| Brewing Your First Batch Sparge Beer | | | | infuse with 1 gal. of water at the end of the mash, |
| Let's walk through an actual brew session. This is | | | | before the first runoff. I add boiling water to get as |
| from a 8 gallon batch of altbier I brewed recently | | | | close to the 168F mashout temperature as I can and |
| (pictures here). Remember that the method can be | | | | stir it in. |
| used with any brewing system or equipment. I'm | | | | 3.) After 10 more minutes, I begin to recirculate the |
| going to describe how to do it the "Cheap 'n' Easy" | | | | mash by draining into the pitcher (5th row 1st photo). |
| way. | | | | I only open the valve partially at first, then as the |
| The equipment you'll need is: | | | | runoff clears I open it up fully. With the hose braid, I |
| Your converted cooler mash tuna pot to heat water | | | | usually only have to drain about a quart or so until it's |
| in (5 gal. minimum recommended)a 1-2 qt. heatproof | | | | clear. Keep draining and recirculating until the runnings |
| pitcher (preferably unbreakable)your regular brewing | | | | are clear and free from pieces of grain. |
| equipment-thermometer, boil kettle, and whatever | | | | 4.) Once the runnings clear, direct the runoff to your |
| else you normally use | | | | kettle, and slowly pour the contents of the pitcher |
| In the photo you can see my cooler, converted keg | | | | back over the top of your mash. |
| boiler, a 7 gal. aluminum pot for heating water, a | | | | 5.) Completely drain the mash tun as fast as your |
| thermometer, a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, a 1/2 gal. | | | | system will allow. |
| plastic pitcher, and the pickup tube for my kettle. | | | | 6.) As the first runoff progresses, start heating your |
| The things that you need to know to figure your | | | | batch sparge water. In this case, we're going to heat |
| water volumes are: | | | | 5 gal. to about 185F to try to get to a grain bed |
| Total grain weight - in this case, 19.3 lb. | | | | temperature in the 165-168F range. |
| Strike water volume - in this case, 1.24 qt./lb or 6 gal. | | | | 7.) When the first runoff is done, close the valve and |
| Absorption of water by grain - in my system, it's 10 | | | | once again use the pitcher to add your sparge water |
| lb. of grain absorbs 1 gal. of water. Some systems | | | | until the pot is light enough to lift. .Then pour the rest |
| absorb 1 gal. for 8 lb. If you don't know your | | | | in. Stir the grain thoroughly , close the cooler, and let |
| absorption volume, measure your first runoff volume | | | | it rest for a few minutes. |
| the first few brews. By knowing how much water | | | | 8.) After the rest, open the cooler and thoroughly |
| you put in and how much wort you got out, you can | | | | stir the grain once again...yep, you heard right! We |
| easily figure your absorption. Preboil volume - how | | | | want to get all the sugar into solution in the water. |
| much sweet you need to start with. For this batch, | | | | 9.) Go through the recirculation and draining process |
| we want 10 gal. | | | | again, once more draining the cooler as fast as your |
| OK, we're ready to brew! | | | | system will allow. |
| 1.) Mash in with 6 gal. of water for 1.24 qt./lb. I use | | | | 10.) Continue the brewing process as you usually do |
| the pitcher to pour water from the 7 gal. kettle (4th | | | | Congratulations...you've batch sparged! Like anything |
| row 1st photo) until the kettle is light enough to lift | | | | else in brewing, it may take a couple tries before you |
| and pour the rest of the water in. I predict that the | | | | get everything figured out completely. But with batch |
| grain will absorb 1.9 gal., so I should get just about 4 | | | | sparging, you can brew all grain beers with a minimal |
| gal. out of the mash. | | | | investment in equipment, and a pride in the hands on |
| 2.) Since I'd like to get 5 gal. out of this runoff, I | | | | fun of brewing. |
