Is my batch sparge addition temp too low?

[Mongo64]

I've done several AG batches and I am struggling to get decent conversion efficiency. I read the thread about improving efficiency with batch sparging and noticed that 170 is the recommended temp during the sparge. I know I'm not hitting this since Beersmith is telling me to use 168 degree sparge water.

What temp water should I use for the sparge? How much of a difference will it make?

I've had to add a pound (more or less) of DME to each batch to hit the preboil gravity target for each batch. Going back and setting Beersmith "Brewhouse Efficiency" to 53% gives me the preboil gravity numbers that I find myself typically hitting.

I am not performing a mash out currently, but put the first runnings into the brewpot and performing 2 sparges.

Any suggestions for improvement?

 

[GC89]

I am by know means an experienced ag brewer only having two batches under my belt but I nailed a 72 & 73% with this technique. I take the first runnings then sparge with water around 190, I usually just fire the hlt up till it boils then off right before I start taking the first running and it will drop into the 190s. I add it stir in and let it sit for about 10 min, basically a sort of mash out. Then drain, then repeat with the second sparge, on the second batch I just stirred and began draining with the second sparge and got the same efficiency so thats what I will do from now on I think. Hope that helps 190 put me around 170 when I checked since each sparge was only around 2 gallons so the grain sucked up quite a bit of heat.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I'm not sure sparge temperature would kill efficiency like you are experiencing. What is the crush like?

 

[Zen_Brew]

If you are putting 168 or 170 degree water in for sparging you are sparging at a temp below what is common practice. Commonly people add water in the 180-185 range to achieve a temperature in the mash ton of 168-170. 170 degrees is a ceiling you should try not to exceed. at this temperature you halt the conversion process, but above 170 you may begin to get tannin extraction. Halting the conversion process is not even necessary and the major reason people sparge at this temperature is it is the warmest temperature you can safely use before you start extracting tannins. The water temp is raised primarily to help thin the sugars so they can be more easily rinsed from the grains. You could absolutely sparge below this temp and might see a small drop in the efficiency of rinsing the grains,but it should not make a big difference. It is likely your efficiency problems lie elsewhere.

Low efficiency can come from a poor crush on your grains, A PH that is too far out of the ideal range, poor mixing of the grains in the mash water, an incorrect mashing temperature, a poor drain system that allows the water to drain down a couple channels rather than rinse through most of the grain, or any combination of these things. Probably the most common one to look at is the crush of your grain. Look at the grain and make sure all the grains are cracked to allow the water to extract the sugars. Next make sure you are mixing the mash completely and geting a temperature reading you trust within a degree or so from your thermometer. For batch sparging having a drain that covers a good surface area of the cooler is not as important as in fly sparging, but it does have some effect. Lastly raising the temp of the water you sparge with to 180-185 in order to get the grain temp to 168-170 won't hurt either.

Don't get too hung up on it. Make small changes until you get it dialed in where you want it. You should be able once you tune up your process to get the efficiency up. 70% is doing pretty good, and anything past that is gravy.