Sparge volume greater than mash runnings?

[Fingerlickin_B]

Hi folks,

Putting together a new rig after not doing an AG since I left the forum years ago & my question for tonight is this:
If I sparge with an equal quantity of water to that with which I mash, there'll be roughly 1/3 more sparge water ending up in the kettle than there will be run-off from the initial mash due to grain absorbtion in the mash.

Is this even okay? :blink:

Picture (not entirely accurate) attached for illustrative purposes.

PZ.

 

[manticle]

More of my volume comes from sparging than the initial runnings. The initial runnings are higher gravity though obviously.

 

[TidalPete]

Looks like you're brewing with a 3-vessel setup? Correct?
Everything looks ok to me.
You might want to consider doing 2 x sparges in the future to maximise your efficiency.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Thanks guys.

Yep, three vessel.

Split to 2x sparges at 1/2 the volume each, yeah?

PZ.

 

[JDW81]

Thanks guys.

Yep, three vessel.

Split to 2x sparges at 1/2 the volume each, yeah?

PZ.

That's generally how I do it.

Mash with 2-3L per kg of grain and then double batch sparge (usually equal volumes) to get me up to my desired pre boil volume.

Easy as.

JD

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Cool, sounds like a plan.

PZ.

 

[AndrewQLD]

If you want equal runnings you need to mash with more water and sparge with less.
As an example if I have 5 kg grain on my system I would mash in with 21lt and collect 16lt of runnings (5lt has been absorbed by the grain),
and my sparge amount would be 16 lt giving me another 16 lt of run off.

 

[QldKev]

On my 3V I do it exactly as AndrewQld just described, except my volumes are different. (I run a 112L batch)

Actually AndrewQld taught me how to brew beer :huh:

 

[asis]

Is it actually necessary to have the mash and sparge volumes equal?
My sparge volume is always larger than mash volume. Typically mash with 24-28 litres and sparge with 37-40 depending on grain weight.

 

[QldKev]

Is it actually necessary to have the mash and sparge volumes equal?
My sparge volume is always larger than mash volume. Typically mash with 24-28 litres and sparge with 37-40 depending on grain weight.

Not at all, and there is a lot of argument where a thicker mash is beneficial; and that also allows more sparge water to help wash out residual sugars. As long as you are not sparging beyond the limits and extracting astringency. Tweak the rules to suit you and your brewery, and as long as you can make consistent beer, then you can adjust it to make great beer.

In my case for my brewery my little 80L HLT doesn't allow me to use anymore strike or sparge water than the process above when I'm making a 112L batch. Do the maths when I need a pre boil of 130L plus losses due to grain absorption. So my exact numbers are more based on my HLT.

But when I do a smaller run I still follow the same rules to keep it consistent.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Oops, I forgot to reply!

Anyway, this method has proven to work very well with the new mash tun (figure 8 SS braid setup).

Efficiency is very good.

Best of all is that although perhaps unrelated, since using the new tun...not a single stuck sparge! I used to get stuck (or if lucky, very slow) every time with my old FB.