Sparging

[Coreyolf1]

Hey!

I have a few questions about sparking. First off, which form of sparging is the easiest for a beginner and yields the best efficiency?

I've done an all-sparge previously, but I feel like I missed out on a couple of gallons of mash liquid. I've watched some people do continuous sparging. So my question about continuous sparging is how much sparge water do you use, and do you allow your mash tun to drain the whole time you're adding sparge water?

Also, for batch sparging, do you drain the whole mash tun and re-add the same volume of water to the tun again? How long does it need to sit for after the initial 1-hour period?

Thanks in advance for your time!

 

[govner1]

I batch sparge. I also use BeerSmith which calculates both my mash water volume & sparge volume. There are numerous programs/apps that will do this for you.
After you Vorlauf & drain your first runnings (mash water) into your BK then you add your sparge water. Stir vigorously, let it sit for about ten minutes, Vorlauf, then drain your sparge water into your BK.
Don't forget to apply low heat to the first runnings in your BK while you wait in your sparge water. Once I begin draining my sparge water into my BK I turn up the heat so I can get to boil faster.

 

[unionrdr]

^ This. I biab, so I dunk sparge, stiring the grains then sit at 170F for 10 minutes. Add that to the BK for boil volume.

 

[unionrdr]

Time stamp must be fubared? I posted after govnr1 but my time is earlier? Comp time equals my cell phone's time though. Dang time says now 9:28, but it's 8:33?

 

[IslandLizard]

+1 ^

Batch sparging is the easiest. Rectangular cooler with a homemade CPVC manifold. I don't let it rest 10 minutes, maybe 5.

I use the 365 Calculator for strike and sparge calcs.

Since you lose heat while stirring the mash, I end up using strike water 4°F higher than the calc tells me. That way after mashing in I'm spot on my target mash temp. Cover the mash with aluminum foil.

 

[IslandLizard]

Time stamp must be fubared? I posted after govnr1 but my time is earlier? Comp time equals my cell phone's time though. Dang time says now 9:28, but it's 8:33?

That's good isn't it? You can give answers before the question was raised.

 

[unionrdr]

Using the force with a splinter of the mind's eye (Pol Anderson). Dang, I'm good sometimes!?...:rockin:

 

[govner1]

+1 ^

Batch sparging is the easiest. Rectangular cooler with a homemade CPVC manifold. I don't let it rest 10 minutes, maybe 5.

I use the 365 Calculator for strike and sparge calcs.

Since you lose heat while stirring the mash, I end up using strike water 4°F higher than the calc tells me. That way after mashing in I'm spot on my target mash temp. Cover the mash with aluminum foil.

+1^ also. I do prefer a copper manifold to CPVC.
I also agree w/ heating your strike water above your target. In my case, I've found 10°F higher works. I use a 10 g MLT Rubbermaid cooler & pump my water from my HLT into the tun then mash in. On a really cold day I'll preheat my tun while my strike water is heating. This usually takes me 15-20 min since I start w 120°F water.
I save the preheat water for clean up later.

 

[Coreyolf1]

+1 ^

Batch sparging is the easiest. Rectangular cooler with a homemade CPVC manifold. I don't let it rest 10 minutes, maybe 5.

I use the 365 Calculator for strike and sparge calcs.

Since you lose heat while stirring the mash, I end up using strike water 4°F higher than the calc tells me. That way after mashing in I'm spot on my target mash temp. Cover the mash with aluminum foil.

OK. So how long do you stir once the sparge water has been added?

 

[unionrdr]

I just stir until I start to see a little color in the sparge water, then cover. Leave it for 10 minutes, then add sparge to mash wort in BK for total boil volume. * Dang. 10:42 but really 9:46?...

 

[RM-MN]

Hey!

I have a few questions about sparking. First off, which form of sparging is the easiest for a beginner and yields the best efficiency?

I've done an all-sparge previously, but I feel like I missed out on a couple of gallons of mash liquid. I've watched some people do continuous sparging. So my question about continuous sparging is how much sparge water do you use, and do you allow your mash tun to drain the whole time you're adding sparge water?

