Double Batch Sparge

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QldKev

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I've got a bit of spare time on brew day, (got the flu so not going out) so I though rather than do a single batch sparge I will do a double sparge. Last time and this time my brewhouse efficiency jumped by 10%. My 3.6% beer will now be 4.1%, no problems just adjust the hops to suit. The only time I stir the mash is once I've initially hit mash out temp, then once I've added the sparge water., so in this case I've stirred for both sparges. I noticed the second sparge the wort stayed basically clear even when stirring.

I know fly sparging normally gives the best efficiency, but I don't want to have to hang around to ensure the flows are balance.

Has anyone else tried Single Batch Sparge Vs Double Batch Sparge Vs Fly Sparge for efficiency changes?

QldKev
 
Has anyone else tried Single Batch Sparge Vs Double Batch Sparge Vs Fly Sparge for efficiency changes?

QldKev


Hey Kev,

I was double batching for some years and then switched to a single sparge. If you can fit one sparge into your MLT then I suggest this is the way to go. It saves you time and so long as you endeavor to get as much of the first runnings as possible, then your efficiency will not suffer. Never tried doing a fly and with the speed and efficiency I get with my SBS I won't be in the future.

Cheers, Hoges.
 
I tend to agree.

I have no evidence, only practical experience, but the only reason i ever double sparged was to get volume. Didn't affect my efficiency double vs single.

If i was brewing a 20lt batch id single sparge, if doing two kegs worth, i'd double. Both beers the same...

The second sparge for my system was only 5 or 6 litres worth anyway, so it makes sense i wouldn't notice a difference. Some people, if doing a double would of course split the total sparge water over several additions, but i never bothered..... I can be pretty f@#$en lazy sometimes...

FWIW, i've never fly sparged.
 
Hoges,

What do you mean by collecting as much of the 1st runnings as possible? If you are draining your mash tun & then doing a single sparge, you are in effect doing a double sparge (just not equal volume).

A single batch sparge will give you lower efficiency than a double one (all things being equal). It's simple fact, you can't argue against - The runnings you leave behind (approx 1L/kilo) must be of higher gravity in a single sparge against a double.
On my Sabco, the simplicity & time saving of doing a single sparge far out weighed the ingredients saving from doing a double. On my smaller home rig, the double sparge was the way to go.
Just have malt extract on hand in case you miss your numbers.

cheers Ross
 
I guess it all probably comes down to terminology.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sparge?s=t
verb
1. to scatter or sprinkle.
noun
2. a sprinkling.


So to me it's the process of adding water to the mash tun to wash out the sugars.

I'm doing a temperature mash, so my brew day today went like this
Add 60L strike water and protein rest, ramp to sac, then ramp to mashout temp all using the Heat Exchanger(s)
I then drain the Mash tun
Then I added 30L or sparge water (to me this is my first batch sparge)
Then I drain next runnings
Then I added another 30L of sparge water (to me the second batch sparge)
Then drain to kettle
** obviously recirc'ing etc

I have seen people who do an infusion mash, say the water addition to get the mash up to mashout temp prior to draining is a sparge. But wouldn't this just be another infusion step?




QldKev
 
I've only been doing 69 to 75L batches so no problems with the 100L mash tun, unless I decide to try a massive batch. If there is not much in it, I thing I will go back to the single batch sparge. The easier we make it the better by my books.

QldKev
 
Well im confused about process names now, not that it really matters that much in my situation as im only small scale but interesting to know how others are doing it.

Only 15L mash tun here, after mash out infusion im at full capacity, i drain about half the liquor then add the rest of my water around 76 degrees, give it good stir, recirc until clear again then drain, gives me my pre boil volume and first run with my new copper manifold 85% mash efficiency which im more than happy with.

BUT if i was to do a single infusion mash at full capacity at 3L/KG, no mash out, drain most of the liquor then add my water is this still not a single sparge?
 
I used to split my ~20L batch sparge into two. I then got lazy and am now just using a single addition. I did see a minor loss in eff, however it went back up after I started adding boiling water for a Mashout step. Sorry, but I can't help you with fly sparging eff.
 
