Now i`m confused

[haz66]

For my first 3 AG brews i just sparged enough water to end up with the right volume (23 ltrs) after the boil.
But then i read that you should only sparge until the hydrometer reads 1006.
So my 4th brew i put the hydrometer into the wort and stopped sparging at around 1006,
What i`m confused about is, is the 1006 reading taking into account the sparge temp (about 75 C) or do i have to ajust to take into account the temp ?)
My first 3 brews turned out fine, but my 4th was good but i was left with about 12 ltrs of sparge water unused, i just added this to the wort before the boil, but after i worked out the efficency it wasn`t as good as my first 3 brews.
Help.

[Parva]

Are you batch sparging or fly sparging? Regardless of either method I wouldn't want to get too close to that figure, it pays to be inefficient! I batch sparge with around 5Kg of grain for a 23l brew and when I've taken the final runnings into a trial jar and allowed them to cool I usually end up around the 1.016 to 1.018 mark. Now I could probably cut back on the grain a little and get nearer the 1.006 but I would only do this if I were brewing 5 gallons a week or so. For my once or twice a month brewdays I'll take the inefficiency over the risks of tannins anytime.

[hoppingMad]

What i`m confused about is, is the 1006 reading taking into account the sparge temp (about 75 C) or do i have to ajust to take into account the temp ?)

I think you are asking whether your hydrometer needs to be used at a certain temp to be acurate. If this is what you're asking, then yes. Your hydrometer should say on it somewhere what temp its calibrated for. Mine is calibrated for 20 C, and this is the only temperature wort I place it into. Unless you have correction tables, you must use the correct temp.
Sorry if this was not your question, its a little hard to interpret questions sometimes.

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Hi
This might not be the right approach but when I sparge I keep having a little taste from the final runnings, I can tell when I get near the end when the run off starts to get a harsh grainy taste!!
Has anybody else noticed the harsher taste when the sugars have gone?

John

[haz66]

Thanks to all who replied.
Yes what i was asking was when i take the reading of 1006 should the temp of the wort be 20 C, which reading the responses i`d say yes, so seeing as i just had the hydrometer in the wort as it was sparged the temp was around 75 C so i should make the corrections.
Ok i`m no longer confused.
By the way i fly sparge, but have thought about trying a batch sparge on my next brew.

[hoppingMad]

By the way i fly sparge, but have thought about trying a batch sparge on my next brew.

Yes thats a good idea. Only then will you know if it suits you better than fly sparging.