49 replies to this topic

[Jdtirado]

I have been looking through a couple of recipes on Beer Smith and other programs and have notices that the initial volume of water is around 3.5 or so gallons if the pre boil volume is 6.5 or so. This is usually followed by 4-5 gallons of batch sparge water.The question is how critical is it to get the amount for do in right? Does it really matter? What if I put in 5 gallons in the beginning for dough in and lets say 3 gallons for sparge?

[MtnBrewer]

Your dough in amount is governed by the mash stiffness that you want. I almost always use 1.25 qt/lb but anywhere between 1 & 1.5 is OK. If you need to add more water before the sparge, you can do so at the end of the mash. I try to collect roughly the same amount from the mash as I do the sparge.

[Big Nake]

Your dough in amount is governed by the mash stiffness that you want. I almost always use 1.25 qt/lb but anywhere between 1 & 1.5 is OK. If you need to add more water before the sparge, you can do so at the end of the mash. I try to collect roughly the same amount from the mash as I do the sparge.

Same. I have to admit that many, many of my recipes have a similar amount of grain... around 10 lbs. I have simplified everything and done 4 gallons for the mash and 4 for the sparge. I lose some to absorption, a small amount of dead space and also evap so after racking from brewpot to primary, there is some volume left (maybe ½ gallon) which is mostly hop & break sludge. If I made a beer that was quite a bit larger or smaller, I would adjust.

[chadm75]

I too use the 1.25 qts/pound of grain. I go with 4 gals of strike water and then 8 gals of sparge to get to my 7.75 pre-boil gallons of wort (I make 6.5 gallon batches). I use this formula for 90% of my batches no matter what the grain bill is. I too, would adjust if I'm knowing I'm making a bigger/smaller beer.

Edited by chadm75, 10 July 2012 - 10:43 AM.

[Deerslyr]

My mash thickness depends upon what I am trying to acheive. From there, I have a set volume for my fly sparging. That amount is what you would do in one, or more, batches.

[MakeMeHoppy]

I roughly do the following:mash 1.25 qt/lb so a 12 lb grain bill will use 15 qts I round up to 4 gallons.I shoot for about 6-1/2 gallons pre boil so I do the following:with grain absorbtion and dead space I estimate the 4 gallons of strike water would result in about a 6 quart loss so there is 10 qts that would result if I just drained.At the end of the mash I add about 3 qts or sparge water before I drain my first runnings. (6-1/2 gal = 26 qts so 13 qts is about half)Then after that is drained I add another 13 qts of sparge water and drain. There should be no loss for dead space or grain absorbtion the second runnings.You don't have to be exact, but rough math like this gets me 2 sparges about equal volume

[denny]

I've found that as long as the mash thickness is between about .75-2 qt./lb. it really doesn't make a lot of difference. I've gone to using about 1.6-1.75 qt./lb. because that gets me close to 1/2 the total boil volume without having to make any other mash additions. Then I spagre with whatever amount of water gets me to my boil volume. As long as you're within maybe a gal. of equal mash and sparge runoff, it doesn't make a lot of difference. Batch sparging isn't complicated. And don't look at Beersmith as brewing instructions....you don't have to do what it says. It's a tool for you to use, not instructions to follow.

[zymot]

My strike water to grain ratio fluctuates from recipe to recipe. I work it backwards so my strike volume is an easy amount to measure. Usually I do it in 1/2 gallon steps because that is what my HLT is calibrated for.Let's say I have a recipe that ends up with 11.375 lbs of grain. You could say "I like to use a 1.25 ratio." 11.375 X 1.25 = 14.219 quarts. I am not going to measure out 14.219 quarts. I choose between 14 quarts (a 1.231 ratio) or 16 quarts (a 1.407 ratio).That is for the MASH ONLY.Once I am happy with my conversion, I will add more water. (amounted calculated to net about 1/2 of my boil volume into my kettle) Stir and drain/sparge into the kettle.

[Big Nake]

I've found that as long as the mash thickness is between about .75-2 qt./lb. it really doesn't make a lot of difference. I've gone to using about 1.6-1.75 qt./lb. because that gets me close to 1/2 the total boil volume without having to make any other mash additions. Then I spagre with whatever amount of water gets me to my boil volume. As long as you're within maybe a gal. of equal mash and sparge runoff, it doesn't make a lot of difference. Batch sparging isn't complicated. And don't look at Beersmith as brewing instructions....you don't have to do what it says. It's a tool for you to use, not instructions to follow.

