GF - Starting boil as I sparge?

[Robhaigh]

I have a GF and a sparge water heater.
so..
I mash, then I lift the basket and start to sparge from the sparge heater.

Question... can I start the boil timer immediately? or do I have to wait till all the sparge water has gone through the grain?

I only ask as it takes an age to sparge (roughly 20 mins) and if it makes no difference I could be using this time to start the boil.

[Coffeeuk]

If you’ve got the connect controller it will heat the wort to 98 degrees once you start the sparge and keep it there until you tell the sparge counter you’ve added all the water. Very clever really

[chefgage]

Yes start to heat the wort in the boiler as your sparging. Are you using the bluetooth app? I ask as this automatically starts heat the wort up as your sparging. Although you can switch it on and off as sometimes it gets near boiling before you have finished the sparge.

Forgot to add, thats if your using the connect controller that is

[Robhaigh]

Yep, using connect.

I noticed it keeps the wort at 98 whilst I sparge.
Can I in that case keep sparging but tell the connect I have added all my sparge and then the boil cycle will start whilst I am still sparging therefore saving me some time?


Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

[FUBAR]

I always set mine to boil as soon as I have lifted the basket,never had it reach a boil before the sparge is finished .

[Robhaigh]

Thanks all.will start the boil after I lift the basket . Should save me some time.

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

[Secla]

The fact that your adding cooler water should mean you won't reach boil until after you have finished sparging

[Robhaigh]

The fact that your adding cooler water should mean you won't reach boil until after you have finished sparging

So, do you reckon I should be patient and wait till I have sparged all water through the grain or , start boil and continue to sparge?

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

[Secla]

Just set to boil and start sparging
You won't reach boil before the end of sparge

[Dave S]

As per others' advice, tell it you've finished sparging as soon as you lift the basket. I used to let it heat up to the 98C point but found for some reason I'm not sure of that it was sticking at around 92C for a very long time. Once I set to boil the problem went away.

[FULLERS]

i set mine at 98 and do a slow sparge...perfect

[thehaze]

I too set it to boil temperature as soon as the grain basket is lifted. Works well and although you keep adding cooler water, it will still shorten the time you need to ask before hitting boil temp.

[Kingfisher4]

Agreed, the only extra point to watch is that the GF is not so full that you risk a boil over. Unlikely but I get significant froth forming from about 96 degrees C and the grain tube might exaggerate the frothing as evaporation is reduced. I've never had this happen yet but I know some people try to maximise volume in GF.

[Binkie Huckaback]

Can I ask what you're using as a sparge water heater and you control the temperature?

[PeeBee]

Damned if I'd let it boil with the malt tube sitting on top. Sounds like a monster boil-over waiting to happen. But I'm quite happy letting it heat to 98C while "sparging" (haven't sparged in GF for ages, just drained having done a "full-boil-volume" mash*).

Still, there are folk who boil with the lid on and get away with it. I'd never get away with it. I've no idea what people are brewing to never experience boil-overs. Dishwater?


*I might "sparge" with a few litres of water because the GF is a bit small for full-boil-volume mashes. But I long ago figured out that the temperature of sparge water is unimportant and anywhere between 10 and 80C will do (for "Binkie Huckaback").