Sparging please help

[fisherman]

:To much sparging can it cause off tastes,
Can anyone advise me I mash then fly sparge all of my liquor in the HLT trying to get all of the malt from the grain but the finished beer is never bitter it seems a little sour, What could be the cause of this? Also it gets a chill haze. There is no infection .I mash boil ferment and then drop for 1 week then bottle or keg. Please help.
fisherman

 

[Sean_Mc]

Tannin extraction is likely if you go below 1008 when fly sparging, an astringent taste, like sucking on a tea bag.

HERES a list of common off flavours

 

[BigYin]

sparging is done until the SG drops to 0990 - this is the temperature adjusted figure - so for around a 5kilo grain load, start testing the runnings after you've got around 14 litres off, then test every 2 litres until the SG reaches 0990 and stop collecting the wort. :thumb:

 

[commsbiff]

sparging is done until the SG drops to 0990

Really? A lower SG than plain water? I too though it was around the 1010 mark - but I'm a newb.

self edit:

sparging is done until the SG drops to 0990 - this is the temperature adjusted figure

990 is the uncorrected figure. 1008 is 990 corrected for temperature. ish

 

[Mark1964]

if you calculate what water you need before brewing then when sparging we test the wort with a hydrometer a few times as we sparge when gravity hits 1008 we stop. a good way is tasting the wort. At first it will be very sweet but near the end it will visibly get thinner and taste like water thats the time to check gravity

 

[Sean_Mc]

For checking the SG I use a refractometer, no need to adjust for temp, once its starts getting under 1010, I'm usually near my predicted brew length

 

[BigYin]

sparging is done until the SG drops to 0990

Really? A lower SG than plain water? I too though it was around the 1010 mark - but I'm a newb.

self edit:

sparging is done until the SG drops to 0990 - this is the temperature adjusted figure

990 is the uncorrected figure. 1008 is 990 corrected for temperature. ish

:wha:

from : BrewStew's Your first AG brew- A guided tour :

there's a reason why you should stop sparging at 0.990 which is actually a temperature corrected reading of 1.008. below 1.008 you could start extracting tannins which could make your beer taste funny. some brewers however have claimed to have gone lower than that without any noticeable side effects.

 

[BigYin]

confirmed :

try the calculators.php page - stick in 0990 and the wort temp as 69c and see what the temperature corrected figure is :thumb:

 

[robsan77]

i just taste it. never had a problem with tannins yet.

 

[markp]

The temperature of the sparge water is important in tannin extraction too....or more correctly, the temperature of the grain bed whilst sparging. As I've learnt to my cost

This thread is worth a gander
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=9890&hilit=+sparging+help

 

[commsbiff]

confirmed :

try the calculators.php page - stick in 0990 and the wort temp as 69c and see what the temperature corrected figure is :thumb:

Sorry BigYin - just me being a biff and thought you were converting the other way :thumb:

 

[BigYin]

I see where the confusion was :whistle:

So long as its now all clear, its all good :

 

[fisherman]

Thanks lads brilliant. I have mashed this morning and stopped at 1010 and used the left over sparge water for topping up looks and taste great THANKS

 

[mr_spin]

I'm a convert to using a refractometer too - makes it so much easier.

 

[fisherman]

Hello again where and what type of refractometer should I buy? . Can you please advise. thanks

 

[mr_spin]

Hello again where and what type of refractometer should I buy? . Can you please advise. thanks

This is the one I have.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0522833705

 

[Sean_Mc]

Hello again where and what type of refractometer should I buy? . Can you please advise. thanks

This is the one I have.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0522833705

Snap :thumb: