Could use some help on Mash in/out and sparging

[Boston85]

I have done a few AG recipes so far, but still am not really sure about the whole Mash Out/Sparging step. I basically have just done exactly what it would say in the recipe, but now I am going to do the Dogfish 60 minute AG tomorrow.

Total grain bill is around 13.5 lbs, so if I wanted 1.25 quarts/lbs then I would be looking at 16.875 quarts of water. Now I want to mash at 152, so according to beer smith it is saying to bring the water to around 170 degrees before adding grain. That part I get, but it is when I get to the end that I am confused.

What exactly is the Mash out for? Beer smith is saying I need to add 9.45 quarts at 203 degrees to bring the temp up to 168 total. Then I would imagine I would drain the mash tun for my collection, probably getting around 3.5 gallons or so I guess.

How would I then sparge after that? Do I just add another 1.25 quarts/pound again at a higher temperature? If so, what temperature do I bring it up to. Also if I then collected another 3.5 or so gallons, that would put me at close to 7 in the boil kettle. Should I only collect enough until I hit just over 6 gallons, then do a normal boil to get down to around 5 gallons? Or should I collect all 7 gallons and just run a longer boil to get down to a lower amount close to 5 gallons?

I have looked at a few other posts on mashing and sparging, but I am still a bit confused on exactly what I should do and why I am doing it. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[kpr121]

You only sparge with the amount that it takes to get to your preboil volume. Beersmith should calculate that volume for you as well based on your boil time and boil-off rate.

 

[bullinachinashop]

You only sparge with the amount that it takes to get to your preboil volume. Beersmith should calculate that volume for you as well based on your boil time and boil-off rate.

Unless your flysparging and then you would sparge with enough to keep your tun filled with an inchof water over the top of your grain bed. Sparge until you reach your preboil volume or your sparge gravity drops below 1.010

Bull

 

[Boston85]

Thanks for the reply. So when you say sparge until I reach pre-boil volume, would you also do a mash out? In the past I would usually add around 5 quarts at the end of the mash before having my first run. Then I would add another 16 quarts or so before doing second run.

 

[AR-Josh]

I have never done an AG batch. But I've been reading lately.

Basically when you add enough hot water to bring the mash up to 170 degrees you stop the conversion in the grains. You mash out. If you don't then the enzyme process continues until you heat your wort up past 170.

That is my understanding of "mash out."