HERMS and fly sparging temps

[clifwlkr]

I finished my HERMS setup this weekend, and brewed a batch of beer. With all of my new temperature probes in everything, I was wondering about the correct technique for doing a fly sparge.

I know to heat the sparge water in the HLT to 170. Before, my mash was not heated, but used the cooler to hold the temperature. Now that I have an electric HLT, I was wondering if the temp of the mash should be raised prior to fly spar through the herms.

The mash temp dropped to around 134 during the sparge.

I couldn't really find the details on what the best way to fly sparge with a HERMS system is. Before, I had fairly limited control of my temperatures.

Any thought or comments?

Jim

 

[DrDirt]

don't heat the mash to sparge temp, just leave it at your mashing temp and begin sparging with the 170 degree water. The idea is that the hotter sparge water displaces the relatively cooler wort (which is more dense, with sugars and lower temp), which drains to the bk, bringing all the sugars with it.