Batch Sparge Temperature too low

[reim0027]

So, I add the recommended 168F sparge water and mix it well. I took the final temperature and it was 159F. Is that normal, or should I bump the initial sparge water up?

 

[Jeremy_N]

I add boiling water. Then I measure the temp. I do two batch sparges for a 5 gal recipe. I use about equal volumes of sparge water in each batch. The first sparge doesn't even get to 168. The next one I have to make sure it doesn't go over 170. That's just how my dad taught me and I have been getting much better efficiency (80). I haven't noticed any tannins or issues. Just wanted to share with you what I do and I wanted to subscribe to see what other people are doing.

 

[RM-MN]

By the time you begin the sparge, all conversion should be done and all you are doing is rinsing out the residual sugars so the temperature of the water isn't real critical. Hotter water will dissolve the sugars faster and hold more of them so you efficiency would be a bit higher but not by too much. Most mashes will be acidic enough that the sparge water cannot make its pH above 6.0 so you wouldn't need to worry much about tannin extraction on a single sparge. If you do multiple sparges to try to extract more sugars you would have to monitor the pH.