Hoges,

What do you mean by collecting as much of the 1st runnings as possible? If you are draining your mash tun & then doing a single sparge, you are in effect doing a double sparge (just not equal volume).

Hi Ross.

I do 25 lt batches and I have found that in completely draining (or as completely as possible) my mash tun that I can get around an extra 2lts of 1st runnings wert into my kettle. To then get the full boil volume required I find now that the single batch sparge can be less in volume than recommended in the BeerSmith recipe setting. The result being the extraction of more sugars and less of a watering down effect.

Some would say that even by leaving some of the 1st runnings in the tun and expecting the sparge to wash them from the grist would be acceptable but I can only say that it is my experience that doing so provides a lower efficiency specifically due to that watering down effect.

Cant agree with your proposition that the first runnings is part of sparge process. My understanding over the past six years I have been brewing is that the 'sparge' is what washes the remaining sugars from the grist after the 1st runnings have been evacuated from the tun. One wash is a single sparge, two washes is a double sparge.



A single batch sparge will give you lower efficiency than a double one (all things being equal). It's simple fact, you can't argue against - The runnings you leave behind (approx 1L/kilo) must be of higher gravity in a single sparge against a double.


My argument must be that I can get better efficiency from a single sparge. Mainly because my notes say I do. I agree with what you say regarding the higher gravity of wert from the first sparge and that is why I aim to flush the tun in one step and not two.

I have gone to great pains to ensure that I have the most efficient drainage system in my tun and I believe this has a distinct bearing on the extracted volume and resulting efficiency.


Cheers, Hoges.
 
I always added my first sparge to the mash and drained and added another. As kev said though its technically a infusion step as its brining it up to mash out. I tried to batch sparge today I got the same efficiency then fly sparging but it took me 30mins longer. I couldnt get the wort to run clear and had to recirculate for about 25mins. Not sure if it was to do with the grain as I always infuse mashout anyway and it runs clear quickly but today it didnt seem to.
 
Hoges,

What do you mean by collecting as much of the 1st runnings as possible? If you are draining your mash tun & then doing a single sparge, you are in effect doing a double sparge (just not equal volume).
1st runnings isn't a sparge from everything I have read. The sparge is the rinse after the first runnings.

Kev -
I was getting slightly better efficiency doing a double, but now I'm recirculating it's different again. I'm working out whether or not to still batch or make a more suitable manifold for fly at the moment...
 
I use a relatively small 25 litre cooler for my mash tun.
I aim to collect about 34 to 35 litres pre-boil, so I have little option but to do it this way:

1. Add mashout at end of mash to max capacity of mashtun.
2. Run off till empty.
3. Add sparge water to max capacity of mashtun.
4. Drain sparge till empty.
5. Measure volume collected so far.
6. Add additional volume needed to collect 34 to 35 litres to mash tun and sparge again.

I do use a manifold, designed and built according to the specs in How to Brew.
My mash efficiency is never less than 90%.

The whole process takes longer than it would if I had a bigger mash tun and did only a single sparge. However, I'm retired, so time is not a pressing issue. I'm happy with my system and the efficiency I get from it.
 
Well for me, when I had my RubberMaid cooler mash tun, my efficiency went from low to mid 70's% when doing a single batch sparge & went to low to mid 80's when doing a double. Nothing changed in my process apart from splitting up the sparge. I omitted a mash out too & simply collected my first runnings after sacc rest & did the double.
 
I use a 55 litre esky with copper manifold. When I started out I would collect all of 1st runnings then do a double batch sparge. Brewhouse efficiency was anywhere between 65% and 75%.

Since moving to a fly sparge and slowing the sparge rate right down (primitive manual system with aluminium tray and measuring jug) I now hit between 85% and 90% brewhouse efficiency whether brewing a single or double batch.

Cheers.
 
Batch Sparging is fairly easy to model and the results are presented here

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title...arging_Analysis

You can see the effect of no, 1,2 and 3 sparges

Excellent link - Regardless of whether you drain the first runnings or add your sparge water to them first, as is clearly demonstrated, the more sparges/flushes you do the greater the extraction/efficiency.
As demonstrated in the link, it can be quite easilly calculated for consistant results.
Neither way is wrong, it's just what floats your boat re cost/time.

cheers Ross
 
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