Need some clarity on striking/sparging

[Leggoma]

I'm about to brew my second batch of beer in a few days, and I used Brewsmith and Brewpal (iPhone) to put together a recipe. My first brew was done from a kit that had the step by step instructions. The first batch had me steep my specialty grains, while the second batch just says to strike and sparge. I just wanted to clarify what I'm going to do at this process.

For striking, it says the target temperature is 152 degrees. It says to use 3 quarts of 165 degree water. Is the target temperature a derivative of the temperature loss that introducing the room temperature grain would cause? It gives a time of 60 minutes, so does that mean I should steep the grain for 60 minutes before sparging?

For sparging, it says 5.6 gallons of 175 degree water for a target temperature of 170 degrees. So would that mean I basically "rinse" the grain bag with this water to extract as much wort as I can?

I have an 8 gallon pot, so I would rather just heat all of the water up at the same time, steep the grains, then rinse the grain bag with like a gallon of hot water. It would be hard for me to have 3 quarts in my 8 gallon brewing pot, then have 5.6 gallons of water heating up on the stove to add to the 3 quarts during the sparging process. What would some of you suggest?

 

[dkennedy]

Assuming that you're planning all-grain for your next?

Yes- the temp difference is due to grain that is colder than the H2O. 60 minutes is a 60 minute mash (mash, steep, same thing! Leave grains in the water), at a (fairly) constant temp, generally in the 150's seems acceptable. The 170 sparge is to halt conversion and rinse the grains.

What I do (your mileage may vary!) is a modified BIAB (Brew-In-A-Bag) approach like you are describing- I have a 7.5 gallon pot, fit just as much water into that as I can, mash for 60-90 minutes, drain, then sparge the grains with about a gallon of water into a different pot. Add both the runnings and boil away!
This is for the same reasons that you describe- I can use my propane cooker for most of the work, with the new smooth-top range just heating some sparge water (SWMBO approved!).

Just lit the burner, will try to grab some snapshots today.

 

[chickypad]

As dkennedy points out sounds like your recipe is for all grain or partial mash, if it's telling you to steep in only 3 qts water I'm thinking it's a partial mash (assuming this is 5gal batch). What is the grain bill?

Mashing has a different goal from just steeping specialty grain, you are using some base grain in addition to any specialty grains and extracting fermentables. One reason not to mash a small amount of grain in a really large amount of water is the pH will probably be off, and may cause issues like tanning extraction, possibly problems with conversion.
If you post the recipe we might be able to give you better advice.

 

[Leggoma]

Sorry, I thought I edited the post to add the fact that this is an extract batch (I'm still a few batches away from being ready for AG). The grain bill is as follows:

Liquid Malt - Pilsen
34ppg, 3°L 6.6 pounds
76.7%
Crystal 20L
35ppg, 20°L 2 pounds
23.3%


Maybe the software I'm using doesn't differentiate between extract and AG. So judging from the above information you guys replied with, it sounds like I will be doing the same process as I did for my first batch from a recipe kit and just steep the Crystal Malt for like 30 mins?

Edit: Full recipe is as follows:

Batch size 5 gallons
Boil size 6.1 gallons
Boil time 60 minutes
Grain weight 8.6 pounds
Efficiency 75%
Original gravity 1.055
Final gravity 1.014
Alcohol (by volume) 5.4%
Bitterness (IBU) 40
Color (SRM) 8.2°L

Yeast
2 liquid packs
Wyeast
1056 American Ale

Grains/Extracts/Sugars
8.6 pounds
Liquid Malt - Pilsen
34ppg, 3°L 6.6 pounds
76.7%
Crystal 20L
35ppg, 20°L 2 pounds
23.3%

Hops
3 ounces
Crystal hops
3.3%, Pellet 1 ounce
Northern Brewer hops
9.8%, Pellet 1 ounce
Liberty hops
3%, Pellet 1 ounce
Mash
60 minutes, 6.3 gallons
Strike
Target 152°F 3 quarts
163°F
60 minutes (+0)
Sparge
Target 170°F 5.6 gallons
175°F

Boil
60 minutes, 6.1 gallons
Northern Brewer hops
9.8%, Pellet 1 ounce
60 minutes (+0)
Crystal hops
3.3%, Pellet 1 ounce
15 minutes (+45)
Wort chiller 15 minutes (+45)
Liberty hops
3%, Pellet 1 ounce
5 minutes (+55)

Ferment
14 days @ 60-72°F

 

[drkaeppel]

"For striking, it says the target temperature is 152 degrees. It says to use 3 quarts of 165 degree water. Is the target temperature a derivative of the temperature loss that introducing the room temperature grain would cause? It gives a time of 60 minutes, so does that mean I should steep the grain for 60 minutes before sparging? "

Exactly right. Brewing software will compensate your strike water/ sparge water temps so that you are right on target when you dough in your grains. So heat the water to 165 (or whatever it tells you) and it should hit close to your target mash temp. The 60 mins is referring to your mash time, so you will hold the mash at a specific temp for that time and then sparge after.

Also correct on sparging. You are rinsing the grains with warmer water and extract as many fermentables as possible.

I'm not sure what kind of setup you have, but I would follow the directions provided by the software as closely as you can. I've had really good luck with Beersmith.

Cheers!

 

[chickypad]

That's an extract recipe with specialty grains. Crystal doesn't need to be mashed so you can just follow the same steps as your first brew.

Edit - Forgot to ask, what software are you using ? There should be a setting somewhere for extract vs. all grain.

 

[Leggoma]

I'm using Brewsmith on my computer, but Brewpal on my iPhone. I used Brewsmith to compose the recipe, but had Brewpal on my iPhone for tweaking some of the recipe when I was at the brew supply store. That recipe is off of Brewpal, since I had it email me the recipe for easier viewing. I'll find where I can set the AG/Extract setting on each. It would be nice if it just figured it out by analyzing the grain bill.

 

[oneeyedziggy]

I'm brewing my third beer right now, and my second and third called for steeping in 1 gallon then sparging with another gallon, so before the second one I got a 2 gallon igloo cooler at goodwill for $3. I just let it soak in there for the recommended 1/2 hour and poured it through a wire mesh colander, then let the sparge sit for 5min and strained again.

I've found the sparge gets a good deal more out of the grain and probably makes for a heartier and fuller flavored beer. I've yet to try without sparging, but guessing from the color of the post sparge water/wort which is nearly as dark as the first steep for the porter and stout I've made I like the results so far.

I would recommend my route until you can get a full sized all grain setup. It works really well, and regardless of reality makes me FEEL like I'm making a better beer.