We are planning on our first AG brew this Saturday. I have been reading about batch sparging and was wondering if it is possible to do this with just two keggles? My plan would be to have one keggle as the mash tun and the second keggle as the brew pot. Found a tip, in reading, to heat the water on the stove to save on propane and was wondering if this is a good method to use? In thinking about it, the other keg is normally used for heating the sparge water but wouldn't that only be useful in fly sparging? We do have a third keggle because I had been watching videos and reading about fly sparging but now that I have found this information on batch sparging, I am rethinking the whole process. Thanks for the help.
Batch sparging first AG brew help
- Thread starter dmbnpj
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android
Well-Known Member
i think it's possible, but you'll need a way to heat up sparge water when you get ready to batch. unless you collect your runnings in some other vessel while using your kettle for heating up sparge water but it would be hard to add it back to the kettle to boil without aerating it. if you have a 3rd keggle, i'd definitely use it.
this is a great link (from bobby_m) for getting ready to do your first AG, it helped me a ton:
All Grain
i don't know about heating water on the stove to save propane, i thought the point of using propane was to not use your stove. i've never heard of that method before.
this is a great link (from bobby_m) for getting ready to do your first AG, it helped me a ton:
All Grain
i don't know about heating water on the stove to save propane, i thought the point of using propane was to not use your stove. i've never heard of that method before.
The mash tun keg would only hold a little bit of water to mash with the grains (whatever that calculation of water comes out to be for whatever certain recipe), for an hour. During that hour I would heat the remainder of the water on the stove in 2 large pots. After the hour, I would then drain the mash tun keg into the boil keg. Then, sparge with the water that Ive been heating on the stove. Drain that also, into the boil keg to make about 6.5 gallons. Then, boil it for the hour or so. At my home I have an electric stove. So, my thinking would be that it would be more cost effective to use the electric stove to heat the sparge water (which is just plain water at this point) instead of using a propane tank that costs $25 to refill in my area. Please correct me if I plan on doing something wrong because this will be our first AG brew and I am trying to figure out the best/ most cost effective method that will work for us. Thanks again!
...and here is the link where I found the tip about using the stove...
http://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/homebrewbasics.html
...and here is the link where I found the tip about using the stove...
http://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/homebrewbasics.html
Q2XL
Well-Known Member
This is exactly what I am going to do. Unless I am missing something, what is the difference where I boil my sparge water? Hot water is hot water.
android
Well-Known Member
it certainly doesn't make any difference where you heat (you normally don't want to boil sparge water) your water, it's entirely up to you. that plan sounds like it will work fine. and damn, $25 to refill propane?
JuanKenobi
Well-Known Member
Not trying to hijack the thread, but what do people generally pay to fill a tank? I moved recently and the only place I've found nearby so far charges $30 per tank! I used to get my tanks filled through my old work and paid by the gallon. It was silly cheap. I thought maybe I was just out of touch, but $30 is crazy.
Lil' Sparky
Cowboys EAC
$11-13 to refill a tank here. ~$20 to exchange.
Your stovetop sparge water heating idea sounds fine. If you find it's too much of a hassle, try something different next time. To be honest, that who hassle, carrying/lifting hot scolding water was the entire reason I built a brew stand. No mas!
Your stovetop sparge water heating idea sounds fine. If you find it's too much of a hassle, try something different next time. To be honest, that who hassle, carrying/lifting hot scolding water was the entire reason I built a brew stand. No mas!
Another option...you can just collect the first wort runnings in a bucket (or two) and use your other keg / boil kettle to heat the sparge water. Add the runnings to the kettle when the sparge is done...takes longer but will work. Three vessels make it easier...they are not a requirement.
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