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Author Topic: Mashing and Fly Sparring  (Read 6043 times)

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2013, 11:15:55 am »
Someday I need to get the blue cooler and see how much time it saves. Right now I fly sparge for about 45 minutes, but my wort is at or near a boil when I am done with the sparge.  While you drain fast and have to wait for the wort to come to a boil, right?

I start heating as soon as I have started collecting the first runnings.  But since the whole process of collecting both runnings takes me only about 15 min., there's still some time after I'm dome while I'm waiting for it to boil.  So, maybe another 10-15 min.?  Your point is well taken, though, Jeff.  When I talk about time savings it would be best to specify just where the time saving is.  If you're ever in the area on one of your trips, I'd love to have you come by for a brew and see for yourself!

Jeff, you are sparging for 45 minutes (5 gal) and Denny am I calculating about 30 minutes for your sparing?  Do either of you do a mash-out?
45 min for a 10 gallon batch. I do a mash out.

Denny, be careful, we are talking of getting out to see our friends that live in Bend again someday! See you in Philly.

One more thing, we have been playing with a sort of no sparge. Mash a little thin at 2 qts/lb. Mash out and add 168-170F water to top the mash tun out. Drain as fast as I can with the single tier + pump system. Might add a little water to make the total volume needed. Saves a few minutes, only a pont or 2 hit on efficiency, no astringency this way (I used to oversparge).

I'm a batch sparger but lateley, unless I am doing a partigyle, I do the same thing you describe except mine is all gravity. Mash pretty thin, mashout with whatever additional water I should need and then run the whole thing off into the kettle.
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Offline denny

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2013, 11:56:53 am »
Jeff, you are sparging for 45 minutes (5 gal) and Denny am I calculating about 30 minutes for your sparing?  Do either of you do a mash-out?

I don't do a mash pout step per se.  Sometimes I'll add water before I begin my mash runoff, bit that's not a mashout.  I try to use a mash ratio that lets me avoid that.  For a 5.5 gal. batch I need about 7-7.5 gal. of wort.  From the time I start my mash runoff til the time i finish my sparge runoff takes about 15 min. for that amount.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #17 on: April 01, 2013, 12:38:48 pm »
I really have been thinking about getting a Coleman Extreme and doing batch sparges for British style beers that are a single infusion.

This year we did step mashes instead of decoctions. Still want to do a Czech Pils with a decoction this year, just for old times.
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Offline donsmitty

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #18 on: April 02, 2013, 07:41:07 pm »
My next recipe calls for a 2 step batch sparge.  The first is using 1.5 gal. and the second calls for 4 gal. all at 160.0 F.  Is there a need for this 2 step batch sparge.  Can't I just put in 5.5 gal. and do one?   

Offline malzig

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #19 on: April 03, 2013, 05:17:10 am »
My next recipe calls for a 2 step batch sparge.  The first is using 1.5 gal. and the second calls for 4 gal. all at 160.0 F.  Is there a need for this 2 step batch sparge.  Can't I just put in 5.5 gal. and do one?
Yes, that would be preferred, if it will all fit in your tun.

Offline bluesman

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #20 on: April 03, 2013, 07:21:07 am »
Lately, I've been doing single infusion mashing with a fly sparge. It works well on my single tier brewstand. My efficiency has improved from batch sparging, and I don't have to drain the first runnings. When the mash is converted, I immediately start the fly sparge. I like to split the volume between the mash/sparge. The sparge takes about 20min for a 5 gallon batch.
Ron Price

Offline donsmitty

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #21 on: April 03, 2013, 07:27:41 am »
Lately, I've been doing single infusion mashing with a fly sparge. It works well on my single tier brewstand. My efficiency has improved from batch sparging, and I don't have to drain the first runnings. When the mash is converted, I immediately start the fly sparge. I like to split the volume between the mash/sparge. The sparge takes about 20min for a 5 gallon batch.

OK, so can I assume you vorlauf first and then start your fly sparge and start draining into your kettle?

Offline blatz

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #22 on: April 03, 2013, 07:46:42 am »
Lately, I've been doing single infusion mashing with a fly sparge. It works well on my single tier brewstand. My efficiency has improved from batch sparging, and I don't have to drain the first runnings. When the mash is converted, I immediately start the fly sparge. I like to split the volume between the mash/sparge. The sparge takes about 20min for a 5 gallon batch.

OK, so can I assume you vorlauf first and then start your fly sparge and start draining into your kettle?

if you recirculate mash (HERMs) like I do and I believe Ron also does, you are essentially vorlaufing the whole time during the mash, so you can start right away.
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #23 on: April 03, 2013, 07:48:39 am »
Lately, I've been doing single infusion mashing with a fly sparge. It works well on my single tier brewstand. My efficiency has improved from batch sparging, and I don't have to drain the first runnings. When the mash is converted, I immediately start the fly sparge. I like to split the volume between the mash/sparge. The sparge takes about 20min for a 5 gallon batch.

OK, so can I assume you vorlauf first and then start your fly sparge and start draining into your kettle?

if you recirculate mash (HERMs) like I do and I believe Ron also does, you are essentially vorlaufing the whole time during the mash, so you can start right away.

+1

This is my method as well. Heat/recirculate to clear wort (vorlauf) prior to sparge.
Ron Price

Offline denny

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Re: Mashing and Fly Sparring
« Reply #24 on: April 03, 2013, 10:04:37 am »
My next recipe calls for a 2 step batch sparge.  The first is using 1.5 gal. and the second calls for 4 gal. all at 160.0 F.  Is there a need for this 2 step batch sparge.  Can't I just put in 5.5 gal. and do one?

Yep.  The only reason to do 2 steps is if your cooler isn't big enough to fit all the water at once.
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