Do you get different results with sparging vs batch sparging?
guess i don’t know what you mean.
One method of sparging can be more effcient than the next, but what is sprobably more important is that you are consistent. You can always slightly alter the amount of grain to hit your numbers depending on the sparge method which you decide works best for you.
sparging is just the rinsing of the grain, there may be some small difference in efficiency from sparging methods but they are small. I batch sparge b/c its easier and requires less equipment but the choice is yours.
I’ve done a lot of both. They both have pros & cons. When I built this last system, I did it with fly sparging in mind so that’s why I only fly sparge now. Find out what you like better & stick with it. Either can give you good consistency.
New to the brewing game here, and gathering and building equipment as we speak.
Is it too much to ask for an elaboration on “sparging”, the different types, and what the process entails and is used for?
I just joined up, been reading a lot, and I’m sure there will be MANY more questions on the basics!!! 
[quote=“Stealthcruiser”]New to the brewing game here, and gathering and building equipment as we speak.
Is it too much to ask for an elaboration on “sparging”, the different types, and what the process entails and is used for?
I just joined up, been reading a lot, and I’m sure there will be MANY more questions on the basics!!! [/quote]
Fairly new to AG also…Denny’s website has a lot of info on techniques but I’ll try to sum up.
Let’s define some terms:
Mash: Soup of water and grain
Lauter: The act of draining the mash
Sparge: The addition of water for the lauter
The two main sparges, are the batch sparge and the fly sparge.
With a batch sparge, you completely drain (lauter) the mash, add more water, then lauter again.
With a fly sparge, you are constantly adding water to the mash while you lauter until you reach your boil volume.
Another common technique is the no sparge where you add all the water to the mash and lauter only once to attain boil volume. Does that help?
edit: forgot to add link http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/
Helps immensely, thanks for your response!
Now how about:
“OG”
“FG”
“ABV”
“Strike water”
“Cold break”
Yeah, I know, I know…Get some books on the subject, and learn what the hell is going on!
I’ve been reading a lot of recommendations about a book, “How to brew”, I think it is, the Author by the name of Palmer…
Good first book to start with?
Thanks again! :cheers:
Now how about:
“OG” = Original specific gravity or starting gravity before fermentation
“FG” = Final specific gravity after all fermentation is complete.
“ABV” = Alcohol By Voume
“Strike water” = the hot water that you add to your grains to make the mash where starches are converted to fermentable sugars
“Cold break” = the flaky stuff formed when you chill wort very fast. See my picture below.
[quote=“Stealthcruiser”]Helps immensely, thanks for your response!
Now how about:
“OG”
“FG”
“ABV”
“Strike water”
“Cold break”
Yeah, I know, I know…Get some books on the subject, and learn what the hell is going on!
I’ve been reading a lot of recommendations about a book, “How to brew”, I think it is, the Author by the name of Palmer…
Good first book to start with?
Thanks again! :cheers: [/quote]
Yes, buy the book; How To Brew by John Palmer. You won’t be sorry.
[quote=“CliffordBrewing”]First edition is free online:
http://www.howtobrew.com/intro.html
[/quote]
+1000000 this website is my goto for all thing brewing, Then have these guys help make heads and tails of what he says. Lots of great people here to help out. Cheers
Does anyone modify their sparge water? I know the mash pretty much self adjusts to the proper PH as long as your water is in the ball park mineral wise but the sparge water doesn’t have nearly the time in contact with the grain as the initial infusion. Does anyone do anything to acidify the sparge water? Should I just RDWHAHB?
I add campden tablets to my sparge water for chloramines.
Thanks All!
The online first edition…Is it downloadable / printable…Meaning for a tech challenged novice such as myself?
I’m still a traveler on “The Information Dirt Road” :shock:
[quote=“Stealthcruiser”]Thanks All!
The online first edition…Is it downloadable / printable…Meaning for a tech challenged novice such as myself?
I’m still a traveler on “The Information Dirt Road” :shock: [/quote]
Nope, online only. I suggest you buy the third edition…a LOT more info.
depends on what you are brewing and what your water is.
I add salts to my sparge water because I use RO and build up from there.
If I’m making something really light like a wit, I might through a bit of lactic in there as well.
When I used to use my tap water, from anything below porter in SRM, I would acidify the sparge water b/c my tap was about 8.5pH IIRC.
check out bru’n water - best. brewing water spreadsheet. ever.
I adjust my mash to be correct. Since I batch sparge, I don’t have to deal with adjusting the pH of the sparge water. Any mineral additions for flavor that I might add to the sparge go into the kettle.
[quote=“MullerBrau”]Now how about:
“OG” = Original specific gravity or starting gravity before fermentation
[/quote]
2 different things there, OG is the post-boil, pre-fermentation gravity. Starting gravity, as i have learned, is the post-mash, pre-boil gravity.
[quote=“Denny”][quote=“Stealthcruiser”]Thanks All!
The online first edition…Is it downloadable / printable…Meaning for a tech challenged novice such as myself?
I’m still a traveler on “The Information Dirt Road” :shock: [/quote]
Nope, online only. I suggest you buy the third edition…a LOT more info.[/quote]
I suppose you could go through and print every page, but that would take time, paper, and ink; last I checked the paperback was $13, so might as well just buy it if you want a hardcopy. And as Denny said, valuable updates.
