Question about sparging till dry

[dperry]

I fly sparge and can hit my numbers and volumes consistently by sparging and draining both HLT and mashtun till dry to get the preboil volume. I want to try and do a double batch this weekend and was wondering if I could keep my HLT full and hot as needed so that as soon as I hit preboil volume I can turn off MT valve empty Mashtun and fill with strike water from hot HLT to start next mash. What I am not sure of is can I keep sparging till I hit preboil volume and turn off the valve leaving water in mash tun? Is it the same as draining dry since it rinses from top down anyway or does that leave needed sugars and stuff from the malt?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Actually, you should be leaving water in your mash anyway. It's best to let your mash stay as oxygen-free as possible. With batch sparging, it's not as critical because your sparge isn't as long. Personally, I don't think double batch sparges are needed, but if you like them, then go right ahead. By the time you get to the end of your second sparge, you're not extracting many sugars anyway.

Next time you fly sparge, I would add a little extra water to your HLT to account for the amount left in your grains. Technically, you should be sparging until you hit a gravity of 1.008 coming out of your mash tun. Anything less than that (draining it dry) and you're extracting things from the grains that you don't want.

 

[manoaction]

I've done that a few times, but my efficiencies are never anything to be proud of. I'm curious for other thoughts.

 

[shivalotus]

I am using a 5 gallon cooler to mash in and I do double batch sparges. My efficiencies run between 84 and 89%.

 

[dperry]

Ok I wasnt aware that I shouldnt drain till dry. So it sounds like what I want to do is prefered. I am not planning to double sparge or batch sparge it. I wanted to be able to have enough water hot in hlt to refill the emptied mashtun with strike water for another dough in for second brew. I think it will be easier to measure the preboil volume and turn off the mash valve when reached than try and keep up with how much is going into mashtun. My last brew at preboil vol the runnings were still 1.014 so shouldnt have to worry about oversparging if everything stays the same

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I wanted to be able to have enough water hot in hlt to refill the emptied mashtun with strike water for another dough in for second brew.

When you say "dough in", are you saying you'll be using the same grains to do a second batch of beer? I guess I don't quite understand what you're going for here. Sorry for my ignorance.

 

[heckels]

When you say "dough in", are you saying you'll be using the same grains to do a second batch of beer? I guess I don't quite understand what you're going for here. Sorry for my ignorance.

I assume he's going for a partigyle. Two beers, typically one big and one small. You use the same grain in the second with a few new additions to suit your second beer.

 

[jafo28]

He wants to start the mash on a second batch, new grains new brew.

What I do for a second batch is when my HLT is empty I add more water to it and start heating for the second batch. I do it this way because my HLT isn't big enough. What you're proposing should work just fine.

 

[dperry]

Sorry guys for the confusion. Jafo has it right second batch new grains new recipe. I am wanting to keep hlt hot and full with enough to sparge and top up without completely emptying qnd starting to heat cold tap water for the second brew quicker. I have always calculated the water to drain hlt dry and drain mashtun dry hit preboil volume. I wanted to know thoughts on sparging till preboil vol without measuring the water going into MT and stopping when reach preboil vol leaving water and whatever wort behind in mashtun. Hopefully that clears up confusion and makes sense.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I wanted to know thoughts on sparging till preboil vol without measuring the water going into MT and stopping when reach preboil vol leaving water and whatever wort behind in mashtun. Hopefully that clears up confusion and makes sense.

Okay, this makes more sense to me now.

This is exactly what you should be doing anyway. I never worry about how much water is in my HLT. I start off with 10 gallons in my HLT for a 10 gallon beer. This is more than enough, but I like to have plenty. I use my mash tun to bring my strike water to temp and then dough in. That way I have a full 10 gallons in my HLT and don't need to worry about it.

I have my kettle etched where certain volumes are so that I can just sparge until I hit my volume. Then I cut off my mash and dump whatever is left. It seems like a waste, but if you want to hit your numbers, then this is what you should be doing.

 

[dperry]

Ok got it, thanks. This almost sounds too easy compaired to the way I was doing it... You wouldnt believe the trouble I went through to figure it out, measuring half gallons and gallons with a metal yard stick. However once I got it, it worked consistently. Not sure where I got the idea to complicate things and it had to be done that way.