Thinking About BIAB Sparge

[wobdee]

Ok, so I have over a dozen or so 2.5 gal BIAB no sparge batches under my belt and have been getting 70-85% efficiency depending on the size of the brew, bigger beers have less efficiency than smaller brews.

I've been thinking about trying a sparge just for chits and giggles. I usually mash with 4 gal water for about 6 lbs of grain at desired temp, bring mash up to 170 for mash out and pull out basket and squeeze. About how much of those 4 gal should I keep out of the mash for a sparge? I'm thinking about 1 gal?

I would sparge by setting my s/s mesh mash basket on top of my kettle with a grill grate then pour the sparge over the grains followed by a good squeeze.

 

[mb82]

1 gal sounds about right, maybe 1.5 gal since I usually use 2 gal for my 3.25 gal batches.

 

[seckert]

i agree. also you can either sparge like you said you were going to do or you can use the tea bag method. Take that water which you would use to sparge then take your grain bag and dunk it in and out of the water. this pretty much rinses the sugar off the grains and goes into your sparge water which then you just dump in your pot. i have done both ways and it seems to come out the same. just personal preference i guess. so i just threw it out there to give you an option.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I have done a few "pour over" sparges with just the bag hanging over the kettle. It doesn't take much volume...even 2 quarts w/ a 6 lb grain bill would help IMO. I sparge the pour over water slowly, like a cup at a time and let it slowly drain into the kettle.

The pour over sparge is kind of becoming part of my routine, I just reserve a little water and use this step to top up the kettle as needed to get my pre boil volume.

 

[wobdee]

The pour over sparge would work best for my basket system. I'm thinking of just using hot tap water to keep it simple and see if its worth the effort for a few extra gravity points.

 

[seckert]

The pour over sparge would work best for my basket system. I'm thinking of just using hot tap water to keep it simple and see if its worth the effort for a few extra gravity points.

I always do one method or the other...you dont have to be super accurate with your GAR since you can control how much you put into your pot. also in my opinion you paid for that sugar left in the grain so why throw it out? just my 2 cents though...

 

[MaxStout]

I do a pour-over sparge with my basket system. I added about 2 gallons on my last 5 gal. batch. I used a heat stick to prepare a separate 3 gallon kettle of sparge water. I just hoisted the basket out, let it drain a while, then used a pyrex measuring cup to slowly pour sparge water over the grain. The nice thing about this is that I can keep an eye on what my kettle wort volume is. I would sparge until I got close to my target pre-boil volume, then squeeze. All the while I'm firing up the propane burner and ramping up for the boil.