Batch sparge grain bill

[mplsbrewer]

I have a question regarding batch sparge grain bills, as discussed in Chapter 17 of Palmer. As I understand it, the calculations provided introduce a scale-up factor for the grain bill in order to compensate for lost efficiency during the batch sparge, relative to the higher efficiency one might achieve with a continuous sparge, which Palmer calls the "standard" method.

My question is, when I'm looking at an all-grain batch recipe (in books, on the web, this forum, anywhere), am I to assume that the grain bills given in those recipes are for the "standard" continuous sparge, and that I need to scale up the grain bills for a batch sparge?

Thanks.

 

[MalFet]

I'm not sure that batch sparging is any longer considered non-"standard", but in any case there isn't going to be a single conversion function that will convert you between batch and fly sparging. Batch spargers and fly spargers both report significant variations in efficiency, with ranges between 70%-85% very common for both. There are so many other factors at play.

Every recipe should be listed with a presumed efficiency. If your efficiency is different than the recipe's efficiency, you need to convert the weights appropriately. The recipe software all does this, but it's easy enough to do by hand as a simple ratio. If your recipe doesn't provide an assumed efficiency, you'll have to calculate it out based on the ingredients.