucket, transfer the sparge water from your kettle to your tun, and transfer the first runnings to the kettle. One plus to that is that you can measure the volume of the first runnings and easily adjust your sparge volume to hit your targets.
 
What's better to do, fly sparge or regular sparge and why? I was fly sparging based on learning it would grab more sugars. Is this a true statement?
 
If you are batch sparging, you can just drain the first runnings into a bucket, transfer the sparge water from your kettle to your tun, and transfer the first runnings to the kettle. One plus to that is that you can measure the volume of the first runnings and easily adjust your sparge volume to hit your targets.

I did this for many brews after I constructed my e-kettle. I used a turkey fryer to collect first-runnings sometimes, other times, just a bucket. In either case only the e-kettle was used for heating liquid, though.
 
Also, prior to all grain brewing, I would always put 3 gallons of water in my kettle along with all my extracts, which left room in the end for a quicker cold break and I could add 2 gallons or whatever was needed to get the 5 gallon mark with ice cold water, which helped aid in the cold break. I guess this sort of thing isn't possible with all grain brewing since by the time you are boiling, you've got all 6.5 gallons. Unless I'm totally screwing this up, please let me know.
 
Also, prior to all grain brewing, I would always put 3 gallons of water in my kettle along with all my extracts, which left room in the end for a quicker cold break and I could add 2 gallons or whatever was needed to get the 5 gallon mark with ice cold water, which helped aid in the cold break. I guess this sort of thing isn't possible with all grain brewing since by the time you are boiling, you've got all 6.5 gallons. Unless I'm totally screwing this up, please let me know.

no you're right. You typically don't top-off with all-grain but that doesn't mean it's never done. Some people do partial boils and top-off. With all-grain you typically do an ice-bath (place kettle in sink full of ice water) to cool, or use a chiller (immersion, plate, or counterflow). The latter work faster and promote better cold break.
 
pingeyeg said:
What's better to do, fly sparge or regular sparge and why? I was fly sparging based on learning it would grab more sugars. Is this a true statement?

It's debatable, I batch sparge, it's easy, less time consuming and my system gets me 82% consistently.
 
Well, I tried my first all grain recipe a few days ago and have to say, it was a bit intense. Based on the threads I had read on the net, nothing really prepared me. I never thought I would need two large pots for this (1 for brewing and 1 for sparging). I had to think quick once I realized my sparge pot was my brew pot as well. I wound up making my fermentation bucket as my sparge water container. Any advice on future all grains brews?

I do the same thing. My advice on future brews: RDWHAHB!

Also, I batch sparge - its easier for me (and you) since I only have 1 kettle. Not better or worse than fly sparging.
 
I picked up a 4 gallon stock pot for $10 at Boscovs it is great for boiling mash and sparge water leaving my brew pots free. Most department stores have these cheap pots.
 
I'm new to all grain myself. I've been using two separate kettles and a bucket to do my batches. Bring my mash water to temp in one, water heating in the second (with ball valve to drain into a pitcher for sparging on the fly) and collect in the brew bucket. Although I only have a five gallon kettle, which means I have to boil in two batches. But so far it's working well. My efficiency is not what I'd like however.
 
I'm new to all grain myself. I've been using two separate kettles and a bucket to do my batches. Bring my mash water to temp in one, water heating in the second (with ball valve to drain into a pitcher for sparging on the fly) and collect in the brew bucket. Although I only have a five gallon kettle, which means I have to boil in two batches. But so far it's working well. My efficiency is not what I'd like however.

What's your mash vessel?
 
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