Also, for batch sparging, do you drain the whole mash tun and re-add the same volume of water to the tun again? How long does it need to sit for after the initial 1-hour period?

Thanks in advance for your time!

The two things you ask about are mutually exclusive. You cannot have the easiest and the highest efficiency. With that said, the difference between batch and fly sparging is small and since batch sparging is easier without a great loss of efficiency, batch sparging wins.

 

[Coreyolf1]

Great thanks for the help!

 

[IslandLizard]

+1^ also. I do prefer a copper manifold to CPVC.
I also agree w/ heating your strike water above your target. In my case, I've found 10°F higher works. I use a 10 g MLT Rubbermaid cooler & pump my water from my HLT into the tun then mash in. On a really cold day I'll preheat my tun while my strike water is heating. This usually takes me 15-20 min since I start w 120°F water.
I save the preheat water for clean up later.

Nothing wrong with copper.

A full 10° higher? Don't you overshoot your mash temp? Not that it's a bad idea. Recent reports have shown that it may be helpful to denature some of that beta-amylase for a less fermentable wort.

I just preheat the cooler with the strike water, around 10-14°F hotter than my intended strike temp (=4° above calculated). This depends on the strike volume of course and I use the scientific method of eyeballing.

Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, take temp and I'm usually close enough to adjust with some cold water if needed. I now use 1.33 quart of water per pound of grain. Easier to stir and gives good conversion. I mill quite finely using an MM2, 0.034" for barley, 0.024" for wheat, rye, flaked adjuncts, and other small kernels. Get 82-86% efficiency.

The hot water from my plate chiller is captured in 2 large 7 gallon buckets for cleanup.

Manifold is shown upside down of course.

 

[IslandLizard]

OK. So how long do you stir once the sparge water has been added?

2 minutes tops. I stir well and vigorously, bringing the grist from the bottom up. Then let it sit for 3 minutes, vorlauf and lauter.

I use 2 sparges of equal volume. Together with a 1.33 water to grain ratio for mashing in, I end up with 2 very stirrable sparges.

The gravity of my 3rd runnings (2nd sparge) are around 1.020-1.030. Once that's drained, there's not much sugar left in the grist. If I'm a bit short on volume I'll do a small 3rd sparge (a gallon max), and those 4th runnings are around 1.010. Since our water is quite soft, I do add some phosphoric acid to my sparge water to keep the mash pH in check.

 

[govner1]

Nothing wrong with copper.

A full 10° higher? Don't you overshoot your mash temp? Not that it's a bad idea. Recent reports have shown that it may be helpful to denature some of that beta-amylase for a less fermentable wort.

I just preheat the cooler with the strike water, around 10-14°F hotter than my intended strike temp (=4° above calculated). This depends on the strike volume of course and I use the scientific method of eyeballing.

Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, take temp and I'm usually close enough to adjust with some cold water if needed. I now use 1.33 quart of water per pound of grain. Easier to stir and gives good conversion. I mill quite finely using an MM2, 0.034" for barley, 0.024" for wheat, rye, flaked adjuncts, and other small kernels. Get 82-86% efficiency.

The hot water from my plate chiller is captured in 2 large 7 gallon buckets for cleanup.

Manifold is shown upside down of course.

Yeah, 10° seems to be just about right. By the time I pump it in as well as mash in I'm generally right on target temp. In the summer I strike around 5-6° higher.
I also collect the initial hot water from my CFC at the beginning of chilling/whirl pooling. That way I have plenty of water to use for cleaning my hoses and other equip. I add SaniClean & let everything soak.

 

[doug293cz]

To maximize your efficiency with batch sparging, you want to minimize the volume of wort left in the MLT after each run-off step. This can be proven mathematically. If you haven't built your MLT yet, you should take this into consideration in your design. Also, as noted previously, more batch sparge steps improve the efficiency, but after three sparges, you are definitely in the diminishing returns regime. Each batch sparge step should use the same volume for best efficiency. http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Batch_Sparging_Analysis

Brew on