Sparging question

[TasunkaWitko]

I currently brew 1 gallon batches (don't judge me!) with Brooklyn Brew Shop mixes (I said don't judge me! :cross. I follow their "how to brew" video and written instructions for the most part, except where there are obvious improvements such as waiting an extra week during fermentation (and another week during bottle conditioning), using an auto-siphon etc.

My question is in regards to the sparge. Here's what the video shows (time stamp :30 to :45):

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=md_2Y8UvkbU[/ame]

The thing is, while the water is running down through the grains, I've been stirring and mixing the grains around with a large kitchen spoon in order to help the process along. I began doing this with my second brew, and since then I've noticed a LOT more trub than my first one had. Everything tastes fine, but the amount of trub is surprising, and probably cuts my yield down a bit.

My question is, is my stirring during the sparge causing this? Should I just pour the water through and leave it alone, to let gravity take its course?

If the answer is yes, I am guessing that one benefit would be a smaller amount of trub; are there any other benefits? Am I better off stirring, or not? or does it matter?

Please educate me on this.

Thanks in advance -

Ron

 

[lump42]

There is no reason to feel shame of where you're starting. I started with Brooklyn Brew Shop kit I got for Christmas a few years ago.

If you are seeing a lot of grain material in the boil kettle, then you may be better off either getting a grain sack to act as a finer filter or not stirring. A lot of grain husks in the wort could cause too much tannin extraction and give off flavors.

The amount of trub shouldn't affect the quality negatively (http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/02/the-great-trub-exbeeriment-results-are-in/). Trub amount is also effected by the grain bill and hop amount. Different grain bills may give varying amount of protiens that coagulate during the boil and cooling. (hot and cold break). Obviously the more hop material at the beginning the more hop material at the end of the boil.

 

[Owly055]

A nice simple stove top system..........

It is a common practice for brewers to recirculate wort through the grain bed to clear it up. People who use a mash tun nearly always recircuate the first runnings for this reason. The grain bed acts as a filter clearing the wort. As you found stirring the grain bed prevents this filtration, which while it doesn't hurt the quality of your beer, does leave you with more trub.



H.W.

 

[wardens355]

Yes, stirring while you sparge by the method in the video will likely increase the amount of fine grain particulate you get in the wort. The benefit of stirring during sparge is better dissolution of sugars into the sparge water. Larger scale homebrewers will generally either fly sparge (sprinkle water over grain bed and collect runnings) at a very slow feed water rate, or batch sparge, adding all the sparge water to the grain, stirring to get the sugars into solution, recirculating wort over the grain to set a filter, then collect runnings. However, the video method doesn't provide a good sparge step geared towards efficient rinsing of sugars from the grain, and just tells you to recycle the wort through the grain several times. I presume they tell you to recycle to get the grain to form a filter (which will decrease the amount of particulate you get into your wort). So if you stop stirring a better 'filter' can be formed. As lump42 said, maybe a fine mesh bag over the strainer would help reduce trub also.

Seems like you may have poor efficiency if you just dump the wort relatively quickly over the grains to sparge, as they show in the video (maybe repeating several times helps). I would suggest this revision to their method if you see poor efficiency:

After mashing (stir really well before starting to strain):
1. Strain wort into second pot/bowl and transfer between bowls, pouring wort over grain until relatively clear (equivalent to vorlauf - you filter the wort through the grain repeatedly). Remember to clear out chunks of grain in the receiving pot/bowl each time before pouring into it.
2. Set aside wort first runnings in heat-resistant container.
3. Dump grain into pot and add sparge water. Stir well for a minute or so.
4. Repeat Step 1.
5. Combine sparge runnings with first runnings and proceed.

This process may be too time consuming, or you may be satisfied with your efficiency already. It just popped into my head when I watched the video, so I figured I'd share.