Fly Sparging Water & Its Ph

[dalpets]

In a diiferent thread that I OP'd re 5.2 stabilizer Ross said that it should not be used for sparge water only the mash. In the below comments which I pulled from another brewing site it says;

"With the single minded goal of getting the most out of the grain, continuous sparging is just going to get more (with the right system). The negatives are that there is a risk of over-sparging (tannin extraction), but this is really water dependent. If your sparge water has a relatively low pH, there isn't much risk of this. Another negative is time, it's generally recommended to fly-sparge for an hour or more. Many brewers don't like this extra time and are willing to sacrifice a few points of efficiency for the time saved."

So in Adelaide the pH of our water is around 8.0 on average so do you agree that with fly sparging, given the above quote,that the sparge water should be modified in that instance. I would use 80% lactic acid to achieve that. Of course I would be modifying the pH, if necessary, in both the mash & kettle.l.

 

[RdeVjun]

I think what Ross is alluding to is the usefulness of 5.2 in the mash as opposed to sparge, whereas what your quote is talking about is acidifying sparge, which are two completely different things. Yes, you might achieve an appropriate pH by adding 5.2 to sparge but 5.2 is a primarily a mash stabiliser, not a buffering agent or a means to lower sparge pH.

 

[dalpets]

I think what Ross is alluding to is the usefulness of 5.2 in the mash as opposed to sparge, whereas what your quote is talking about is acidifying sparge, which are two completely different things. Yes, you might achieve an appropriate pH by adding 5.2 to sparge but 5.2 is a primarily a mash stabiliser, not a buffering agent or a means to lower sparge pH.

As I said I would be using lactic acid (pH)
In the case of the 5.2 stabilizing agent there is considerable debate on the forums as to its efficacy or, indeed, that it works at all.. Apparently from what I've seen it seems to work for a few but not for most.

Also, I have read that for most home brewer's mashes they are already reasonably buffered given the nature of most mashes.

Cheers

 

[dent]

Remember that the 'optimum' of 5.2 is related to mash enzymes which are obviously finished at sparge time. Anyhow you may or may not have already read this.

Personally I use RO water as much as possible for sparging. If I only have 20 litres or so made up I will make sure I use the RO for the late sparge after tapwater first.

Another heretical option is using cold water to sparge, which will reduce the possibility of tannin extraction greatly. I seem to be the only one who does this though.

 

[dalpets]

Personally I use RO water as much as possible for sparging. If I only have 20 litres or so made up I will make sure I use the RO for the late sparge after tapwater first.

Another heretical option is using cold water to sparge, which will reduce the possibility of tannin extraction greatly. I seem to be the only one who does this though.

I am using a filter on my tap water but I suppose it is not RO. Can you recommend such a filter and where I could pick one up (on-line if necessary).

Where did you pick up on the cold water sparging?

Cheers
dalpets

 

[razz]

Craftbrewer sell RO filters dalpets. Can't help on the cold water sparge, it's new to me.

 

[dent]

Gryphon brewing sell the type I have. It is pretty good, but as with all domestic units, it flows max about 200 litres a day, so you have to prepare for your brew beforehand. I would recommend RO for brewing - you can cut it with a percentage of tapwater to maintain some minerals if you need to, and you can add calcium chloride to tune your pH. Get those Czech pilsners right!

Cold water sparging I started doing on my own. My thinking is that the benefits of the hot water are confined to increased efficiency - theoretically. Negatives are the (possible!) tannins/astringency and effort in preparation. Personally I have done it both ways, warm and cold, and really the efficiencies turn out to be the same within the normal variation I might have. Of course, no difference in the beer either. So cold is the default for me nowadays. I have a theory that the cold may help with clarity too - proteins and whatnot that precipitate out when cold can be filtered out in the grain bed. Still considered heresy .

Only other thing is some people use the hot sparge as a 'mash out' step to denature the enzymes - I use a HERMS system so the system does this pre sparge. Besides I think there isn't much of the way of any starches left for alpha amylase to touch by then anyhow.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

<snip>

Cold water sparging I started doing on my own. My thinking is that the benefits of the hot water are confined to increased efficiency - theoretically. Negatives are the (possible!) tannins/astringency and effort in preparation. Personally I have done it both ways, warm and cold, and really the efficiencies turn out to be the same within the normal variation I might have. Of course, no difference in the beer either. So cold is the default for me nowadays. I have a theory that the cold may help with clarity too - proteins and whatnot that precipitate out when cold can be filtered out in the grain bed. Still considered heresy .
<snip>

These days, in the unlikely event that I sparge, I do so with water straight out of the tap and none of my records suggest that I have seen a meaningful drop in extraction efficiency as a result. I have always figured that DunkSparge(tm)-ing 10kg hot grain in 20litres water should warm cold water to a comfortable bathing temp and that even if it weren't the same, it is (for me) worth doing on otherwise troublesome grain bills as there remains an increase over no-sparge.

I'll pretend to not have an opinion as to why, but it would seem to make no difference to the quality of my beer. Perhaps I have just made a significant admission!

 

[Smashin]

dalpets,

check out

http://www.psifilters.com.au/buy-online/ca...is-systems.html

no association except its my local, his prices are a generally damn sight better than anywhere else, for ANY type of filter.

Cheers
Smashin

I am using a filter on my tap water but I suppose it is not RO. Can you recommend such a filter and where I could pick one up (on-line if necessary).

Where did you pick up on the cold water sparging?

Cheers
dalpets