Mash out and batch sparging?

[Yooper]

SeminoleAle,

I have thought about this as well, some advise heating the brew kettle immediatly while collecting the first runnings to stop enzyme activity. Or, you could mash a little higher and let the additional conversion take place welcomingly. Or do a boiling water infusion, or mash out pioir to draining first runnings. At the end of the day, it really is as simple as mash, rinse and boil, or try a full volume mash, so it's just mash / drain and boil.

It really comes down to your practice, there is no right or wrong, just many different ways to recieve favorable end results.

I would say that most batch spargers, they put the first runnings on the flame right away. Once they heat to 170 and keep it there, they've effectively denatured the enzymes and the profile of the mash is "locked in". Or, they use extra hot water in the first round of sparging, effectively raising the temperature of the grainbed to 168 or so and then drain quickly and set the runnings on to boil.

Either way, it's a relatively quick trip to the boil kettle, where the enzymes are denatured quickly.

 

[TheRussMeister]

SeminoleAle,

I have thought about this as well, some advise heating the brew kettle immediatly while collecting the first runnings to stop enzyme activity. Or, you could mash a little higher and let the additional conversion take place welcomingly. Or do a boiling water infusion, or mash out pioir to draining first runnings. At the end of the day, it really is as simple as mash, rinse and boil, or try a full volume mash, so it's just mash / drain and boil.

It really comes down to your practice, there is no right or wrong, just many different ways to recieve favorable end results.

I haven't ever tried a full volume mash. My tun should have the capacity for any normal sized beer. Have you tried full volume mashes? What was your efficiency? Did conversion take longer?

 

[tadkays]

I have been tinkering with this also. I just mashed 152 for 60, then mashed out adding 202F water, then vorlauft, drain, then double batch sparge 175F, vorlauft, drain. Worked like a charm. Too well in fact: est OG 1.067, got 1.080, made my black ipa an imperial!

 

[Denny]

Unfortunately, if you made all those changes at once, you don't really know which is responsible.

 

[mikesmith1611]

This is great. Denny suggests doing two equal runoffs, so you would either mash thinner or add top-off sparge water, stir, then run off first runnings. He said there was increase in efficiency doing this.

Hi there sorry to bring up an old post but I just want to clarify the 'Denny Method'. Is the following correct?

1) Mash at the usual liquor to grain ratio 1.25qt/lb (2.6kg/l) or what ever you prefer.

2)After the mash, top up with the first batch sparge liquor in order to achieve equal runnings with the second batch sparge.

3) Stir the mash? let it stand for x amount of time for the grain bed to settle?

4)Vorlaurf until 'clear' and drain first runnings.

5) Top up mash tun with the remaining sparge liquor.

6)Stir the mash? let it stand for x amount of time for the grain bed to settle?

7)Vorlaurf until 'clear' and drain second runnings.

OR

1)Mash with a liquor/grain ratio in order to achieve equal runnings? i.e thinner mash

2)Vorlauf until 'clear' and drain first runnings

3)Top up with sparge liquor

4)Stir the mash? let it stand for x amount of time for the grain bed to settle?

5)Vorlauf until 'clear' and drain second runnings

Cheers!

 

[stpug]

Your second/lower set of steps is how Denny indicates he does it now. He said he used to do it like in your first/upper steps, but has opted for a thinner mash due to laziness.

In the grand scheme of things, do what works for you.

 

[Denny]

Your second/lower set of steps is how Denny indicates he does it now. He said he used to do it like in your first/upper steps, but has opted for a thinner mash due to laziness.

In the grand scheme of things, do what works for you.

Absolutely correct. It's equally as effective as the first method, and saves a step. FWIW, I mash anywhere from 1.66-2 qt./lb. these days.

 

[WileECoyote]

Hello, I just tried doing my mash out along with my mash wort still in the mash tun, worked great and super easy.

To explain my method,
I mash in with around 1.25 to 1.5 qt H2o to 1 lb of grain @ lets say 153 deg for 60+ min, then instead of draining my first runnings, I add my sparge water to the mash tun to bring my mash temp up to 168 deg for 10 min, then vorlaurf till clear, drain entire mash into my kettle and start the boil.

This eliminates one more step and makes brewing (for me) even easier, I seem to be getting good efficiency being right at 82% using this method.

Before trying this, when I was collecting 2 separate runnings I was getting right at 82% also.

Is there any reason that I shouldn't keep brewing this way? or is there a good reason for collecting 2 separate runnings?

Cheers

 

[stpug]

Is there any reason that I shouldn't keep brewing this way? or is there a good reason for collecting 2 separate runnings?

Not unless you see any reason. I certainly cannot.

 

[crazyportagee]

Thanks for all the great information being shared here!