Brewer BierMuncher's Cream of 3 Crops Today - Question

[Jiffster]

I brewed this today and had my first stuck sparge. It was a 5.5 gal batch and I added 2 handfuls of rice hulls.

The stick happens when I started to vorlauf. Nothing would come out so I blew into the end of the hose and unstuck it. Every thing was fine until I did my batch sparge. Same thing.

Is this common or does it mean my grain was milled to small?

Maybe use more rice hulls?

 

[kh54s10]

It depends on different things. I have a water cooler with hose braid tun. I do batch sparge and in about 75 brews have not had a stuck sparge. So, it could be your system. It could be the crush, or a combination of both. I would say not common, but not entirely unexpected. Try more rice hulls first, coarser grind, second. Last would be altering your hardware.

 

[Jiffster]

It depends on different things. I have a water cooler with hose braid tun. I do batch sparge and in about 75 brews have not had a stuck sparge. So, it could be your system. It could be the crush, or a combination of both. I would say not common, but not entirely unexpected. Try more rice hulls first, coarser grind, second. Last would be altering your hardware.

Thanks. I guess I'll know more when I brew my next batch that doesn't have flaked corn or flaked rice. This was my first time brewing after getting my grain mill so it made me wonder if that was the culprit.

 

[Jiffster]

Also, it's 8 hours since pitching the yeast and zero activity. Is that normal? My first time not seeing anything.

 

[tektonjp]

Jiffster, gonna need a lot more info to diagnose. Temperature, yeast, etc. Rehydrate, sprinkle on wort? If it's 05, could take up to 36 hours. Give it time is the best answer I can give now.

 

[max384]

If you're able to blow into the end of the hose to get it going again, it's not really a big issue IMO. That happens to me on occasion, and I get it unstuck and don't give it a second thought.

 

[max384]

And as far as not having airlock activity after 8 hours? As long as you didn't pitch the yeast when the wort was hot enough to kill the yeast, don't worry about it. Eight hours is not a long time to wait for yeast activity.

 

[Jiffster]

Thanks folks.

 

[Jiffster]

Well, it's certainly taking off now!

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