[flbrewer]

Is it necessary to hold the sparge water in the mash tun for 30 minutes? Can I simply add the necessary amount of water and drain?

[HoosierBrew]

No. Add sparge water, stir thoroughly for a couple minutes, then vorlauf.

[klickitat jim]

I have a pump to recirculate (vorlauf) and I do that with my sparge just long enough that its running clear. Usually thats 5 to ten minutes.

[dmtaylor]

Beauty of batch sparging.  Dump hot ~190-degree water in, stir well, vorlauf and drain immediately.  No wait time necessary.  Zero advantages and a waste of time to wait.

[Stevie]

I let mine sit for 5 or 10 minutes out of convenience.  I use this time dumping out any remaining water from the kettle and dumping in my first runnings.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

Stir well and vorlauf and let it rip.


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[Frankenbrew]

I let mine sit for 5 or 10 minutes out of convenience.  I use this time dumping out any remaining water from the kettle and dumping in my first runnings.

Steve,
Are you concerned with hot-side aeration when you are dumping in your first runnings?

The reason I ask is I've often thought that doing it that way would allow me to begin my boil while the sparge is running thereby saving time on my brew day. But, I like to err on the safe side. If it could have a adverse effect on the final product, I don't want to take the chance.

[Stevie]

I let mine sit for 5 or 10 minutes out of convenience.  I use this time dumping out any remaining water from the kettle and dumping in my first runnings.

Steve,
Are you concerned with hot-side aeration when you are dumping in your first runnings?

The reason I ask is I've often thought that doing it that way would allow me to begin my boil while the sparge is running thereby saving time on my brew day. But, I like to err on the safe side. If it could have a adverse effect on the final product, I don't want to take the chance.

Been doing it for 7 years. I haven't noticed an issue. Sure I would like to sparge directly into the kettle, but my current equipment and space does not allow for it. I brewed at a club brew day a few months back and the old-timers freaked out when I did it. I could siphon from the bucket into the kettle I guess, but I don't have a ledge high enough for that and I hate cleaning stuff.


Give it a try sometime.

[HoosierBrew]

HSA risks have been way overstated at the home level IMO.

[denny]

Is it necessary to hold the sparge water in the mash tun for 30 minutes? Can I simply add the necessary amount of water and drain?

Absolutely not necessary.  Conversion is done at that point so you gain nothing.  I stir in sparge water, vorlauf, and run off immediately.  Where did you hear you had to rest it 30 min.?

[Steve Ruch]

Is it necessary to hold the sparge water in the mash tun for 30 minutes? Can I simply add the necessary amount of water and drain?

Absolutely not necessary.  Conversion is done at that point so you gain nothing.  I stir in sparge water, vorlauf, and run off immediately. 

That also gives you wort that is warmer and quicker to get up to a boil.

[Black Sands Brewery & Supply]

Is it necessary to hold the sparge water in the mash tun for 30 minutes? Can I simply add the necessary amount of water and drain?

Absolutely not necessary.  Conversion is done at that point so you gain nothing.  I stir in sparge water, vorlauf, and run off immediately.  Where did you hear you had to rest it 30 min.?

+1  five min total time.

Also not to worry on HSA IMO too

[thebottlefarm]

I find I get a bit of a better run off if after adding sparge water and stiring, I let it sit 10 minutes or so to settle. If I add it, mix, and vorlauf immediately I have gotten stuck / slow run off's. I'm not really sure what specifically is happening while the bed settles. If I'm imagining things. I aslo assume this would improve my efficiency. I understand conversion is done, but I would think that you are giving more exposure of less dilute solution to the grain, allowing more sugars to be released. However I've never done side by side gravity checks to see if I'm getting different efficiency.
I think next time I'll give the old dump, stir, vorlauf, dump a try, and see how it compares to my measured effiencies in the past.
AO

[denny]

I find I get a bit of a better run off if after adding sparge water and stiring, I let it sit 10 minutes or so to settle. If I add it, mix, and vorlauf immediately I have gotten stuck / slow run off's. I'm not really sure what specifically is happening while the bed settles. If I'm imagining things. I aslo assume this would improve my efficiency. I understand conversion is done, but I would think that you are giving more exposure of less dilute solution to the grain, allowing more sugars to be released. However I've never done side by side gravity checks to see if I'm getting different efficiency.
I think next time I'll give the old dump, stir, vorlauf, dump a try, and see how it compares to my measured effiencies in the past.
AO

Try starting your run off with the valve just barely cracked.  That helps set the grainbed with compacting it.  After vorlauf I go ahead and open the valve full.  Never had a stuck runoff for 471 batches!  I have never seen any increase in extraction due to letting the sparge water sit, assuming full conversion before.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

I find I get a bit of a better run off if after adding sparge water and stiring, I let it sit 10 minutes or so to settle. If I add it, mix, and vorlauf immediately I have gotten stuck / slow run off's. I'm not really sure what specifically is happening while the bed settles. If I'm imagining things. I aslo assume this would improve my efficiency. I understand conversion is done, but I would think that you are giving more exposure of less dilute solution to the grain, allowing more sugars to be released. However I've never done side by side gravity checks to see if I'm getting different efficiency.
I think next time I'll give the old dump, stir, vorlauf, dump a try, and see how it compares to my measured effiencies in the past.
AO

FWIW-when i first performed the batch sparge, i used to let it rest after mixing for 10-15 minutes (because i thought i had to). I don't do this any longer, because it made no difference in my efficiency vs. adding strike water, stirring well and draining immediately.