Mash Water and Sparge Water

[b_mckendry]

How much water do I start with in my mash for my pre-boil? Can somebody clear this up for me? I posted the mash steps.

If I understand this correctly I will mash with 4.25 gallons of water and sparge with 4.75. The 7.00 gal boil size confuses me.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.37 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.50 gal

Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, No Mash Out
Sparge Water: 4.75 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE

Total Grain Weight: 13 lbs
Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Mash PH: 5.20


Mash Steps


Mash In Add 16.25 qt of water at 168.9 F 154.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 4.75 gal water at 168.0 F
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).

 

[johngaltsmotor]

The grain absorbs some of the water that you never get out. IIRC it's typically about 1pt/pound? so your 13pounds equates to 13pints left behind. Plus I'd guess the other 3pints are for dead space in your mashtun.

 

[brewing_clown]

16.25 quarts

 

[theck]

If I understand this correctly I will mash with 4.25 gallons of water and sparge with 4.75. The 7.00 gal boil size confuses me.

If done correctly you'll end up with 7 gallons pre boil after the mash, grain absorbs and loss to dead space... you might boil off 1.5 gallons (default I think) on a 60 min? So end with 5.5 gallons, which is what I do. 6.37 gal seems pretty high to put in the fermentor, maybe you're losing some to the trub or leaving in the kettle?

 

[b_mckendry]

Got it.

Mash : 4.25 gallons
Sparge: 4.75 gallon
Pre Boil will be at 7 gallons and at the end 5.5 with a 1.5 boil off in 60 mins.

I did not know about the 1.5 boil off for 60 mins. That's new to me..

 

[brewkinger]

Got it.

Mash : 4.25 gallons
Sparge: 4.75 gallon
Pre Boil will be at 7 gallons and at the end 5.5 with a 1.5 boil off in 60 mins.

I did not know about the 1.5 boil off for 60 mins. That's new to me..

I just want to point out that loss to dead space is a system specific loss.
In other words, if this is someone else's recipe, you may get different loss amounts in your mash tun.

Boil off is somewhere between 1-1.5 gallons per hour depending on ambient air temp and humidity and kettle dimensions.

 

[b_mckendry]

So someone that uses a cooler as a mash tun versus a stainless pot will have a different amount of lost dead space?

 

[brewkinger]

So someone that uses a cooler as a mash tun versus a stainless pot will have a different amount of lost dead space?

Type of vessel is not the issue here as much as type of filter.
A false bottom has a space underneath that will not drain at all.
A bazooka screen, manifold or other filter will have a different amount of "undrainable" wort.

 

[theck]

I just want to point out that loss to dead space is a system specific loss.
In other words, if this is someone else's recipe, you may get different loss amounts in your mash tun.

Boil off is somewhere between 1-1.5 gallons per hour depending on ambient air temp and humidity and kettle dimensions.

I started and use 1.5 because you can always top off if needed. Boiling longer is for me undesirable. But you can figure it out by boiling some water for an hour and see what remains.

 

[theck]

Type of vessel is not the issue here as much as type of filter.
A false bottom has a space underneath that will not drain at all.
A bazooka screen, manifold or other filter will have a different amount of "undrainable" wort.

To find that fill your tun and measure how much is left after you drain. It's not exact I'm sure since the grain probably influences it but I like to overestimate it all. Again easier to top it off than boil longer.