I’m watching an older YouTube video where Denny is speaking to Brad Smith about batch sparging (great video BTW). Denny mentions that you don’t necessarily need an HLT for batch.
While I have one and used one this past weekend, I sure would like to just use my shiny new Blichmann as both the boil kettle and HLT.
Is this possible? I think you’d obviously need something to hold the sparge water in separately once you dump first runnings into the kettle.
Is this even what he was referring to?
You just need a container to hold your first runnings.
+1
Some use a bucket, I think you mentioned that you have a second kettle - that would certainly work.
I have been using my old kettle to heat spare water in so that my new larger kettle is available to collect and start heat my first runnings as soon as they stop. First running into BK, old BK adds sparge water and collects second runoff, add that to main kettle. I utilize 3 vessels but Don not consider any of them to be an HLT. Others, I believe Jonathan is in these ranks or was at one point, runoff into a bucket then add everything they collect into kettle after second runoff is complet.
Edit: android really does not like the word spare/sparge
Me too - I use an old kettle as a “water heater” and all running go straight into the Blichmann.
Also, at the beginning of the day I fill the Blichmann with my total water volume and add all salts. I can then use the sight glass to measure strike water draining into the old kettle for heating. The remaining water is for batch sparge/step infusion
So there is no risk of cold side aeration when pouring first runnings into my brew kettle using a bucket or other vessel?
That’s a good idea. I think I have it backwards using my Blichmann as the HLT and the old kettle as the BK.
Hot side aeration, HSA. Not a big problem , health fermentation will take care of it. More of an issue in a light lager designed to set on the shelf for a year. Then you might pick it up, maybe.
Thinking further about using this setup (only one kettle that functions as both the boil kettle and HLT) and I have a thought. As I understand it most folks don’t really scrub out the boil kettle often. Will this matter for the following brew when I use a “dirty” HLT?
I’m guessing not because this is all hot side, but had to ask.
I use the BK to heat strike water. Then a few minutes before the end of the mash I heat batch sparge water in the same kettle. Once heated, I pour the sparge water into a bottling bucket, forlauf into my BK, then sparge from the bucket.
I wouldn’t say most don’t. But yes, many do not scrub their kettles after brewing. I am one of those that don’t. I just hose it out and give it a once over with a scrub pad to get any residue out, but I don’t give it a good clean but for twice a year.
I use a single kettle. I heat my strike and transfer it to my cooler. I run-off into buckets and add my sparge water. I then dump any remaining water from the kettle and add my runnings to the kettle. I do this via dumping which make old timers freak out due to hot side aeration. I run-off my second runnings and dump in the same way.
Ideally I would have a second kettle, but I don’t really have the storage space for that right now. Something like what you have, two kettle and a cooler is perfect IMO.
I have two kettles. One for mash water and wort boil, and one for strike water. I scrub out the boil kettle each time…no soap just hot water and very occasionally some oxy.