BOOM!

Edited by KenLenard, 10 July 2012 - 11:50 AM.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I've found that as long as the mash thickness is between about .75-2 qt./lb. it really doesn't make a lot of difference. I've gone to using about 1.6-1.75 qt./lb. because that gets me close to 1/2 the total boil volume without having to make any other mash additions. Then I spagre with whatever amount of water gets me to my boil volume. As long as you're within maybe a gal. of equal mash and sparge runoff, it doesn't make a lot of difference. Batch sparging isn't complicated. And don't look at Beersmith as brewing instructions....you don't have to do what it says. It's a tool for you to use, not instructions to follow.

Listen to this man, JD. He is wise beyond his years, though they may be many.

[Jdtirado]

I've found that as long as the mash thickness is between about .75-2 qt./lb. it really doesn't make a lot of difference. I've gone to using about 1.6-1.75 qt./lb. because that gets me close to 1/2 the total boil volume without having to make any other mash additions. Then I spagre with whatever amount of water gets me to my boil volume. As long as you're within maybe a gal. of equal mash and sparge runoff, it doesn't make a lot of difference. Batch sparging isn't complicated. And don't look at Beersmith as brewing instructions....you don't have to do what it says. It's a tool for you to use, not instructions to follow.

If it is good enough for Denny it is good enough for me. This is what I will do

[denny]

Listen to this man, JD. He is wise beyond his years, though they may be many.

I love you, man!

[SchwanzBrewer]

I love you, man!

I love you too, in a non homo homebrewing hero kinda way. Ok maybe just a little homo.

[zymot]

Listen to this man, JD. He is wise beyond his years, though they may be many.

If it is good enough for Denny it is good enough for me. This is what I will do

No good reason to re-invent the wheel. The wheel got re-invented with the introduction of batch sparging.

[Mya]

No good reason to re-invent the wheel. The wheel got re-invented with the introduction of batch sparging.

I dunno it seemed to simply popularize a long neglected method of wort recovery

[Big Nake]

I dunno it seemed to simply popularize a long neglected method of wort recovery

Yep, and it happens to be MY method of wort recovery. We probably don't mention this very often (as a group) but I have to say it one more time for the record... I truly enjoy the process of making beer (that is, the process that I use to make beer). There are times when I'm hurrying, swearing, distracted or any number of other things but I love the process and creativity that homebrewing allows.

Edited by KenLenard, 11 July 2012 - 10:14 AM.

[Mya]

Yep, and it happens to be MY method of wort recovery. We probably don't mention this very often (as a group) but I have to say it one more time for the record... I truly enjoy the process of making beer (that is, the process that I use to make beer). There are times when I'm hurrying, swearing, distracted or any number of other things but I love the process and creativity that homebrewing allows.

Amen

[Kremer]

I don't do any calculations or measuring....Dough in with appropriate water temperature and volume to get you to where the mash loosens up and you are at the temp you want.Run all that off. see where I am volume wise in the kettle.If I need 3 more gallons I take my one gallon pitcher and add three loads of hot to the mash tun, then run it out....bam, desired volume. As mentioned above after you do the initial runoff there is no more grain absorption.Works great for me.

[Jdtirado]

I don't do any calculations or measuring....Dough in with appropriate water temperature and volume to get you to where the mash loosens up and you are at the temp you want.Run all that off. see where I am volume wise in the kettle.If I need 3 more gallons I take my one gallon pitcher and add three loads of hot to the mash tun, then run it out....bam, desired volume. As mentioned above after you do the initial runoff there is no more grain absorption.Works great for me.

Simple enough. All these suggestions have really helped

[Big Nake]

Simple enough. All these suggestions have really helped

I think that simple can work in these situations. There is room for those who want to get everything measured out perfectly and collect numbers and there is also room for those who like to do things by feel and use the experience they have when it comes to making beer. I'm very much a brewer who does things by feel. Does this or that grain belong in this style of beer? Does this style need to be mashed lower or higher? Would I cut my tap water for this style? Would I add gypsum to the mash? And the list goes on. I like Denny's and also Kremer's approach but I understand those who prefer more structure.