Batch Sparging

[Piperbrew]

Been doing lots of reading and trying to ensure I at least have a bit of a clue before I try my first all grain. I do have a question about batch sparging as from what I am reading it is a quicker and easier way to sparge , though less efficient, but that doesn't bother me as I would add more ingredients to make up for that. But when reading about the actual sparging it would appear that some completely drain the wort then fill with half the sparging water, stir/recirculate ,empty and then repeat.

But I also saw today that it can be done in just one go, ie the full volume of the sparging water added in one go. Would this yield the same as the previous method? ...I take it this is done when you have a mash tun big enough. I am thinking if this is the case maybe my 42 litre cooler box tun would allow me to do this??

 

[stigman]

I batch sparge and have only ever done a single sparge usually get around 70% efficiency. Two sparges to me sounds like to much bother you may aswell fly sparge.

 

[photek1000]

Ditto, Only one batch sparge for me, not had an issue yet.

I do keep mulling over trying fly sparging, but it does sound like extra effort and time.

 

[cheapbrew]

There are many ways to brew, just as there are many ways to cook chips, or eggs, everyone has their favourite way, and you can read as many recipes and methods you like but until you do it with your equipment and your way and taste it you will never know

So to start with keep it simple follow Clibit's simple guide http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51779
as many of us have done and when you have made a successful batch or two then start double frying, triple frying, sorry that's chips again! dunk, fly, batch sparging etc, etc etc and see what YOU prefer.

 

[Piperbrew]

Cheers guys....all the answers help ))

I do have another question relating to the mash. On Beersmith their arelots of recipes but very few put the temperature for the mash. Is there a standard temp that most will go for?

 

[cheapbrew]

If you keep it 64 - 68C you wont go far wrong and then you can play with mash temps, times etc on later brews

 

[Piperbrew]

If you keep it 64 - 68C you wont go far wrong and then you can play with mash temps, times etc on later brews

Cheers Cheap. I have to admit I was really scratching my head with regards to the temperature. :thumb:

 

[Gunge]

And give the mash a good ol' stir halfway through to equalise and check the temperature again, and it does give better efficiency. You'll have fun discovering your personal sweet-spot re temperature - it really does make a difference. 63C will give you a bone-dry beer, 69C will be sweet and malty. Me, I go for 66/67C every time.

 

[foxbat]

On Beersmith their arelots of recipes but very few put the temperature for the mash. Is there a standard temp that most will go for?

For medium-bodied ales Beersmith sets a single-infusion mash temperature of 66.7C and calculates the appropriate strike water temperature to account for how much the grain will drop it. I've always followed Beersmith's calculations and found them to be spot on. I do BIAB with a 5l batch sparge and get about 80% efficiency every time.

 

[Piperbrew]

For medium-bodied ales Beersmith sets a single-infusion mash temperature of 66.7C and calculates the appropriate strike water temperature to account for how much the grain will drop it. I've always followed Beersmith's calculations and found them to be spot on. I do BIAB with a 5l batch sparge and get about 80% efficiency every time.

I looked at Beersmiths calculators (pretty sure it was that) but wow there was some information that it needed, totally blew my mind as I just do no know what some what it was asking.

Edit... No it was brewers friend.

 

[foxbat]

I looked at Beersmiths calculators (pretty sure it was that) but wow there was some information that it needed, totally blew my mind as I just do no know what some what it was asking.

Edit... No it was brewers friend.

Beersmith's the same. It wants a ton of metrics from you about your equipment and process. Some of which you can't possibly know until you've actually brewed once and remembered to write everything down. Best thing is to accept reasonable defaults then come back after your first brew and correct the next recipe to match reality.

 

[Piperbrew]

Beersmith's the same. It wants a ton of metrics from you about your equipment and process. Some of which you can't possibly know until you've actually brewed once and remembered to write everything down. Best thing is to accept reasonable defaults then come back after your first brew and correct the next recipe to match reality.

