Are you an all-grain brewer; what's your preferred mashing method?

[In_Vino_Veritas]

Hello all, feed my inquisitiveness . . . how many all-grainers do we have and how do you do things?

 

[KyGooglenerd]

Multiple batch sparges to get my boil volume. Usually 2 will do it sometimes 3.

Sent from a cell phone...please excuse grammer and spellin'

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

mostly single infusion single batch sparge, but if I'm doing something that warrants a step mash I won't shy away from it.

 

[ScottG58]

Single infusion. Mash out at 168. Fly sparge.

 

[Yooper]

I didn't answer. I have an all electric HERMS, but I sometimes batch sparge, sometimes I fly sparge. It just depends on what I feel like doing, and if I want to save 50 minutes or so.

 

[Temptd2]

Mash in a 10 gallon converted cooler with a false bottom and a bag to contain the grains and then fly sparge. So a combo of things! We get really good efficiency this way and it's easy to lift the spent grains out of the mash tun since they're contained in a bag.

 

[LLBeanJ]

BIAB single or multi-step mash, direct-fired on a propane burner w/ 1-2 gallon pour-over-grains cold water sparge.

 

[DanH]

I batch sparge in a 13 gallon rectangular cooler with a stainless braid. Soon I will move to a keggle mash tun that I have set up with a RIMS tube as soon as can get the controller wired up.


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[LKABrewer]

No-sparge for the win!

 

[Flboy]

Batch, and if the grain is still sweet, batch again, and again. I paid for it!

 

[MaxStout]

BIAB w/ basket, doing pour-over sparge (only because there's not enough room in my BK for grain and all that water). Just built a keggle and will try it on a no-sparge next weekend.

 

[djt17]

I voted batch sparge; but, I biab occasionally.

 

[MikePote]

I BIAB but dunk sparge in a separate pot an smash the grains with a potato masher to squeeze out as much as I can

 

[kh54s10]

I voted batch sparge. But my last 4 have been extract brews because I don't want to deal with cold temperatures outside.

I have also done a few BIAB and will probably do some in the future although I don't really like the hot, heavy, sticky mess.

In addition I have done some partial mash recipes. I have a recipe that would not do well with extract, so another partial mash might be in the future.

 

[Gameface]

I know people say batch sparging is faster so I must have been doing it wrong. I would stir for 5 to 10 min, It'd let it settle for 15 min, spend 10 min volurafing (sp,lol) then several min draining at full speed before doing it all over again for the second sparge. Not only did it take me at least as long as fly sparging but I pretty much had to be there the whole time and expend considerably more effort.

Fly sparging is easy in comparison.

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[JustLooking]

I must have been doing it wrong.

This. :cross:

 

[Gameface]

This. :cross:

So did I not need to stir well after adding the sparge water?

Did I not need to vorlauf until there were no grain bits and clear wort?

Should I have pushed on the water to make it drain faster?

I found that not letting the grain settle just added to my vorlauf time and it wasn't the hardest or longest part of batch sparging. I could at least prep for the next step while letting it settle.

To fly sparge I vorlauf (once instead of three times) then place my MT drain hose into the kettle and open the valve from my HLT, make sure they are flowing evenly and I'm done.

I don't have to stir like crazy two extra times, I don't have to watch the HLT drain to make sure I get the right amount of water and I don't have to vorlauf two extra times.

I asked questions when I started doing all grain. I'll ask again. What exactly was it I was doing wrong?

 

[JustLooking]

So did I not need to stir well after adding the sparge water?
5-10 minutes is too long. A couple minutes of vigorous stirring will get your sugars into suspension.

Did I not need to vorlauf until there were no grain bits and clear wort?
Correct. No bits, but it doesn't have to be crystal clear. Shouldn't take more than a quart or so.

Should I have pushed on the water to make it drain faster?
Not necessary.

I found that not letting the grain settle just added to my vorlauf time and it wasn't the hardest or longest part of batch sparging. I could at least prep for the next step while letting it settle.
Letting your mash sit for 15 minutes is your biggest problem. If your system (braid or whatever) is effective, you should be able to start draining almost immediately. Letting it sit for that long is counterproductive to the process.

 

[geoffey]

No sparge BIAB with continuous recirculation. Did fly sparging on an eherms system for about a year and I just couldn't get the process down time wise. Moved to BIAB no sparge and have saved hours off my brew day. Did batch sparging in a cooler when I first got into all-grain and found that to be a pretty decent and simple method for a beginner. I never heard of stirring for 10 minutes and vorlauf didn't take all that long, so it worked find for me back when I still brewed in the kitchen. But the simplicity of no sparging and the time saved with it over other methods has me not looking back.

