Mashout and Fly-Sparging

[Vinyasa]

I have some questions about these two steps in the all-grain brewing process.

Mashout: For my first couple recipes where I mashed in the brewpot, I could simply turn on the heat and increase to mashout temp. The first time I used a cooler to mash, I tried to mashout by adding hot water, but I used way too much, the temp didn't increase enough and it didn't really work. What do I really need to do here? My local homebrew guys, (Bitter and Esters in Brooklyn), told me that when I fly-sparge with 175F water, it is the same as mashing out. Which brings me to my next topic...

Fly-Sparge: I use a 3 tier system. I am unsure about proper technique. Currently, I keep all the wort from the mash in the cooler, then start the sparge and let it add water on top until the top grains are covered by about an inch of water. Then I start slowly draining the wort into the brewpot so that the water level in the mashtun is constant. I think I learned this by watching some videos. But recently I have read posts from brewers who drain all of the wort from the mash first and THEN fly-sparge. Is there a best practice?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Donoroto]

Best practice is whatever works easiest for you.

Sparging is to rinse the grain of any remaining 'goodness' (sugars) to capture more of it. Before draining, a rinse doesn't seem as effective as rinsing after draining. I have an all-in-one, so after I lift the mash pipe, it drains a bit and then I pour my sparge water on top and let it drain again.

 

[J A]

Fly sparge is the method you're using. The other method you describe is batch sparge. There are brewers who swear by both. I do a slow fly sparge and get very high efficiency numbers consistently. I'd love to save time with a different sparging technique but I just don't want to mess with success.

 

[Vinyasa]

Fly sparge is the method you're using. The other method you describe is batch sparge. There are brewers who swear by both. I do a slow fly sparge and get very high efficiency numbers consistently. I'd love to save time with a different sparging technique but I just don't want to mess with success.

No, not a batch sparge. I meant draining the wort fully, then fly sparging on the exposed grains.

 

[Donoroto]

And yes, what I describe is a batch sparge.

 

[AHarper]

I am just doing a brew now.
I mashed as usual then , after the 60 minutes, lautered using a pump to recycle the mash until it cleared - which wasn't long.
Then I emptied the mash into the boiler, took first runnings SG, and when almost done I started sparging into the mash tun as a continuous drain into the kettle - the same 3 tier system as you described - until no more could be drained from the tun.. I took a 2nd run SG during this stage. I usually get a good efficiency as a result.

 

[Vinyasa]

I am just doing a brew now.
I mashed as usual then , after the 60 minutes, lautered using a pump to recycle the mash until it cleared - which wasn't long.
Then I emptied the mash into the boiler, took first runnings SG, and when almost done I started sparging into the mash tun as a continuous drain into the kettle - the same 3 tier system as you described - until no more could be drained from the tun.. I took a 2nd run SG during this stage. I usually get a good efficiency as a result.

So you drain completely, then fly-sparge, (sprinkle), from the HLT? Is this the most common method?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I do not drain the mash kettle first, I just fly sparge on top, the reason I don't want to drain the grain bed dry then trickle water over a dry bed, it doesn't seem correct but I have a large system, for a smaller kettle it may be fine

 

[AHarper]

So you drain completely, then fly-sparge, (sprinkle), from the HLT? Is this the most common method?

No I let about 1/2 drain off to get the first wort runnings. Then, topping up the mash with the sparge while the whole lot drains through - does that make sense? The say it should take a half an hour to drain the last of the sparge but I guess it all depends on how free running the grain bed is. It is always different each time I do it as it depends on the grain bill.

 

[Vinyasa]

I do not drain the mash kettle first, I just fly sparge on top, the reason I don't want to drain the grain bed dry then trickle water over a dry bed, it doesn't seem correct but I have a large system, for a smaller kettle it may be fine

Yes, this is how I have been doing it!

 

[Vinyasa]

No I let about 1/2 drain off to get the first wort runnings. Then, topping up the mash with the sparge while the whole lot drains through - does that make sense? The say it should take a half an hour to drain the last of the sparge but I guess it all depends on how free running the grain bed is. It is always different each time I do it as it depends on the grain bill.

So the top of your grain bed is dry and exposed when you start sparging?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I have tried various ways to speed up but I end up with cloudy beer, one thing slow sparging does is filter out unwanted particles

 

[J A]

No, not a batch sparge. I meant draining the wort fully, then fly sparging on the exposed grains.

Draining the first runnings of the wort fully makes it a batch sparge whether you run water over the grains or fill up the tun and then drain.

 

[Vinyasa]

Draining the first runnings of the wort fully makes it a batch sparge whether you run water over the grains or fill up the tun and then drain.

Thank you I didn't realize this!