Blichmann AutoSparge technique

[BSBrewer83]

I just did my first batch with my new mash tun which has the autosparge on it. My gravity was a little short of what I wanted but I kind of expected this as before I was doing batch sparge and this was a totally new process.

One of the mistakes was that when I started I pumped too much too fast. I added some of the wort back into the mash tun to start back over. This is all done by pumps as you can see in the pics below.

Second problem is that I added too much water. Around 2 gallons too much.

With that I came up about 10 points below where I wanted my pre-boil gravity. Not a big issue as I boiled down to compensate.

My real question comes towards the end of the fly sparging. So as I'm adding water from the HLT I am adding wort to the kettle. I keep around 2 inches of water above the grain. At what point to I stop adding water so that the mash doesn't become too diluted? Or do I stop adding water when I have added all I need to the mash tun and just let the mash tun run dry for the last parts of the sparging?

 

[poislb]

Do you use any brewing programs? If not it saves a lot of guess work and I highly recommend getting something like beersmith. It tells me exactly how much water I need to fly sparge with. Next best option is a Refractometer, keep taking readings until your about -8 points or so from your post boil gravity then shut her down..

 

[BSBrewer83]

Do you use any brewing programs? If not it saves a lot of guess work and I highly recommend getting something like beersmith. It tells me exactly how much water I need to fly sparge with.

I do use beersmith. I know it gives me the exact amount of water to use. So using the exact amount of water as I did yesterday my mash tun ran mostly dry by the end of the sparge. Is this normal for fly sparging or should there always be an inch or two of water on top of the grain bed by the end of the sparge?

 

[poislb]

I do use beersmith. I know it gives me the exact amount of water to use. So using the exact amount of water as I did yesterday my mash tun ran mostly dry by the end of the sparge. Is this normal for fly sparging or should there always be an inch or two of water on top of the grain bed by the end of the sparge?

Just keep the inch or 2 of sparge water above the grain bed until your HLT is empty. After all your sparge water is gone just let the remaining water and wort drain/transfer into the BK..

 

[db1317]

Just keep the inch or 2 of sparge water above the grain bed until your HLT is empty. After all your sparge water is gone just let the remaining water and wort drain/transfer into the BK..

If you run 2-3 extra gallons through the mash tun, but stopped collecting your runnings once you get your pre boil volume - would that dilute your runnings?

 

[poislb]

If you run 2-3 extra gallons through the mash tun, but stopped collecting your runnings once you get your pre boil volume - would that dilute your runnings?

depends on how your efficency was during the mash. That's why I also use a refractometer, when I hit my pre boil gravity I shut her down. If you miss your target ya can always boil longer I guess. My problem is I do a FWH 90% of the time so it screws up my ibus..

 

[BSBrewer83]

Good advice

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