Batch sparging calculator

[PaulStat]

Not sure I'm doing this right, can someone check for me?

Enter Volume Required In Fermenter ie Brew Length e.g. 23L: 23L
Percentage Loss During Boil e.g. 15%: 15%
Enter estimated loss to hops and trub eg.3L: 3L
Total Grain Bill e.g. 4 kg: 3.9 kg
Enter Dead Space in Mash Tun: 1.6 L ( )
Enter Water/Grain Ratio for the Mash in Liters, eg for a 2.5 : 1 ratio, enter 2.5: 5.9 (I did 23/3.9 is that right? )

The above ration is giving me funny results in the calculator so I'm guessing I'm wrong, my maths is crap.

[Neal]

Hi Paul,

That ratio just refers to the amount of water you'll be adding to the grain for the initial mash. 2.5 is the most commonly used ratio to get the right mash constistency and pH.

23 litres is the final volume you want to end up with after all the additions and losses.

[PaulStat]

Hi Paul,

That ratio just refers to the amount of water you'll be adding to the grain for the initial mash. 2.5 is the most commonly used ratio to get the right mash constistency and pH.

23 litres is the final volume you want to end up with after all the additions and losses.

Sooo I should just take 2.5 as the default?

2.5 ok for 23L final brew and 3.9 kg of grain?

[Neal]

It depends what you're using for grains and what your water's like. If you're adding loads of really hard water to predominantly pale grain, to end up with a really watery mash consistency, your mash pH will end up too high. However if you're using porridge oats or lots of wheat in the mash, you'll need more than 2.5 litres of water per kg of grain or else the mash will be too thick and sparging could be problematic.

I'm sure more experienced people will correct me on that if I'm wrong

[PaulStat]

Ok well here's my grain

Maris otter pale malt 3590 gms
Wheat malt 40gms
Crystal malt 320gms
Chocolate malt 40 gms

[Neal]

I'd go with 2.5 on that one:

So a grain : water ratio of 2.5 means you add your grain to 10L of water in your mash tun. Goddit

Assuming the default numbers on the calculator with 1.6L dead space in your tun, top up with another 10.9L after the mash and run all that off. Then add another 15.3L - stir and let in settle for a bit. Then run off to make up a total of 30.6L for the boil.

I'm a fly sparger by the way

[subsub]

Daabs batch sparge calculator is worth trusting. I can get slightly better figures when I calculate manually but then as stated previously, I know my malt and water characteristics extremely well.

[Aleman]

The last brew I had, The calculator told me to take 1.6L of wort out of the mash tun for the first batch, and then use23L for the second batch

Of course that was Batch Sparging 13.6Kg of grain for 25L of a 1.105 Beer . . . . Don't think the calculator was designed for oddities like that

I will say that it is spot on though for normal beers . . . the only dislike I have is that one of the fields (Total Grain Bill) won't allow fractions of a kilo so I had to go for slightly more grain which exaggerated that error mentioned above

[subsub]

Completely agree Aleman, it's a pita to work out the fractions manually because the spreadsheet doesn't accommodate it

[Parva]

Note also, you should reduce the percentage loss to the boil to 10% if only doing a 60 minute boil, 15% is what I use for 90 minutes.

[ADDLED]

Ive just got the kit for AG and might do my first this weekend and the only thing thats bamboozled me is batch sparing. (actually its the most bamboozling; im still shaky on a lot of other things too).
Can anyone give me a definitive account on how to do it. I know theres posts on the forum but Ive searched batch sparging and hundreds of posts pop up and Ive tried to find what I want but theres just so much text to wade thru.
tks all
Owen

[Parva]

Go with Daabs calculator. Estimate 10% for a 60 minute boil off, 15% for a 90 minute. Aim for 2.5X water to grain ratio, check how much water you have left in the mash tun after run off (think mine was 1.2l) and add this. Here's a quick one :-

Enter Volume Required In Fermenter ie Brew Length e.g. 23L: 23L
Percentage Loss During Boil e.g. 15%: 10%
Enter estimated loss to hops and trub eg.3L: 3L
Total Grain Bill e.g. 5 kg: 5kg
Enter Dead Space in Mash Tun: 1.2L
Enter Water/Grain Ratio for the Mash in Liters, eg for a 2.5 : 1 ratio, enter 2.5: 2.5L/kg

Wort Required for the Boil: L28.9
Made up from two equal quantities of:14.5l liters of wort collected from the mash.
Total Quantity of Water Required For Batch #1: L20.7
Mash Volume: L12.5
Top Up With: L8.2
Water Required for Batch #2: L14.5

Soooo, mash in with 12.5l of water. I personally add this to an un-preheated mash tun (Thermos) at 85c and by the time I've thrown the grain bill in and stirred I'm damned close to 68c. Dozens of methods of doing it as I'm sure you are aware but that's mine. After 1 hour stir and check the temperature, you need it to be within 62c - 68c ideally. If it's 64c or less I would add 500ml to 1l of boiling water (depending on how low it's gone) to bring this back up a little and subtract the water you have used from your batch sparge #1 addition.

So, to batch sparge #1. You're aiming for 75c to 82c and I have my water temperature set at 85c to achieve this. Sparge one is to add 8.2l minus any additions you added after the 60 minute mash, if you added a litre then simply add 7.2 litres rather than 8.2. You may not get upto 75c with such a small addition, this has happened to me on many occasions now but don't worry, just try get it there if you can. Give it a good stir, put the lid on and leave for 10 minutes then take the first runnings into a jug and return and drain into the boiler.

Once totally drained (this can take some time, don't panic), add 14.5 litres at 85c, stir, give it 10 minutes, take off 1st runnings then drain. Above all, don't worry about it too much, whatever you do will likely work regardless. I keep overshooting on quantities and my efficiency is still not as good as it could be but who cares, I'm still brewing great beer at cheap prices.

NB: The above is in my experience and in no way endorses a sound way of brewing, merely my amateur attempts so far.

[ADDLED]

Thanks Parva, it doesnt seem so mystical now. If i get time this weekend then I might give my first AG a go on Sunday.

[Parva]

I should add that my instructions are based on a 90 minute mash. Once you get into it you'll likely find your own ways and little shortcuts here and there, just remember that it doesn't matter how 'dirty' you are with anything pre-boil, no need for any sanitising whatsoever. Chuck the chiller in at 15 minutes of boil remaining (if you have one) along with the Whirlfloc / Protofloc / Irish Moss and either chuck your aeriating spoon in too or sanitise it along with the fermenting vessel. I'm sure you'll manage it just fine, you can get away with a multitude of sins and still make great beer.

[ADDLED]

Tks again PArva. DO you need whirl/proto and moss? I use moss atm cos its what i bought and i have loads left. Do you use a floc tablet also? if so what ones best?
tks