Batch Sparging

[threeheads]

Hi 3heads, What plastic thingy are you using to semi fly? what temps are you running the sparge water into it? at what stage do you start your fly, i.e just before, end of first runnings? do you mash out? You say measure the water? is this quantity or measuring via plato etc? I have done something similar in the past, didnt have much success hence the ?`s. How far also is the bucket off the grainbed? Thanks.

I use an old school tote tray that fits almost perfectly inside my tun. The sparge water is at 90 degrees. I start the sparge water running essentially when i start the wort running into the kettle. the aim was to have about an inch of water over the grain bed for most of the sparge. when i measure the water i just mean to make sure that i am using the correct amount (volume) of water for the batch size. so if i am aiming for a 30 litre batch then i would only use about 15-20 litres in the sparge depending on the grain bill etc. The tray is about 3-4 inches off the grain bed. the holes are quite small (i cannot remember what size) so there is not a lot of water dumping onto the grain bed to disturb it, along with the slow flow rates (about 800ml per minute).

Ross, I only call it a semi fly sparge because it was my interpretation of fly sparging. when i first started i was tipping the water over myself.

 

[Steve]

Im a bit confused about the temp I heat my sparge water up to now. I heat it up to 78 and then pour it in. Some of you guys are saying get it close to boiling so the grain bed gets up to approx 78. I read/heard/or got told that the hotter you go the more tannins or something (cant recall exactly what but it was bad) happens to the wort?
Cheers
Steve

 

[cubbie]

essentially you want to raise the temp of the mash to 77-78c so you need to calculate the strike temp to get to that. If you are doing a mash out you need near boiling water to go from 67 - 77c. For a batch sparge you may need 88 to get a temp of 77. It is all system dependent.

 

[Steve]

essentially you want to raise the temp of the mash to 77-78c so you need to calculate the strike temp to get to that. If you are doing a mash out you need near boiling water to go from 67 - 77c. For a batch sparge you may need 88 to get a temp of 77. It is all system dependent.

No worries, I get you. I dont to a mashout. I will see what the temp is next time and adjust for the next brews.
Cheers Cubbie
Steve

 

[buttersd70]

And it may be in reference to once you are taking your runnings off at the same time.

Yeah, I think it might be. Never heard of only mising the top when adding the water, but have heard about raking just the top when in the process of running out.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

stirring only the top half is probably something that you might do if you were planning to fly sparge - you get to break up any chunks, dry bits, potential channels.. but you don't disturb the essential part of the grain bed.

This would be mostly applicable in a herms/rims system where the grain bed is already set and a vorlauf isn't required, or if you had already vorlaufed and things were getting a little stuck - you could stir it up some, without the need o completely re-set the bed.

Maybe helpful in a false bottom or manifold system... not sure how long they take to vorlauff to clarity... but in a braid based system, it only takes a litre or two to vorlauf from scratch.

 

[mckenry]

stirring only the top half is probably something that you might do if you were planning to fly sparge - you get to break up any chunks, dry bits, potential channels.. but you don't disturb the essential part of the grain bed.

This would be mostly applicable in a herms/rims system where the grain bed is already set and a vorlauf isn't required, or if you had already vorlaufed and things were getting a little stuck - you could stir it up some, without the need o completely re-set the bed.

Maybe helpful in a false bottom or manifold system... not sure how long they take to vorlauff to clarity... but in a braid based system, it only takes a litre or two to vorlauf from scratch.

Thanks thirsty. I knew I'd read it somewhere.

 

[cubbie]

Just reading back through this thread has anyone compared say a mash out and single sparge to a double sparge.

Target volume 30L
5kg grain and mash of 15L
Mash out add 5 L additional
Sparge 15L

verses

Target volume 30L
5kg grain and mash of 15L
No mashout
Sparge 1 10L
Sparge 2 10L

Here we have 2 v 3 equal volumes from the mashtun.

My thought is at say 3l/kg a mashout is not really required, but doing 2 sparges will take a whole lot more time.

 

[TidalPete]

My experiences with double batches (Five out of 87 AG's ATM) has led me to believe that I get another 2-3% more efficiency at 3.25 litres\1.00 kg grain.
Average efficiency for a single batch is 88-89%.
TP

PS ---- I usually mash out at 78 deg c.
PPS --- Sorry, forgot to mention that I have a HERMES & can constantly re-circulate.