Quick question

[RyanVTBrew]

I'm brewing my 2nd all grain batch today. My sparge water is 165 degrees. I know you shouldn't go over 170. This should be fine, right?


Green mountain high!

 

[Yooper]

I'm brewing my 2nd all grain batch today. My sparge water is 165 degrees. I know you shouldn't go over 170. This should be fine, right?


Green mountain high!

Sure, it's fine. But your water can be over 170 degrees, as it's the grainbed that you want to keep under 170. When I batch sparge, my first sparge water addition is often nearly 200 degrees, to bring the grainbed up from 152 (mash temp) to 168.

It's not necessary, though- you can even sparge with cold water if you want, but you definitely can use warmer sparge water than 170 degrees.

 

[RyanVTBrew]

Yooper: as always, thanks!


Green mountain high!

 

[divrguy]

Yooper I miss the old avatar! Lol


Cheers!

 

[kwgriz]

I also had this question when I first started all-grain brewing. The instructions that came with the Midwest kit, as well as Beersmith said to have the sparge water at 168. But I believe I read in Palmer that you were supposed to raise the grain bed up to 168. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how 168 degree water was going to raise the 152 degree grain bed up to 168. So now I generally have my sparge water around 185-190, and usually get pretty close to 168 by the end of the sparge.

Yooper I agree with divrguy, I like the old avatar better!