[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.
[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]
Ordered the latest and greatest that Amazon had, also ordered the “Brew like a Monk”, as it looked like some good reading, plus a lot of those types of beers I LIKE!
In Gordon Strongs book “Brewing Better Beer”, adding phosphoric acid to your sparge water will help alot. Assuming of coarse that you know what your water profile is like.
Mr. Strong uses, with RO water, 1\4 tsp. to 5 gal. at 77 deg. will lower your PH from 6.5 to 5.7 for your sparge. Use a PH meter to be sure. That’s at room temp., so you’ll be at be at 5.3 or 5.4 at sparge temps.
Cheers and Beers and Hoppy Holidaze.
By batch sparge do you mean you only use the runoff from your initial infusion? Or do you runoff a second time with a second infusion? That’s how I’ve been doing it. It’s this second infusion I’m curious about. Someone told me they adjust the PH of their sparge water with to match mash PH. Is this a worthwhile step? It makes sense that the PH of this infusion would be higher than the mash; I just wasn’t sure if it was a big deal…
Thanks Denny!
[quote=“ipa”][quote=“MullerBrau”]Now how about:
“OG” = Original specific gravity or starting gravity before fermentation
[/quote]
Starting gravity, as i have learned, is the post-mash, pre-boil gravity.[/quote]
Boy, that’s not my definition. To me, starting gravity is the same as OG. The post mash, pre boil reading is simply specific gravity, which is also abbreviated SG.
By batch sparge do you mean you only use the runoff from your initial infusion? Or do you runoff a second time with a second infusion? That’s how I’ve been doing it. It’s this second infusion I’m curious about. Someone told me they adjust the PH of their sparge water with to match mash PH. Is this a worthwhile step? It makes sense that the PH of this infusion would be higher than the mash; I just wasn’t sure if it was a big deal…
Thanks Denny![/quote]
It means I add all my sparge water at once after the mash runoff is drained from the tun, rather than gradually trickling it in. Doing the latter, you dilute the pH buffering power of the grain and the pH starts to rise during the sparge. That’s why you lower the sparge water pH. In batch sparging, because you add all the sparge water at once, that doesn’t happen. See www.dennybrew.com for details.
So you’re saying the grains retain enough buffering capacity after the initial runoff to lower the PH of the infusion right? The reason I’m concerned is my tap water, while generally pretty good, is pretty high (8+) on the PH scale. I haven’t really noticed any problems, but I know there’s always improvements to be made. You’re saying lowering the PH of my 2nd infusion would be unnecessary right?
So you’re saying the grains retain enough buffering capacity after the initial runoff to lower the PH of the infusion right? The reason I’m concerned is my tap water, while generally pretty good, is pretty high (8+) on the PH scale. I haven’t really noticed any problems, but I know there’s always improvements to be made. You’re saying lowering the PH of my 2nd infusion would be unnecessary right?[/quote]
You’ve basically got it. You need to make sure your mash pH is correct, but since you add all the sparge water a once the pH doesn’t change much, if any, from the mash.
Probably why I’ve been having good results since switching to batch sparging! Sometimes simpler is better!!!
Thanks!
I’ve skimmed previous responses and didn’t notice anyone mention the time efficiency of batch sparging. My brew days are normally a few hours shorter than a buddy who fly sparges. My extract efficiency is just as high and consistent as his too.
Time is key here- I batch sparge almost exclusively, but today to switch things up, I did a fly sparge – man I forgot how slooow that is…I had the time and I am checking out efficiencies with a new mill, so it was worth the extra effort.
+1 on Denny’s method. Just did my 7th AG batch sparge his way. Getting consistently 75% efficiency which I’m happy with. This is my algorithm:
–From recipe, calculate estimated amt of strike and sparge water to
get as close to 50/50 1st/2nd runnings ratio (without mashout or
infusion) taking into account grain absorption (0.1gal/lb) and
mashtun dead space (approx 0.25gal) for my system.
–Crush all grains in barley crusher-- hell yeah, do it.
–Take grain temperature and using recipe info, calculate strike water
temperature to get correct mash temp. I add 8 deg for transfer loss from kettle to MT
–Heat strike water and at same time warm up mashtun with hot
water.
–Add strike water to empty mashtun, then add crushed grain in
several stages while stirring well to break up doughballs.
When recipe mash temp is established, close lid and mash for
60min.
–While mashing, heat sparge water (minimally more than calculated)
to 190deg.
–At end of 60min mash, Vorlauf slowly with valve barely open to set
grain bed. Add back to mashtun gently. Vorlauf until there is no
particulate matter then drain mashtun into bucket as fast as
possible = 1st runnings.
–Use paddle (I burned volumes into my mash paddle) to measure volume in bucket, then subtract this from desired preboil volume. This is the sparge volume. Adjust sparge volume in kettle, then add to mashtun and stir well.
–Vorlauf as above, then drain into bucket as fast as possible=2nd
runnings.
–Measure total preboil volume with paddle and preboil gravity.
Calculate OG (and later efficiency). Can adjust gravity up or down
at this point.
–Transfer sweet wort to brew kettle and start the boil. Hell yeah, do it.
Hope this helps
