Sparging Question - When to stop

[jayrodoh]

I've searched around and I'm still confused on this. My approach to brewing is pretty non scientific and although I've made some pretty good beers, I'd like to have more control over the beer and what's going on.

I fly sparge after I recirc for 60 minutes. From what I've read, i should take samples and stop when my gravity hits about 1.010? Simple as that?

 

[Bobby_M]

That's more of a simplified rule of thumb than anything else. The big concern is the pH of the mash the whole time you're sparging. As the gravity reduces, the buffering capicity is diminished. Most people have base water, e.g. pH over 7. As your runnings gravity gets closer and closer to water, high pH sparge water can start pulling tannins out of the husks.

I wouldn't recommend anyone fly sparge without either a refractometer or a pH meter. The latter being more appropriate but at least 3x the cost.

 

[maida7]

I'd recommend stopping when you have achieved your pre-boil volume or the gravity runs low. Whichever comes first.

 

[jayrodoh]

I usually stop at preboil volumes.

I wouldn't recommend anyone fly sparge without either a refractometer or a pH meter. The latter being more appropriate but at least 3x the cost.

Is it possible to batch sparge with a Herms setup? Recirc and then fill mashtun?

 

[maida7]

I usually stop at preboil volumes.



Is it possible to batch sparge with a Herms setup? Recirc and then fill mashtun?

I don't see why not. The Herms part is only used during the mash. You could recirc the mash. Then run it all out into the kettle. Fill it up with the sparge water then run that out into the kettle.

But you still don't want to sparge with more/less water then you need to make your pre-boil volume. While there is less risk of tannin extraction with a batch sparge, You loose efficiency if you use the wrong amount of sparge water.

I find beersmith indispensable for calculating batch sparge volumes.

 

[Bobby_M]

I think he's looking at batch sparging as a way to avoid the pH issue. Yes, that's one of the benefits of batch sparging. You never have a state of sub 1.010 wort.

 

[jayrodoh]

I think he's looking at batch sparging as a way to avoid the pH issue.

Yup. Thanks guys, will give it a shot this weekend.

 

[CanadianNorth]

As mentioned, one of the main dangers of over-sparging are leeching tannings from the grain hulls.
For most of my brewing I use the standard 2 quarts/lb of grain. However, I am realizing that I lose nothing by 'under sparging', as long as I know what my efficiency is going to be.
I have tried monitoring spec grav in the past, but I have found it tricky.

In the future I plan to try using 1.5qrt/lb and adjust my system efficency to account for it. We will see what happens!

 

[jayrodoh]

1.5qt per lb seems to be a good starting point from my searches.

 

[JuanMoore]

Is it possible to batch sparge with a Herms setup? Recirc and then fill mashtun?

I do it, so it must be possible. Not having to worry about PH as much was only a bonus, I batch sparge because it's quicker, easier, and I seem to get more repeatable results.