Maximizing Efficiency Mash or Sparge?

[joezasa]

Let's suppose I am making an Ordinary Bitter and mashing 8 lbs, capacity is not a problem and I am batch sparging. Which technique is most efficient and why?

A. Mash with 2 quarts per pound, collect 3 gallons and sparge with 3 gallons; or

B. Mash in at 1.5 quarts per pound and collect about 2 gallons and sparge with 4 gallons.

C. It doesn't matter since we are Batch Sparging and rinsing the grains, thus, the yield is the same.

My guess is that the thinner mash (Option A) extracts more sugar because the water has more time with the grain, but this is one of those questions better left for experts.

 

[bob1852]

Welcome to HBT!

There's been a fair amount of discussion on this topic, and one of our members (Kaiser) has written up a fair amount here:

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

But you're on to it. A thinner mash tends to allow for better conversion efficiency, meaning if your lauter efficiency is the same (whether thick or thin mash), your brewhouse efficiency can be better.

 

[bob1852]

oh and one other thing - several well renowned HBT'ers have also found that a single batch sparge works nearly as well as a double sparge, and it saves some time.

 

[The Pol]

Heck, in many cases NO sparge brewing will net you about the same as a batch sparge. Key is conversion eff and reducing dead space.

But... I have been drinking with jfkriege, so take that for what it is worth!

 

[Bobby_M]

Let's suppose I am making an Ordinary Bitter and mashing 8 lbs, capacity is not a problem and I am batch sparging. Which technique is most efficient and why?

A. Mash with 2 quarts per pound, collect 3 gallons and sparge with 3 gallons; or

B. Mash in at 1.5 quarts per pound and collect about 2 gallons and sparge with 4 gallons.

C. It doesn't matter since we are Batch Sparging and rinsing the grains, thus, the yield is the same.

My guess is that the thinner mash (Option A) extracts more sugar because the water has more time with the grain, but this is one of those questions better left for experts.

Assuming equal conversion, (A) will be slightly more efficient than (B) because the two runnings volumes are equal. However, if you do (B) but split the 4 gallon sparge into two distinct sparges, you end up with 3 runnings of equal volumes and it will be the most efficient by a couple points. If I were you, I'd just do (A) and see what you get.

 

[jfkriege]

Given the final gravity of the beer, I would tend towards A, or no sparge if you have room in the boil kettle. I would actually me tempted to mash in a little thinner and then sparge with less water if you really want to split it.

And I agree with The Pol, limiting dead space is important if you pick no sparge, and drinking is important no matter what you pick.

 

[bakins]

Heck, in many cases NO sparge brewing will net you about the same as a batch sparge. Key is conversion eff and reducing dead space.

+1. Several of us get 75-80% every time with no-sparge.

In general, you always want to get 100% conversion.

 

[LandofOZ]

:crossk so now we call it "BIABSPIAB" BREW IN A BAG SPARGE IN A BAG another acronim to add to the list
ok so i have been using a modified brew in bag. i brew 5 gallon batches. i came across a 6.5 gallon aluminium fryer pot and a 5 gallon gott coller (round) at sales for $5 each and got a 5 gallon paint strainer bag, the bag fits into the cooler and am able to pull it over the threads. preheat the the cooler and then add 3 gallons mash water to the grains in the bag in the cooler at about 162 stir and i get 150 mash temp droping 2 degrees in 90 minute mash. because the bag is streched over the coller threads the top holds the bag in place and am able to shake the cooler to stir the grains without removing the lid. while masing i heat my 3.5 gallons of sparge water to 180 degrees in the boil pot, when the mash is done i pull the bag and sit it in the a callander over the cooler and squeze the bag and then the bag goes into the sparge water in the pot for 15 minutes. 180 gets me 170 sparge temp. I have my stove down to where to know where to set the dial to maintain 170. after the 15 minute dip sparge i once again put the bag in a coolander over the pot. turn the heat up. squeeze the bag then remove to go in the garden. I add the mash from the cooler. usually do a 60 minute boil. i am usually several ponts over the origianl gravity called out in the recipee and have gotten final gravities 1.010 or lower for recipees that call for brewhouse efficiencies of 75 percent. this is working well for me and have done 7 to 12 pounds of grain, i think 12 would be about max for my 5 gallon cooler.
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[wilserbrewer]

red cooler, triple sparge, all other things being equal of course? I really gotta try this bag sparge thing.