sparging

[DRB]

Looking in my Graham Wheeler and Roger Protz book.it says to run off the mash tun before starting sparging,it's just on another thread it says to open tun,so you've got a slow run off and sparge at the same time so you've got an inch of water above the grain,which way is the ideal.

[ColinKeb]

thats bizzare im just about to sparge and was trying to look up exactly the same thing! from what ive found you should try to keep the flow in roughly the same as the flow out then towards the end stop the sparge water and just let whats left in the mash run out, thats what im doing anyway unless someone tells me different.

[Jim]

I don't think it matters as much as people make out. I've done it both ways ( ) and not noticed a difference.

These days, once I've recirculated till clear, I let everything drain off into the boiler before starting to sparge. I generally get pretty good efficiency, between 80 and 90%.

Whatever works for you, I reckon.

[PieOPah]

I thought that the reason to keep water above the grain bed whilst sparging is to avoid the grain bed from collapsing and causing a stuck sparge?

[ColinKeb]

ive done what i said i was going to do and i did end up with a bit of a head on the wort before it boiled, i say head but it was obviously very fine bits and bobs from the sparg, perhaps turing the sparge water off then letting the last bit drain off isnt such a good idea but it has dissapeared during the boil and will hopefully get trapped in teh drub and hop bed anyway , if not ive just made 30 pints of grain smoothy

[DRB]

I kept the water above the grain on this one untill I sparged enough,then stopped and drew what was left in the tun.

[ColinKeb]

cheers daab, it looks fine now its cooling , bit dark though its supposed to be a strong brown ale ??? ah well im sure its drinkable