 

[Hello]

Right now the way I was taught is the way I do it, single infusion batch sparge. I've never mashed out at a higher temp nor have my fly sparged before. I will be doing a BIAB batch somewhat soon.

 

[In_Vino_Veritas]

Thanks guys and gals. Are there really no extract brewers? Perhaps it’s the section visibility.

 

[djt17]

Thanks guys and gals. Are there really no extract brewers? Perhaps it’s the section visibility.

Post the poll in the Beginners section, I bet you will get different results. Besides your title kind of limits it to non-extract brewers?

 

[smyrnaquince]

Posting in the "All Grain & Partial Mash Brewing", I think you'll tend to get AG brewers.

I've been brewing BIAB and am now trying batch sparge in a mash tun.

 

[bob1852]

Technically, your poll is mis-worded...

fly sparging or batch sparging is a method of sparging not a method of mashing.

 

[alemonster]

Batch sparge



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[Gameface]

Fly sparge.

Easier and better in every way.

If you're not fly sparging it's because you're not a very good brewer.

/tongue-in-cheek

 

[lotusworker]

batch sparge for the win

 

[taoisilent]

Single infusion mash / batch sparge. 2 equal sparges to equal my pre-boil volume, using Denny's Quick n Easy method. Has given me great results time and time again. From mash-out to second runnings in should not take you more than half an hour, and with practice it can be done in 20 minutes.

 

[wilserbrewer]

BIAB, close to full volume, then a small sparge poured over or through the bag to reach pre boil volume. This method makes it very easy to hit volumes without much effort or any type of calculator. IMHO some put too much faith in brewing software and are looking at a laptop rather than at the brew kettle.

I also use a cooler mash tun and alternate methods....both work well!

 

[bajaedition]

really depends on the beer being brewed but.....
3 step infusions with fly sparge are what works best for me

 

[Valtyr]

I've only done extract with specialty grains so far. I plan on starting AG soon. I plan on just a single infusion mash and batch sparging.

 

[kharper6]

BIAB bro here

I've tried two vessel and three vessel brewing.

I feel the investment made does not yield appropriate benefits.

Bag goes in, grain goes in, manipulate temperature, agitate, bag comes out, bag drips, beer.

 

[In_Vino_Veritas]

Post the poll in the Beginners section, I bet you will get different results. Besides your title kind of limits it to non-extract brewers?

That's a good thought. Thanks!

 

[kal]

Electric HERMS all-grain brewer here - I always fly sparge.

Kal

 

[mblanks2]

I'm surprised at the percentage of batch spargers to fly spargers. I really expected more fly than batch. I know it's just a few more dollars in grain but with brewing being the passion it is for me, It's MY day, MY time and I love to brew. I always want to tweak my process, get every available bit of sugars from my grain, every drop of wort from my process as possible, dial in my PH exactly where I want it and hit my OG exactly. I work with my water chemistry, my grain bill, my hop and fermentation schedule constantly.
I love brewing. I and my friends can't drink it as fast as I like to brew it.
I brew 11 gallon batches but due to the fact I love to brew so much, I'm probably going to cut back to 5.5 gallon batches just so I can brew more often. (Aside from my House IPA, of coarse)
Did I mention, I love to brew?!?

 

[pcdavis1203]

Batch Sparge although I am toying with fly sparging through my RIMS tube

 

[Spartan1979]

I fly sparge, but I do it relatively fast. I try for 20 minutes for 8 gallons of wort for a 5 gallon batch. I've watched people batch sparge and I don't think it's any faster than that.

 

[MKBoitnott]

Batch sparge for life. For my last beer... I forgot to drain first, so I ended up putting my sparge water in right after mashing. Got 65% which is lame, but hopefully next time will be better when I do it right.


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[lhommedieu]

Single infusion with fly sparge for the ales that I have made. I mash for 90 minutes and do a slow fly sparge until I've hit my runnings numbers. I've been using an insulated cooler with a bazooka screen but am going to switch to an insulated ss mash tun with a bazooka screen for ales.

I'm going to brew some lagers this year and will be trying some decoction mashing, using direct fire on the mash tun (taking off the bazooka screen) and boil pot for the decoctions; my lauter tun will be a Blichmann 10 gallon BoilerMaker with false bottom. Again - slow fly sparge.

 

[atoughram]

Multi-Step RIMS & Fly Sparging

I might try a decoction some time.