Adding water for pre-boil volume?

[jpb2716]

Happy New Year everyone!

After about a year and a half of extract brewing, I've recently jumped into all-grain brewing and have done three BIAB batches so far. I love this method, by the way. The next batch I'd like to brew will be higher in gravity and if I'd do a full volume mash like my first three batches I will exceed the limits of my 10 gallon kettle.

So what I'd like to do is mash using a greater mash thickness than I've been doing. Then add 2-3 gallons of water post-mash to obtain my pre-boil volume.

My questions are, how do I go about adding the water? Should I just dump the additional water in the kettle before boiling after I pull and squeeze the grain bag? Should I go ahead and sparge the grains with the additional water? Can I do a dunk sparge? I've been getting around 72% efficiency so is sparging even worth doing?

As always, thanks everyone!

 

[Gavin C]

Don't just top up with water. Let the water work for you.

i.e. Sparge.

Dunk or pour over, your choice

Both will extract more sugars offsetting the inevitable reduction in efficiency that comes with large grain-bills.

 

[jpb2716]

Don't just top up with water. Let the water work for you.

i.e. Sparge.

Dunk or pour over, your choice

Both will extract more sugars offsetting the inevitable reduction in efficiency that comes with large grain-bills.

Thanks for the help Gavin. A dunk sparge would be the easiest for me. Would the sparge water need to be heated before the grain bag is dunked? I've read on here both opinions. Some claim that BIAB sparge water does not need to be heated, some say that it does.

 

[Gavin C]

Thanks for the help Gavin. A dunk sparge would be the easiest for me. Would the sparge water need to be heated before the grain bag is dunked? I've read on here both opinions. Some claim that BIAB sparge water does not need to be heated, some say that it does.

Sparge water does not need to be heated regardless of the number of vessels being used. There are some benefits to heating it though. These are not related to improved mash efficiency.

Advantages to hot sparge water include

• Shorter time to reach boiling temperatures after the mash
• If heated sufficiently, the sparge water can be used to mash-out (stop the ongoing cleavage of long sugars into simpler ones).

Advantages to a cold sparge include

• Simplicity, particularly with BIAB where the pot is sitting atop one's heat source. Not everyone wants to move the pot or use a second burner/stove to heat sparge water.
• The grain bag is rendered cold making squeezing and disposal more simple.

Either way, hot or cold, be sure to treat the sparge water to eliminate chloramines as you should for all non-RO brewing water.

http://braukaiser.com/blog/blog/2009/05/12/cold-water-sparging/

 

[jpb2716]

Either way, hot or cold, be sure to treat the sparge water to eliminate chloramines as you should for all non-RO brewing water.

Thanks again Gavin. How else should the sparge water be treated? Should I add brew salts to the mash water only? I usually use the Brewer's Friend water calculator and there is an option for adding salts to the mash water only. Also, should the pH of the sparge water also need to be adjusted?

Thanks again.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks again Gavin. How else should the sparge water be treated? Should I add brew salts to the mash water only? I usually use the Brewer's Friend water calculator and there is an option for adding salts to the mash water only. Also, should the pH of the sparge water also need to be adjusted?

Thanks again.

If you use RO water for the sparge, it does not have to be treated for pH. However, if you are using other water, then yes you will want to adjust the pH of the sparge water to under 6.

As far as salts, it really doesn't matter. If you hit your mash pH properly, and more salts would drive the pH too low, then you can add it to the kettle or to the sparge water. Most brewers find that treating all their water at once is easiest, and just use that water with the understanding that the sparge should be under 6.

 

[Gavin C]

Thanks again Gavin. How else should the sparge water be treated? Should I add brew salts to the mash water only? I usually use the Brewer's Friend water calculator and there is an option for adding salts to the mash water only. Also, should the pH of the sparge water also need to be adjusted?

Thanks again.

No worries mate. Glad to help.

When it comes to mineral additions and acidification of the sparge water I am somewhat out of my depth as I don't typically sparge. I don't have practical experience in ths area.

Water building a pH management however are something I address for every brew. It becomes routine and fun. (Full disclosure I'm a bit of a geek)

If I were to sparge I would in all likelihood treat all my water at the start and do my calculations for any required acidification in the mash and sparge water seperately.

I use Bru'n Water only for all water related calculations and adjustments.

 

[jpb2716]

If you use RO water for the sparge, it does not have to be treated for pH. However, if you are using other water, then yes you will want to adjust the pH of the sparge water to under 6.

As far as salts, it really doesn't matter. If you hit your mash pH properly, and more salts would drive the pH too low, then you can add it to the kettle or to the sparge water. Most brewers find that treating all their water at once is easiest, and just use that water with the understanding that the sparge should be under 6.

No worries mate. Glad to help.

When it comes to mineral additions and acidification of the sparge water I am somewhat out of my depth as I don't typically sparge. I don't have practical experience in ths area.

Water building a pH management however are something I address for every brew. It becomes routine and fun. (Full disclosure I'm a bit of a geek)

If I were to sparge I would in all likelihood treat all my water at the start and do my calculations for any required acidification in the mash and sparge water seperately.

I use Bru'n Water only for all water related calculations and adjustments.

Thank you both for the help! I appreciate it!