I just downloaded it and although there is a lot to take in I noted that there is a timer section on there which looks handy and I found the mash temps of the specific recipes I looked at. I suppose its like most things if you want to go really technical you can but you will get good results just following the recipes as such in a basic simple fashion.

One thing you might be able to help with please is I was looking at the yeast section for a recipe and it went into the parts per million. How exactly do you know how much yeast to use? For example can you use to much yeast, say if you make a starter and then use a stir plate to increase the yeast?

Cheers

 

[foxbat]

One thing you might be able to help with please is I was looking at the yeast section for a recipe and it went into the parts per million. How exactly do you know how much yeast to use? For example can you use to much yeast, say if you make a starter and then use a stir plate to increase the yeast?

To use the yeast tab:

Fill in the date you intend to do your starter as 'batch brew date', or actual brew-day if you're using dry yeast.

Your chosen yeast will have been carried over to the large box on the right. Double-click to set 'package date' to the same as on the pack.

'Starter gravity' will be correct at 1.036 for a starter with 100g DME per litre of water.

Now twiddle the 'Starter size' until 'Yeast cells with starter' matches 'Yeast cells needed' or transfer over the figure from the recommended size.

Attached is a screenshot of a starter for a lager, potentially brewed today with a package date of last month. I would need at least a 2.29l starter from 1 pack of liquid yeast as long as I use a stir plate.

 

[Piperbrew]

To use the yeast tab:

Fill in the date you intend to do your starter as 'batch brew date', or actual brew-day if you're using dry yeast.

Your chosen yeast will have been carried over to the large box on the right. Double-click to set 'package date' to the same as on the pack.

'Starter gravity' will be correct at 1.036 for a starter with 100g DME per litre of water.

Now twiddle the 'Starter size' until 'Yeast cells with starter' matches 'Yeast cells needed' or transfer over the figure from the recommended size.

Attached is a screenshot of a starter for a lager, potentially brewed today with a package date of last month. I would need at least a 2.29l starter from 1 pack of liquid yeast as long as I use a stir plate.

Cheers ....many thanks for helping.:thumb:

Edit.

Just looked and still not getting my head around this....you say 2.29l starter ..what does that mean exactly?....

 

[MyQul]

Also be careful about sparging too much as you if you oversparge you can draw off tannins into the beer. I dont use a mash tun (I BIAB and dunk sparge) but you need to stop sparging once the runnings get to around 1.008 I think. Hopefully someone who uses a mash tun can tell you the exact gravity that your supposed to stop sparging at

 

[Piperbrew]

Also be careful about sparging too much as you if you oversparge you can draw off tannins into the beer. I dont use a mash tun (I BIAB and dunk sparge) but you need to stop sparging once the runnings get to around 1.008 I think. Hopefully someone who uses a mash tun can tell you the exact gravity that your supposed to stop sparging at

Yes, just read that in the books I was recommended on here so I think the sparging is pretty clear to me now along with most of what I need to learn. Its the yeast calculations rates that are making me scratch my head :-?


Cheers

 

[Wabby]

Im fly sparging my ‘house’ beer at the moment. I usually batch sparge. I will let you know if sny difference on numbers etc :)

 

[Wabby]

Im fly sparging my ‘house’ beer at the moment. I usually batch sparge. I will let you know if sny difference on numbers etc :)

OK - So it turns out that because I have a rectangular mash tun with drain at one side at the bottom, fly sparking is less efficient as the clean water takes the path of least resistance?

I ended up 0.05 points lower than I did with my last brew of the identical brew - Which I double batch sparged.

Since, I have read up and for fly sparging its best to have a cylindrical mash tun with false bottom. Who would have thunk it!

 

[Gunge]

Bored as hell today so decided to get a brew on fairly late in the day. To save time I figured I'd try batch sparging. Utter disaster and ended up with a stuck mash, the first one in gawd knows how long. By the time I'd done remedying the situation and ending up with a possibly inferior wort, it'd have been quicker to fly sparge, as usual. Not best pleased and won't be doing it again.