Sparge

[Joe]

Can someone help here. I`m using a bruheat boiler for my mash( grains loose in the bruheat), when my mash is complete I then suspend my grain bag over my fermenting bucket and pour the contents of the bruheat into the bag for sparging. Should I keep the grains covered with sparge liquor, should I also leave any collectings under the level of the tap or angle the bucket to collect. Also should I allow the lot to settle before I draw of the first runnings I`m new to this and need all the help I can Get. Can someone please give me tips
Cheers
Joe

 

[BrewStew]

im freezing cold and typiung with gloves on so excuse typos.

are you fly or batch sparging?

if your fly sparging, then yes, keep your grains covered with liquor when your running off.. about an inch above the grain is a good guide.

it may be best youy leave it to settle, but you'll have to retutrn your collected runnings until they're flowing clesar and free of debris before you start collecting. i wouldnt advise tipping it to get the last drop incase you disturb thre grain bed.

hope this helps

 

[BrewStew]

on further contemplation, you could always make a copper manifold and temporarily put that in the fermenter bucket using a piece of hose from the manifold that just slots into the tap hole (i'm assuming it has a tap?) then you dont have to faff around with grain bags, and you've gotten yourself a temporary lauter tun for which you can remove the manifold later if you need use it to ferment.

there is another method to making a lauter tun, if you dont mind drilling holes in a perfectly good fermenter, and that's to drill holes in the bottom of one that doesnt have a tap. lots of holes, no bigger than 3 or so mm diameter and place that inside the fermenter that does have a tap. hey presto one lauter tun :thumb:

 

[mash]

Hi master brewers
:? I would be most grateful please if someone could enlighten this novice, how you know, how long and when to stop sparging and also if you don't reach your target of say 23 litres should you top up with water or not before pitching the yeast? it doesn't seem right to me if you do! :wha:
Many thanks in anticipation
: Mash

 

[BrewStew]

if you're fly sparging, you should stop collecting when the gravity of the runnings reaches 1.008... as the collected runnings will be about 60 degrees or more, you'll have to do some temperature correction. i usually go for about 0.990 as it's fairly close at 60'c

if you sparge lower than 1.008, there's a risk of extracting tannins... which will make your beer have a bite similar to wine.

i cant help you with batch sparging as i've never done it myself.

you should be collecting more than your quoted 23L because you need to allow for boil off etc. you should be collecting more like 30L. if you fail to collect this much, then you'll be short of wort for your boil. for your first brew when you dont know your efficiency, you should really go for a bigger malt profile as you're better off finishing with malt liquor left over, than short

if you run short, and your beer style is fairly low (under 5%) watering it down to achieve volume will only weaken it further, and possibly unbalance your bitterness

hope this helps

 

[mash]

Thats a great help Thanks BrewStew :thumb:

I will have to get into the calculation side of the brewing. :hmm: :wha:

My Equipment consists of a Brupacks Severin 29 litre Enamel Boiler, 30 litre Thermos Insulated Mash Tun, Fly sparger, Wort chiller, 2no 25 litre fermenting bin and 3 King Keg barrels plus widget world gas dispensers. Any good

Should I be aiming for 23 litre with my equipment or should it be less?
Sorry to be a pain in the bum. i can't learn fast enough, i supose its like most things you only learn by brewing more & more and by your mistakes
Thanks once again It is really helpful being able to call on your experience
: Mash

 

[BrewStew]

i've got the very same severin boiler and brupaks mash tun (though recently upgraded to an 80L brewery, but will still use this kit for smaller batches) and achieved 23L no problem you may find your close to the brim, but with the element placed in the centre, the boil buldge doesn't make it too dangerous... but be careful!

i get just slightly over 80% efficiency with mine

you wont be able to achieve 23L doing a single batch sparge with that though (you'd have to mash twice if batch sparging)... but fly sparging is more efficient and less time consuming anyways and can be done in one go

 

[mash]

Thanks BrewStew
Correct me if Im wrong.
I can fly sparge until I collect my required quantity of runnings say 30 litres or when the gravity reaches 0.990 :thumb:
:
Mash

 

[BrewStew]

yes, you can stop at your desired volume if you've not yet hit 0.990. or stop at 0.990 if you've not.. whichever is sooner

 

[BrewStew]

sorry i had to edit that a few times cos i missread your post

 

[mash]

:thumb: Most grateful for passing on your knowledge BrewStew
I think thats me sorted for the time being until I get something else bugging me
Thanks mate
Have a good time if you are going on the meet up :P this wekend, have a good :drink:
: Mash

 

[BrewStew]

no problem :)

i am and yes i will