Mash PH

[Ed]

That should be OK, as ideally you want a deep bed for fly sparging.

Cheers, Ed

[chris.]

Puh!... Fly sparging is for people with way too much time on their hands!

[lethaldog]

Im gonna have to try batch sparging but the way i figure it, im hopeless and have to have my head over it the whole time so i might as well be doing something while im there

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Get yerself a wooden spoon and tap the side of the tun. It will ensure that nothing sticks to the side and addresses your 'other' need...

[Ed]

Don't listen to that chris fellow Leigh, he's an evil batch sparger Watch your efficiency drop off 5 to 10% if you'd like to give it a go

Cheers, Ed

[lethaldog]

Maybe ill just stick to my fly sparging then, im quite happy with 75-80%

[Cortez The Killer]

I've done 2 AG batches - batch sparging and got between 78-81% both times

Cheers

[Ed]

I get around 85% extraction batch sparging and around 90+% fly sparging. This can vary depending on a few factors though. As for system eficiency, well I find that varies quite a bit, especially since I try not to transfer any break or debris. So when using low AA hops, I have more litres left behind in the kettle which I account for.

Cheers, Ed

[chris.]

Don't listen to that chris fellow Leigh, he's an evil batch sparger Watch your efficiency drop off 5 to 10% if you'd like to give it a go

Cheers, Ed

It's a compromise I'm willing to make

[illywhacker]

What's your grain bed depth and it's relation to the tun width?

Cheers, Ed

i'm new to ag and getting even worse efficiency - about 50% - so i must be doing something pretty wrong.

i use 2 cylindrical esky's, so they are a fair bit taller than they are wide. i had thought that perhaps my gain bed was too deep. is this a valid thought?

i have not been stirring duruing the hour, so it appears this may be a (large?) factor as well.

i have been convinced by the batch spargers so far, but do guys recirculate your first few litres of run-off, or put it straight to the kettle.

cheers for help with any of the above.

[rwh]

If you're batch sparging it doesn't matter so much what the dimensions are because you stir the whole lot up between batches. Stirring every 15 minutes is essential to eliminate any cold spots, and this is also a good time to check the temperature and top up with boiling water if it gets too low.

You will need to recirculate the first few litres of each batch otherwise you'll end up with grain husk and other material in your kettle.

[OldBugman]

Definitely stir.

Definitely recirculate.

[illywhacker]

You will need to recirculate the first few litres of each batch otherwise you'll end up with grain husk and other material in your kettle.

i haven't been recirculating as the stainless steel braid i use hasn't permitted any grist to get into the kettle, but it seems that efficiency is also helped through recirculation? I thought recirculating was really fly sparging.

how many litres do you guys generally recirculate?

[rwh]

The idea is that you are building up a filter consisting of the grain husks themselves. If you recirculate you'll notice that the first few litres are pretty cloudy because they have the grain dust dissolved in them. Once you recirculate a few litres (I normally do about 3) you'll notice it start to clear.

I wasn't under the impression that it improves efficiency in any way...

Have a look at How to Brew for more details if you want, though from memory it's mainly focussed on fly sparging.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter17.html

[chris.]

Stirring every 15 minutes is essential to eliminate any cold spots, and this is also a good time to check the temperature and top up with boiling water if it gets too low.

I disagree. Stirring every 15mins is by no means essential.

It's essential stirring at mash in & definatley a good idea before the 2nd run-off.

[rwh]

Provided you have pre-heated your mash tun? Otherwise you'll have cold spots towards the sides, and especially in the corners. Also if your mash tun is less than perfect at insulating then the whole thing will slowly drift downward.

[chris.]

Provided you have pre-heated your mash tun? Otherwise you'll have cold spots towards the sides, and especially near the corners. Also if your mash tun is less than perfect at insulating then the whole thing will slowly drift downward.

I generally do pre-heat my tun. But again this is not essential.
What are you mashing in rwh? anything insulated should not have any problems.
Could it be that the slow drift downwards is due to taking the lid off every 15mins (to stir) & as a consequence your letting heat escape?

[rwh]

To tell you the truth, I don't see it drift down all that much, maybe half a degree over the hour? I'm mashing in a rather old esky. I agree that if you pre-heat you could get away without stirring it.

[chris.]

To tell you the truth, I don't see it drift down all that much, maybe half a degree over the hour? I'm mashing in a rather old esky. I agree that if you pre-heat you could get away without stirring it.

The only reason I could see for stirring during the mash is maybe trying to get more of the converted sugars out & into solution?
Due to Ed's advice I have tried the 30min stir on my last 2 batches & to tell you the truth I'm not sure if I've noticed any great jump in efficiency. Maybe I'll try this stirring every 15mins a run on this weekends batch & see if I notice any difference.

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I firmly believe that there is sufficient difference in every element of the processes from one brewer to another that it is completely possible that one finds *process A* to work fabulously and that another finds same process to be completely awful (and vice versa).

I don't see brewing as a continuous process, so the slightest difference between two (or more) brewers can result in a difference in outcome.

This makes the whole thing interesting, but...