Strike and Sparge water?

[redraider629]

Are you going to use the same amount of water, 1.25qt/lb, for both the strike water and sparge water? I am going to begin AG and that is the only thing that is really confusing me.

 

[diatonic]

No. Your strike water should be about 1.25 qt/lb... until you're experienced enough to have a compelling reason to change that. Your sparge water volume will be whatever is required to collect the volume you want in the boil kettle. I use BeerSmith and it is pretty good about calculating those volumes for me. Your grain will soak up some of the strike water. As you get familiar with your equipment it will become easier to calculate.

 

[Kaiser]

I'd say go with 1.5 -1.75 qt/lb with your strike water. Thin mashes are easier to work with and tend to convert better. The amount of sparge water will depend on the amount of wort you want to collect from the mash. I need about 3.2 qt/lb water total for an average beer. If you mash with 1.5 qt/lb you are left with 1.7 qt/lb for sparging.

Kai

 

[bob1852]

whatever you collect from your mash, you subtract from your total pre-boil volume and that's what your sparge with.

so, if you want a pre-boil volume of 6.5 gallons, and you collect 1.8 gallons from your mash; you'll sparge with 4.7 gallons.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

I'd say go with 1.5 -1.75 qt/lb with your strike water. Thin mashes are easier to work with and tend to convert better.

Agree totally. It makes it sooo much easier to dough in.

 

[redraider629]

Thanks all, I downloaded a trial version of beersmith and it is great, it is giving me pretty much the same volumes as you guys are. Again thanks for your imput. Now I have to decide what my first batch will be.

 

[boredatwork]

There is one thing I am curious about. How are people measuring their water volumes throughout the whole process? Obviously in the beginning its easy if you are using store bought water in in gallon or 2.5 gallon jugs - but how are you measuring throughout the whole process?

 

[malkore]

There is one thing I am curious about. How are people measuring their water volumes throughout the whole process? Obviously in the beginning its easy if you are using store bought water in in gallon or 2.5 gallon jugs - but how are you measuring throughout the whole process?

i use a marked 1gal pitcher.

the initial strike volume is heated by itself, and while my mash is in the 45-60minute conversion, I'm heating up the sparge water so its ready at the appointed time.

I do batch sparges, usually a double sparge.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

i use a marked 1gal pitcher.

the initial strike volume is heated by itself, and while my mash is in the 45-60minute conversion, I'm heating up the sparge water so its ready at the appointed time.

I do batch sparges, usually a double sparge.

I do the exact same thing. Works really well.

I do have a Brewmation HLT on order though, so that's prob going to change in the near future.

 

[kappclark]

Curoius = is the Brewmation a 15 gal HLT ?

 

[CharlosCarlies]

Curoius = is the Brewmation a 15 gal HLT ?

I think the standard size is 11g but they offer an 18g version (I got the 11g). 90% of my brews are 5g batches and I can always just refill the HLT before sparging when doing 10g bathces.