hot sparge

[Joe028]

When I did 2 AG brews the other day I batch sparged with very hot sparge water. Very hot meaning 190-200 to bring the temp of the grain up to the high 160's. I just wanted to make sure I won't be in for any surprises in several weeks when these are ready to be drunk/drank/drinked.

Does the initial heat shock to the grain release any tannins and astrigency, or as long as I settled out not above 170 am I good?

Joe

 

[Joe028]

well to be a little more specific, my procedure is to mash and then just drain all of the first runnings. No mash out at that time due to cooler space. In exchange for not adding hot mashout water I just make the batch sparge water hot to bring up to the 160s. Two separate batch sparges too (due to cooler space again).

I guess another question popping up in my head is the whole topic of equalizing mash water runnings with sparge water for max efficiency. I know dennybrew talks about it, but I don't understand the theory behind WHY it works...reference to that info would help me out too.

Joe

 

[RichBrewer]

Keep the temp of the mash below 170 and you should be good.
Sounds like you are doing just fine.

 

[ajf]

I fly sparge, but always mash out by adding about 1g near boiling water to raise the temperature of the mash up to about 170 before starting the sparge. The only times I've had problems with tannins was when I started doing this, didn't get the temperatures right, and sparged at excessive temperatures (well over 180 with high pH sparge water).

In my case, the only surprise that I got was that my efficiency increased by about 10% by getting the sparge temperature right. This did result in a few batches with rather more alcohol than I intended, but I didn't complain.

-a.

 

[Orfy]

I've never measured the mash temp while sparging.

I add water to the mash at 170 giving a bed temp of 154c

I drain then add water atr 170 so I presume because the bed is already at 154 then it will increase the temp but makes sure it is below 170.

I'm amazed it can make a 10% difference in efficiency.

 

[david_42]

Tannins take time to dissolve, so the brief exposure to near-boiling water isn't a problem.

 

[ajf]

I'm amazed it can make a 10% difference in efficiency.

I think it probably makes more difference when fly sparging as the sparge water is introduced very slowly, and the grain never really gets a chance to reach the optimum temperature for sparging.

-a.