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Pump use with batch sparge MLT and braid

Discussion in 'All Grain & Partial Mash Brewing' started by quickerNu, Jan 12, 2020.

 

  1. #1
    quickerNu

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Jan 12, 2020
    I gifted myself a Mark 2 pump for Christmas, and it has made my brew day much simpler and safer. However, I would love some input on using it with my mash. Previous, I relied in gravity to drain the tun. Is there any drawback to pumping it out? Should I pump it slowly or empty the MLT as fast as possible? Is channelling a concern here?
    Thanks for any feedback. My last brew had a terrible efficiency pumping quickly, but a few other variables may be to blame.
     
  2. #2
    Dland

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 13, 2020
    Slow gravity is good, but slow pumping works fine.

    Generally I use a combo, as seen in avatar. I'll even gravity from mash tun to boil kettle for the first 2/3of sparge, nice, slow & quiet. But good to have the pump(s) to move along or finish it up if not multi fully tiered.
     
    quickerNu likes this.
  3. #3
    wilserbrewer

    BIAB Expert Tailor  

    Posted Jan 15, 2020
    With batch sparge you can empty the tun as fast as you like....without sticking the mash...if it drains, let er rip...
    Channeling is an issue w fly sparging, not with batch sparging as you should be stirring a few times anyhow....

    Channeling and batch sparge doesn’t exist.

    Channeling is fresh pure sparge water channeling through the grain bed, w batch sparging there is no fresh pure water as it is stirred into the grain when added, drain the tun, rinse and repeat.
     
    doug293cz and quickerNu like this.
  4. #4
    quickerNu

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Jan 15, 2020
    Thanks, that is what I thought, but my efficiency was terrible this batch, and I've never had a pump before. However, I also have never used this LHBS before, or this new 10 gallon MLT, and a few other factors. I am trying to establish a system with my new equipment and wanted to make sure how quick I drain the MLT isn't a factor.
     
  5. #5
    Hwk-I-St8

    Supporting Member  

    Posted Jan 16, 2020
    You talking brewhouse efficiency? I was consitently in the low 60's with a cooler mash tun and torpedo tube filter doing a single batch sparge. Between grain absorption and wort left in the MT (I'm guessing at least a quart of wort that didn't drain out...maybe two), I was really losing a lot of sugars. I switched to using a bag in my mash tun cooler and milling my own grains. I immediately went up to over 70% brewhouse efficiency.

    A pump won't help your efficiency and draining slow or fast for a batch sparge won't make any difference. Do you take measurements at each stage? I take the following measurements:

    Strike volume
    First runnings volume
    First runnings gravity
    Sparge volume
    Second runnings volume
    second runnings gravity
    Pre boil volume (sum of the first and second runnings)
    Preboil gravity
    Post boil volume
    Post boil gravity

    With these numbers, you can figure out your conversion efficiency, your lauter efficency, mash efficiency and brewhouse efficiency. This will show were things are lost.
     
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