Mash Tun Volume for No sparge brewing

[JBrady]

Hey just a quick question since my brew math is a little rusty from way back in 2011. I'm trying to figure out my Mash tun size for my no sparge brewing process, which means I need enough volume for strike water, grains, and sparge water combined. I love the simplicity of the no sparge process and although my brewing efficiency went down, my beer quality went up. Probably fermentation temp control and no sparge were the two things that really improved my beer when I first started. So my math with factoring 1.25qt per pound of grain for my little 1.5 gallon batches(2.5 gallon preboil) shows total volume(strike, grain, sparge) at between 3 and 3.5 gallons for beers ranging from 7 to 10 percent abv. By these numbers I'll probably go with a round 5 gallon drinking cooler mash tun. Looking at 1.5 to 2 gallons of dead air space, maybe more with a small beer, is that too much to control temps over an hour? Does my math look right for 3.75 to 5.5 pounds of grain at 1.25/qt water plus sparge water to come out to a total volume of 3 to 3.5 gallons? Thanks for the help.

 

[jalc6927]

There are online calculators you can download that will give you great parameters

Aldo keep in mind the spread between the strike and mash temps are smaller since you have more volume

For clarity the strike temp should be lower than the normal temps shown in a standard mash and sparge process

 

[Smellyglove]

I'm running a no sparge setup. I suck big time at maths so I'm unable to give you a %. But I'm running a 37L (10g) mash tun and I'm ending up with 16L post boil @8% evap-rate. This can handle up to OG's of 1.115, and a few points more. No dillution or anything, straight into the boil, for a long boil with that OG.

 

[JimRausch]

The website to look for is GreenbayRackers.com (that may not be it exactly, but should get you near it)

 

[JBrady]

Thanks yall

 

[C-Rider]

Hey just a quick question since my brew math is a little rusty from way back in 2011. I'm trying to figure out my Mash tun size for my no sparge brewing process, which means I need enough volume for strike water, grains, and sparge water combined. I love the simplicity of the no sparge process and although my brewing efficiency went down, my beer quality went up. Probably fermentation temp control and no sparge were the two things that really improved my beer when I first started. So my math with factoring 1.25qt per pound of grain for my little 1.5 gallon batches(2.5 gallon preboil) shows total volume(strike, grain, sparge) at between 3 and 3.5 gallons for beers ranging from 7 to 10 percent abv. By these numbers I'll probably go with a round 5 gallon drinking cooler mash tun. Looking at 1.5 to 2 gallons of dead air space, maybe more with a small beer, is that too much to control temps over an hour? Does my math look right for 3.75 to 5.5 pounds of grain at 1.25/qt water plus sparge water to come out to a total volume of 3 to 3.5 gallons? Thanks for the help.

Here is a video I made a few years ago showing my method for BIAB. I've changed it a bit over the years but not m uch. I do 2 gallon batches and when lucky wind up w/3 six packs I've used as much as 7.25 lbs of grain making a 10% Imperial Stout that took a first place after aging in bottles for a year.