Beersmith And Sparging

[Gavo]

I am about to do a partial brew with a full boil. Don't ask why, just bear with me.

The question I have relates to batch sparging as the thread title eludes to.

Recipe as follows;

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Gavs EKGIPA
Brewer: Gavin
Asst Brewer:
Style: English IPA
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 21.00 L
Boil Size: 26.60 L
Estimated OG: 1.059 SG
Estimated Color: 26.6 EBC
Estimated IBU: 41.6 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.00 kg Light Dry Extract (15.8 EBC) Dry Extract 45.98 %
2.00 kg Ale - Perle Malt (Bairds) (6.3 EBC) Grain 45.98 %
0.20 kg Caraaroma (390.0 EBC) Grain 4.60 %
0.15 kg Carapils (5.0 EBC) Grain 3.45 %
18.00 gm Galaxy [15.00 %] (50 min) Hops 36.0 IBU
15.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (20 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
30.00 gm Styrian Goldings [2.30 %] (10 min) Hops 2.0 IBU
30.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 2.35 kg
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 6.13 L of water at 77.5 C 67.8 C

Now the interesting part is that as I have a 15 lt mash tun and, I am doing a full boil, Beersmith tells me that I should batch sparge with three rounds of 7.8 litres of water (well actually 7.78lt). I would think that this is too much sparge water and that probably one sparge round would be enough and top up the boil with water.
Should I do as BeerSmith indicates or sparge with a smaller volume of water and top up the boil with un-sparged water?

Cheers
Gavo.

 

[Phrak]

Nup, that's perfect.

Here's the maths:

Mash with 6.13L
less 50% lost to grain absorption = 3.07L into Kettle
plus 3 x 7.78L = 26.41L total into kettle.

And your recipe says:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 21.00 L
Boil Size: 26.60 L

No worries at all

You could probably reduce it to 2 sparges if you wanted - Change the option in your mash profile for "Batch sparge using x% of your mash tun".

 

[Gavo]

Phrak,

Thanks for that, I just tried telling Beersmith to use 100% and it still tells me to use three rounds. The other concern to using the three rounds, which is a bit of a PITA but not to worry, is if I was over-sparging and therefor risking the dreaded tannin extraction.

Cheers
Gavo.

 

[buttersd70]

Oversparging is not really an issue with batch sparging, gavo. It really only applies to fly sparging, so don't worry about it. Even with a 3 round sparge, the buffering potential of the grain is good. The tannin issue comes into play in fly sparging more due to a change in pH than anything else, and that is because of the constant rinsing action. In batch parging, it's quite different...the concentration of sugar/grain/water would take quite a few rounds to drop the buffering potential enough to cause any significant tanin extraction.

 

[Gavo]

Cool, This one happens tomorrow morning. Will be breaking in the new four ring burner and bucket of death while considering how to improve my dodgy brewery consisting of an old steel trolley, milk crate and buckets. :lol: It will be the first time brewing outside away from the kitchen.

Cheers
Gavo.