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Author Topic: Batch Sparging: Dilution  (Read 5118 times)

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Batch Sparging: Dilution
« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2013, 07:03:29 pm »
You should run the mash tun dry for each runoff. Otherwise you're intentionally leaving sugars behind.

Yep.  What you want to do is measure how much runoff you get from the mash.  Subtract that from the amount you want to boil.  The answer you get is how much sparge water to use so that you have nothing left behind.

I guess I stumbled upon the approximate correct technique by accident.  This is what I've been doing, basically.  Wind up with about 6-6.5 gallon pre-boil, about 5 or slightly  less after (depends on how much hops, mostly). 

Drain mash tun till it's a slow trickle, then add sparge water, then drain again, then add sparge water, then drain final time.  OG works with beersmith II if I use 67% efficiency (top of design page input). 

Beers have been coming out fine since I made adjustments and figured it out.  Even before then, they were good but my OG was low.  Adjusting efficiency on beersmith was key (for me at least).

IME, you need at least 7 gallons preboil (60 minute boil....90 minute boil 8-8.5)to have a solid 5 gallons in the fermenting vessel. plan on enough grain based upon your efficiency to get enough volume to support your batch size.
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Offline alcaponejunior

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Re: Batch Sparging: Dilution
« Reply #16 on: March 10, 2013, 07:23:24 pm »
Get a bigger cooler!  ;)

We're working on the upgrade to ten gallons.  Plus a brew-shed / man-cave.  It's in the works hoss! :D

For the moment, my batches may be slightly less than optimal, but they've been coming out pretty damn good anyway.  The 2-banger batch-sparge is probably less than optimal, that's a given.  Bigger cooler on the way.

Offline denny

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Batch Sparging: Dilution
« Reply #17 on: March 10, 2013, 08:34:35 pm »
Get a bigger cooler!  ;)

We're working on the upgrade to ten gallons.  Plus a brew-shed / man-cave.  It's in the works hoss! :D

For the moment, my batches may be slightly less than optimal, but they've been coming out pretty damn good anyway.  The 2-banger batch-sparge is probably less than optimal, that's a given.  Bigger cooler on the way.

The only thing that's less than optimal is that you're doing a bit more work than you'd have to otherwise.  Not a big deal, and if the beer is good, it's all good!
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