Sparging with Cold Water?

[ShaLaH]

I brewed my first batch in about a year so my technique was a little rusty.

I forgot to take into account water absorption by the grain. After my 2nd runnings I was off by 4 qts and I didn't have anymore water heated up so I added 4 qts of cold water into the mash tun for 3rd runnings. Is this going to create any off tastes?

I tried the sample I pulled for the Gravity reading and it seemd bitter and somewhat astringent.

Thanks in advance :rockin:

 

[jtratcliff]

Nah, you're good. Cold water sparge is fine. Not uncommon to do a cold water pour-over sparge in BIAB.

You need high temperature and Ph for tannin extraction...

 

[ShaLaH]

phew… Thanks for the quick response. I had never done it before so I was a little apprehensive; I can rest now.

 

[doug293cz]

Kai Troester has actually done an experiment that shows that there is essentially no difference between hot and cold water for batch sparging. In order for this to be valid, the mash saccharification needs to be very close to 100% complete. Otherwise, a hot water sparge will allow additional time for more saccharification, and thus improve conversion efficiency, but not lauter efficiency.

Brew on

 

[ShaLaH]

Just the info I was hoping to hear. yeeehawwww! Now if I can just figure out why my OG was so low ...

thanks

 

[doug293cz]

Just the info I was hoping to hear. yeeehawwww! Now if I can just figure out why my OG was so low ...

thanks

If you want help with your OG issue, then post the following information:

• Process: batch sparge, fly sparge, or no-sparge
• Grain bill
• Strike water volume
• Number of sparge steps and volume for each
• SG of wort in mash, or first runnings SG (if measurement taken)
• Pre-boil volume, and temperature at which it was measured (to correct for thermal expansion)
• Pre-boil SG
• Post-boil volume, and temperature at which it was measured (to correct for thermal expansion)
• Post-boil SG (i.e. OG)

Brew on

 

[daksin]

The big benefit to a hot-water batch sparge is that it won't take quite so long to reach a boil. I sparge with basically boiling water and haven't had any tannin issues.