I am new to fly sparging having recently stepped up to a HERMS system with a float control from a 5 gallon Igloo batch sparge system.
The last 5 brews I have continued to add sparge water during the sparge until I had reached my preboil volume. Right now my efficiency is about 65% (I have a mill on order so I can make some adjustments).
I realized that at the end of my 60 minute sparge, I have about 4.5 gallons (dependant on grist weight @ 1.5 q/lb) of low gravity wort sitting in the MLT. Say about 40 gravity points.
My question is this:
Should I continue to add sparge water during the entire sparge as I do now, which leaves wort behind in the MLT.
Or should I stop adding sparge water at some point and let the MLT drain into the kettle, taking the sugars out?
It seems that most people on HBT go with the former, but I have seen others go with the latter. Additionally, most of the books, articles and websites that speak to calculating the volume of water required for brewing, calculate the water required to get you to post boil volumes. This means no additional sparge water and that you are draining the MLT at the end of the sparge.
The last 5 brews I have continued to add sparge water during the sparge until I had reached my preboil volume. Right now my efficiency is about 65% (I have a mill on order so I can make some adjustments).
I realized that at the end of my 60 minute sparge, I have about 4.5 gallons (dependant on grist weight @ 1.5 q/lb) of low gravity wort sitting in the MLT. Say about 40 gravity points.
My question is this:
Should I continue to add sparge water during the entire sparge as I do now, which leaves wort behind in the MLT.
Or should I stop adding sparge water at some point and let the MLT drain into the kettle, taking the sugars out?
It seems that most people on HBT go with the former, but I have seen others go with the latter. Additionally, most of the books, articles and websites that speak to calculating the volume of water required for brewing, calculate the water required to get you to post boil volumes. This means no additional sparge water and that you are draining the MLT at the end of the sparge.