Batch sparge / mash in question

I am trying to brew an IPA using beersmith but have a couple questions:

1. I was not planning on preheating my 10 gal igloo cooler mash tun, but beersmith says my mash in temperature should be 169F, is this too high??

2. When batch sparging, beersmith says to use 2 steps of 1 gal and 4 gal at 168.
What does this mean? After mash, add 1 gal and then drain, then sparge with 4 gal? Since I have a 10 gal mash tun shouldn't I just put it all in there at once?

So confused. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

does it say mash at 169? or your strike temp is 169? strike temp is higher so when you ad the grain together it drops to your mash temp.
I don't batch sparge but sounds like the 1g addition is to rinse the grain and them the 4 gallons is to sparge (someone will correct me if im wrong)

 

It says strike water at 169, but I am afraid that is so hot that it will kill any enzyme activity

 

sounds like a good temp to me depending on how much grain your using and what mash temp you want.

this tool will help


http://brewgr.com/calculators/mash-sparge-water-insusion

 

1. If you are not planning on preheating your mash tun, then the water needs to be hot enough to bring the mash tun up to temperature as well as the grain. Make sure you add the water first, then stir the grain in. Many people turn the adjust temperature for equipment off (mash tab -- 'Adjust temp for Equip'), overheat the strike water and then stir it in the mash tun until they reach the strike temperature noted by Beersmith (or other software) before adding the grains.

2. go into your mash profile and click on the box that reads: 'drain mash tun before sparging'. Right now, the program is telling you to add sparge water to the grains up to the full volume of the mash tun before sparging. You will be better off draining the first runnings first, then adding the sparge water in one step.

 

My typical strike water temp is 169-171 depending on the exact grain bill weight (I don't preheat anymore, I just use hotter strike water). The grain absorbs enough energy to quickly drop the temperature below the risk of denaturing the enzymes.

I don't use BS but I've always taken that wording in other programs to mean you would add the 1gal, stir, then drain, then add 4gal, stir, and drain again. You want to split it into 2 so that the first volume is very sugar loaded, but the 2nd is the rinse cycle to give the sugars lots of water to dissolve in to make sure you get them all.

 

169 Sounds like a normal strike temperature to hit low 150's for mash temp. Make sure you have the box checked for "drain mashtun before adding sparge water"

 

When sparging in two batches, you want both batches to get you about the same amount of wort for maximum efficiency. So you add the 1 gallon to the first batch (to add it to what is already there from mashing), stir, vorlauf, then drain. You should get about 4 gallons. Then add 4 gallons of water back in the MLT, stir, vorlauf, and drain.

 

I use the strike temperature that beersmith recommends. I have done several batches using the 2 step batch sparge and several combining the sparge volumes into one sparge. I have not noticed a difference either method. I now only do one sparge to save time and effort.

 

Yes, if your MLT is large enough, then a single sparge is preferred.

 

If your not draining the mash tun completely, adding water, stirring and sparring a second or 3rd time then you are basically fly sparging, which is fine too.

 

I recirculate via a HERMS during the mash, drain the MLT completely before adding my batch sparge volume.

 

If you don't pre heat the mash tun, you may have problems hitting your initial mash temperature because the cool mash tun will draw the heat from your strike water. You can use hot tap water for preheating the tun. If you are using tap water for brewing, you can save the pre heat water and later heat it some more for your sparge. Or you can do the dishes with it or wash the dog while your mash is going on.

 

He is right I would remove the variable of how much heat your mash tun takes up. I always boil my strike water, pour it in my cooler and let it absorb heat for 15 or 20 minutes, then I open the lid and stir the water to cool it until it hits my strike temperature then stir in the grains. I use beersmith and as long as I have the temp of my grains in there correct i am always spot-on for my mash temp.

 

But once you know how many degrees you lose to your mash tun (assuming you always keep it at the same temperature when not in use), you can make up for that by heating your strike water that many degrees more than called for. Or enter the value of degrees lost in your software and just use the temperature it tells you.

 

Ahhh I see. Just out of curiosity though, do you stir the grain bed before you add the batch sparge volume or do you recirculate during the sparge? I'm putting together an electric system and just wondering how others do things.

 

I add the sparge water stir than recirculate for a few minuets than drain. Not sure if there is a benefit of this recirculate or not during the sparge.