batch sparge question

[neo82087]

When batch sparging with a direct fired MLT, is it possible to add room temp water to the mash and bring the water up to sparging temp? Any negative effects, other than taking a bit more time?

Thanks!

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Are you adding the water before or after the mash? I'm not sure I fully understand your question. Try to explain the process in full you're considering.

 

[neo82087]

sorry, my idea is to do the 60 minute mash, raise temp to mash out, and drain that to boil kettle. then add room temp water for the batch sparge, raise to sparge temp and let settle for 10 minutes, then drain that to the boil kettle.

 

[Yooper]

No, add your sparge water at 170 degrees or so. You want to keep the grain bed temperature at 168. This would keep the sugars soluble so you can rinse them out. You just have to mash out, drain, and then add the sparge water that is already heated.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

It would probably work, but why not just have your sparge water heating while your mash is resting? If you're short on vessels and would need to use the BK to heat your sparge water, just empty the sparge water into a bucket after it's up to (or maybe a little over) sparge temp. Or drain your wort into a bucket and then dump it in the BK when it's free. Those both seem like much better options IMHO.

 

[david_42]

One of the things pre-heating the water does is de-oxygenate it. I can only speculate if this would be a problem, I've never run across someone trying what you are proposing.

 

[Bobby_M]

Well, I'd agree that it wouldn't hurt anything other than adding a couple hours extra to your brew day. If you don't have another heating vessel for an HLT, the next best thing is to drain runnings into a bucket and use your boil kettle as the HLT. Once you dump the last of the sparge water into the MLT, you can fire up the BK and dump your collected runnings in. This will take a lot less time. The idea situation is to begin heating your first runnings in the BK while you're still holding sparge water in a dedicated HLT. Most time saving that is.

 

[neo82087]

well, my idea is kind of taken from the aussie BIAB idea. I'm putting it together now, but I'll have one 3500 watt kettle with bag and motorized stirrer (maybe I'll later add pump to keep temps stable). Mash at regular volume (to avoid problems associated with mashing at higher water/grist ratios), drain to plastic fermenter w/ spigot, batch sparge by adding water and bringing to temp, draining that to fermenter, removing bag from empty kettle after letting the grain bed drain a bit, gently (no oxidation) draining wort from fermenter back to kettle and boiling. One vessle (not including the fermenter, which we all have) without changing the water/grist, pH, or anything else of a regular mash. Bad/good idea?

 

[Beerthoven]

sorry, my idea is to do the 60 minute mash, raise temp to mash out, and drain that to boil kettle. then add room temp water for the batch sparge, raise to sparge temp and let settle for 10 minutes, then drain that to the boil kettle.

Do you only have one burner that is firing your MLT?

If that is the case, you could heat the sparge water on your stove, but that might be a PITA depending on how many gallons you need. You could pre-heat your sparge water and set it aside while you use the burner for the MLT. Over heat it to account for cooling.

 

[Bellybuster]

while single vessel brewig is possible and will make drinkable beer, it was an invention of necessity. It allowed brewers to brew when budgets were low. Yes you'll make beer but I'd say quality issues may come to light

 

[neo82087]

what sort of quality issues would I encounter with this? I'm mashing at a regular liquor/grit ratio, making sure not to oxidize the wort when transferring, nand using a mash stirrer to ensure no scorching occurs. Am I missing something? I'm new to this and figured I'd run the idea by you guys!