Better efficiency stirring vs resting

[golphur]

Batch spargers - do you get better efficiency if you stir during a 60 minute mash or if you just close the lid and let it sit for 60?

I just tried stirring during a 90 minute mash, stirred twicemduring 90 minutes and I went from a 75% efficiency with no stirring on a 60 minute mash to 71% efficiency stirring twice on a 90 minute mash.

Also, any benefit to letting the sparge rest for 10 minutes before draining vs sparging stirring and draining immediately? I do double batch sparge.

 

[Polboy]

i dont stir, im just lazy and prefer to enjoy home brew during mash (after getting sparge water in hlt, hops, ect) for 10min wait during sparge i guess its for grain bed to set, i do wait 10 min and then drain, sometimes i double sparge sometimes just once

 

[Yooper]

When I am making a 5 gallon batch, I don't stir the mash once I've mashed in and the temperature is equalized throughout. (I use a HERMS for 10 gallon batches, though).

I batch sparge 5 gallon batches, and I stir in the sparge water and stir well. Then vorlauf and drain. I don't let it sit.

My efficiency with this method is about 1% less than the same batch doing a fly sparge, so I almost always batch sparge my 5 gallon batches!

 

[golphur]

Thanks, Yooper.

I used your method today and skipped all of the stirring during the mash time and made it back up to 74% efficiency. Also think I saved about half an hour by not waiting 10 minutes on each one of my batch sparges. Heated all of the sparge water up at one time and ran two separate batches with a stir vorlauf and drain, no wait.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks, Yooper.

I used your method today and skipped all of the stirring during the mash time and made it back up to 74% efficiency. Also think I saved about half an hour by not waiting 10 minutes on each one of my batch sparges. Heated all of the sparge water up at one time and ran two separate batches with a stir vorlauf and drain, no wait.

Good to hear that! One of the great advantages to batch sparging is the time savings. If people are waiting 10 minutes (twice for a double batch sparge) before vorlaufing and draining, it's negating one of the big advantages in my opinion.

 

[ResumeMan]

So you don't find that the wort is difficult to clear if you don't let it settle? I've always given it 10-15 minutes before I start the vourlauf, but maybe I'll try skipping it next time and see how it works.

 

[Airborneguy]

I started stirring a few batches ago, but only on BIG beers. Most of my beers are around 1.050 OG. I don't stir those. I've found that on higher gravity beers, stirring the mash once bumped up my efficiency about 5%.

I also used to do the 10 minute wait thing, but I stopped that awhile ago. There's really no reason to wait. The sugars are already converted, and all you are looking to do is wash them out. Sitting for 10 minutes won't do anything a quick stir can't do.

 

[ayoungrad]

I have to try the no wait batch sparge thing. As it is now, I wait 10-20 after adding heated batch sparge water. The reason I continue to do this is because I can see the difference in the color of the sparge water between initial water addition and after waiting. But if people notice no difference in extraction, or, better yet, increased extraction with no wait, I might give it a shot.

 

[golphur]

Resumeman, I'll let you know. I did the no-wait sparge but I vourlafed with 2 pints and it looked pretty clea afterr. I also use hop bags. One other new thing I tried this time was switching to a funnel with screen where before I was using a paint stainer bag.

I do see a lot of trub in the bottom of the Carboy but assume I'll just rack off the top and then get a good cold rash in the keg. will report back in a few weeks on my clarity.