I usually divide my total water amount in half, and use half for the sparge and half for the mash. As long as the quarts per lb stay between 1 and 2.
The beer I am planning I would need 4 gallons mash 4 gallons sparge.
With the grain bill I can only fit about 3 gallons of sparge water, and can’t up my mash water by a gallon because that won’t fit.
Instead of doing 2 sparges @ 2 gallons each, can I add the 3 gallons that will fit and then slowly add the remaining gallon as the mash tun drains? If I do this should I slow down on how quickly I run off the sparge water.
I am planning on brewing Fred’s late hopped amarillo pale ale Site Not Found
That seems feasible to me, as long as the addition doesn’t disturb the grain bed.
Add it in slowly like you would when you vorloft, or drain a gallon or so of wort stop the run off, add the last gallon, mix in, vorloft, and then finish the runoff.
Good luck!
Dano
Better yet, just batch sparge twice. Mash, vorlauf, drain, add half the sparge water, stir, vorlauf, drain, add remain sparge water, stir, vorlauf, drain.
If your numbers after the 3 gallon sparge are higher than you expected, you could just add the 1 gallon of water directly to the brew kettle. Otherwise I would sparge twice, since it shouldn’t take too long with batch sparging. Just vorlauf after each addition and stir ( some let it sit for 10 minutes or so, others don’t )
You certainly can do what you propose. I’ve done it many times when my sparge water wouldn’t fit. I don’t s;low down the runoff at all, just add more water gently as the level in the cooler allows. I haven’t seen any effect on my efficiency, either higher or lower.
The only concern is your mash pH during runoff. In an effort to avoid tannin extraction you will need to monitor and maintain your mash pH < 6.0 during runoff. You can always make a small addition of phosphoric acid if need be.
Ron, I haven’t found that to be a problem if you’re only adding a gal. or 2 of water. it would be more of a concern if you did multiple discrete sparges as several here have suggested. But you’re correct that you should be aware of the possibility and make sure you’re OK.
Agreed. Typically smaller additions won’t drive the alkalinity up too much. Depends on your water profile and grist bill.
I thought pH wasn’t an issue with batch spargng? I thought the tannin thing was from over spaging?
And if I had money for a pH meter I’d use it buy a bigger mash tun. ;D
The more batch sparges you do, the closer you get to fly sparging. The more you dilute out the buffer you set up in the mash, the more the pH has the potential to drift. It still shouldn’t be much of an issue with a couple sparges, though, if your water has relatively low alkalinity, because the final runnings will still be close to 4 Plato (according to Kai’s Batch Sparge Calculator.)
I’d just add it to the top of the sparge water, once you have room, though. It’s simpler and it shouldn’t make much difference in your efficiency.
It’s more difficult to oversparge and increase pH with batch sparging, but it can be done. In a “normal” batch sparge situation, it shouldn’t be a problem.
The saving aspect about a double sparge is that usually I only do it when there is a big grain bill that prevents me from getting all my water in the MLT with the mash and a single sparge. So right there I have more residual bound liquid in the grain, meaning a greater sugar content in each sparge. That said, hedge my bets slightly by not draining every possible drop of free liquid from the first sparge, leaving a little more sugar for the second sparge.
Double Batch Sparge.
I will normally mash with about 3 to 4 gallons & sparge with 2 equal batches of about 2 1/2 to 3 gallons each.
(Depending on my grain bill, of course.)
Why?
Because, I have a small mash tun.
Because, I can.
Because, it’s fun.
Because, that’s how I roll.
No giant reasons, but if he’s run out of room in his tun, what’s wrong with a double batch sparge?
Being out of room in the tun is justification enough. Just curious.
I was just playing, Denny.
I find that humorous outbursts make my day more interesting.
You never DBS?
Very seldom, and only on the case you mention…I’m using so much grain that I can’t fit all the sparge water in in one go. Other than that, there’s no point I can see.
I don’t have a good reason, but I always double batch sparge, regardless of whether there’s room for a single.
I guess it’s habit.
If you enjoy it, good on ya. For me, doing what I see as needless effort drives me crazy.