Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Batch Sparge OG  (Read 2523 times)

Offline Indy574

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 147
Batch Sparge OG
« on: September 13, 2015, 05:34:10 pm »
I just brewed my first batch using Beersmith and missed my OG, FG and efficiency number.  I understand that these go hand-in-hand and snowball from the start.  I mill my own grain and use a Monster Mill 3 with .039" gap.  The grain crush looks good, but I could tighten it up a bit if needed.  My efficiency was at 57.5% for a Imperial Stout if that matters. 

When I sparge, I pour in the water, stir well, vorlauf, and drain.  I was wondering if I should pour in gently and not stir and then vorlauf and drain?  Had a red flag at the end with being approximately half gallon heavy in the fermenter.  I know this is huge and could be the problem but wondered on the sparge technique?

Offline tommymorris

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3869
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2015, 05:46:07 pm »
Did you tell BS that you had the extra half gallon into the fermenter? That is a lot of water diluting your sugars. It would make efficiency look bad if BS thinks you hit your batch size target.

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2015, 05:48:38 pm »
Big beers tend to be less efficient. Try a couple of moderate gravity brews to get the process down and adjust for larger beers

Offline Indy574

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 147
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2015, 06:08:48 pm »
Did you tell BS that you had the extra half gallon into the fermenter? That is a lot of water diluting your sugars. It would make efficiency look bad if BS thinks you hit your batch size target.

I was expecting more boil loss but it wasn't the entire half gallon but more like 1/4 to 3/8 of a gallon.  I think I overshot the trub loss by a touch too.

Offline tommymorris

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3869
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2015, 06:27:32 pm »

Did you tell BS that you had the extra half gallon into the fermenter? That is a lot of water diluting your sugars. It would make efficiency look bad if BS thinks you hit your batch size target.

I was expecting more boil loss but it wasn't the entire half gallon but more like 1/4 to 3/8 of a gallon.  I think I overshot the trub loss by a touch too.
Changing the expected boil loss and expected true loss are corrections for the equipment profile for next time. For this batch, did you enter the "measured boil vol", "meas pre-boil gravity", "measured batch size", and "measured OG"? These values are used to calculate mash efficiency and brewhouse efficiency.

Online dmtaylor

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4724
  • Lord Idiot the Lazy
    • YEAST MASTER Perma-Living
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2015, 06:45:09 pm »
Big beers tend to be less efficient. Try a couple of moderate gravity brews to get the process down and adjust for larger beers

Bingo.  57% efficiency for an imperial stout is actually not bad at all.  Seriously.
Dave

The world will become a much more pleasant place to live when each and every one of us realizes that we are all idiots.

Offline brew inspector

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 27
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2015, 06:45:47 pm »
In answer to your question. ..add the sparge water and stir vigorously to the point of foam.  Vorlauf and drain as quickly as you wish. . No need to gently add water. No need to wait to drain or drain slowly.

Sent from my SPH-M840 using Tapatalk


Offline HoosierBrew

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 13031
  • Indianapolis,IN
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2015, 06:50:28 pm »
Big beers tend to be less efficient. Try a couple of moderate gravity brews to get the process down and adjust for larger beers

Bingo.  57% efficiency for an imperial stout is actually not bad at all.  Seriously.

+2.  Especially given that the OP ended up with an extra 1/2 gallon. First AG batch as an RIS.....wow. All in all, good job.
Jon H.

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2015, 07:14:06 pm »

In answer to your question. ..add the sparge water and stir vigorously to the point of foam.  Vorlauf and drain as quickly as you wish. . No need to gently add water. No need to wait to drain or drain slowly.

Sent from my SPH-M840 using Tapatalk
I don't think "vigorously" is needed, but stirring does help.

Offline brew inspector

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 27
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2015, 07:22:44 pm »
Maybe vigorously is the wrong word.  Thoroughly might be a better choice.

  The idea was that there was no need to be gentle

Sent from my SPH-M840 using Tapatalk


Online denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27092
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2015, 10:25:58 am »
I just brewed my first batch using Beersmith and missed my OG, FG and efficiency number.  I understand that these go hand-in-hand and snowball from the start.  I mill my own grain and use a Monster Mill 3 with .039" gap.  The grain crush looks good, but I could tighten it up a bit if needed.  My efficiency was at 57.5% for a Imperial Stout if that matters. 

When I sparge, I pour in the water, stir well, vorlauf, and drain.  I was wondering if I should pour in gently and not stir and then vorlauf and drain?  Had a red flag at the end with being approximately half gallon heavy in the fermenter.  I know this is huge and could be the problem but wondered on the sparge technique?

No, you're doing it correctly.  Probably something off in your Beersmith settings, not to mention the extra 1/2 gal.  I recommend this...mash with whatever ratio you like.  I'm around 1.65 qt./lb.  After you run off your mash measure how much wort you have in your kettle.  Subtract that from the amount you want to boil.  The answer you get is how much sparge water to use.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Online denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27092
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2015, 10:29:06 am »
Maybe vigorously is the wrong word.  Thoroughly might be a better choice.

  The idea was that there was no need to be gentle

Sent from my SPH-M840 using Tapatalk

Gentle certainly doesn't hurt.  I stir thoroughly but gently.  I also stir from the bottom up to get complete mixing.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Indy574

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 147
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #12 on: September 14, 2015, 05:41:49 pm »

[/quote]Changing the expected boil loss and expected true loss are corrections for the equipment profile for next time. For this batch, did you enter the "measured boil vol", "meas pre-boil gravity", "measured batch size", and "measured OG"? These values are used to calculate mash efficiency and brewhouse efficiency.
[/quote]

Yes, but I will double check everything.

Offline Indy574

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 147
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2015, 05:47:05 pm »
I just brewed my first batch using Beersmith and missed my OG, FG and efficiency number.  I understand that these go hand-in-hand and snowball from the start.  I mill my own grain and use a Monster Mill 3 with .039" gap.  The grain crush looks good, but I could tighten it up a bit if needed.  My efficiency was at 57.5% for a Imperial Stout if that matters. 

When I sparge, I pour in the water, stir well, vorlauf, and drain.  I was wondering if I should pour in gently and not stir and then vorlauf and drain?  Had a red flag at the end with being approximately half gallon heavy in the fermenter.  I know this is huge and could be the problem but wondered on the sparge technique?

No, you're doing it correctly.  Probably something off in your Beersmith settings, not to mention the extra 1/2 gal.  I recommend this...mash with whatever ratio you like.  I'm around 1.65 qt./lb.  After you run off your mash measure how much wort you have in your kettle.  Subtract that from the amount you want to boil.  The answer you get is how much sparge water to use.
I think Beersmith seems to "lock" you in at 1.25 qt./lb.  I wish you could enter in your own ratio and then it would calculate. I usually do 1.33 or 1.50 qt/lb.

Offline 69franx

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3210
  • Bloatarian Brewing League
Re: Batch Sparge OG
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2015, 05:51:10 pm »
You can edit and adjust (almost?) Everything in beersmith. Just
 have to play around with it. Go under profiles, and you can set it up however you like. I'm not in front of it right now so that's the best I can tell you, but I assure you you can set it up how you want it
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)