New MLT--How Fast Is Too Fast?

[nhansen]

Moving from BIAB to using an MLT because, well, SWMBO tires of sewing new bags and I keep ripping them on the kettle's thermostat. I have a 10 gallon Rubbermaid conversion per the wiki and am ready to use it for the first time tomorrow.

One question I haven't been able to answer via the search--PEBKAC--is how wide open do I run the 3/8 ball value when batch sparging? Do folks just let 'er rip or is there a sweet spot somewhere between wide open and completely shut I should be shooting for?

 

[suds_zville]

I vorlauf until clear and then let her rip wide open.

 

[Yooper]

You can crack it open initally, and open it a bit wider and vorlauf. Then, let 'er rip!

 

[stratslinger]

When you vorlauf to set the grain bed, go very slow (I usually have my valve maybe 1/4 open, tops), until you get clear wort. Then you can open it up as much as you like - part of the beauty of batch sparging is that you can drain pretty much as fast as you want.

 

[nhansen]

Thanks for the help, all. Makes a lot of sense now that it has been explained.

 

[Golddiggie]

I go a slightly different route...

I slowly open the ball valve (1/2" man, why go small with 3/8"??) to get the luscious wort from the mash tun. I run this into the kettle which has one of the nylon grain bags set inside it (clamped around the edge). The nylon bag catches all the particles that come with the first run and I don't need to worry about any channeling happening when dumping the vorlauf wort back in. I do this for the sparge step too.

Been getting solid results this way. Also zero grain particles make it into the boil. :rockin: Just one extra item to rinse post boil and it's all done.