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How much do you recirculate?

BeerSmith

BeerSmith

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An interesting question...

A friend of mine recommends recirculating the initial later draw as many as 5 times to increase efficiency.

I'm a bit lazy, and I usually draw off about 3 quarts until the runnings look relatively grain free and recirculate that.

 How much volume would you recommend recirculating to the top of the mash before starting your final lauter?

Cheers!
Brad
 
I usually go 15-20 minutes, until the runoff is very clear with no particles in it. I guess that's about 6 quarts or so. Sometimes it clears up a lot more quickly than that, and I go ahead and redirect to my brewpot, but 15 is pretty common.
 
I usually recirculate about 8 lt, the wort is usually pretty clear by then.
 
I go about 15-20minutes or until clear.  I do have a question on when to stop sparging.  How much do ya'll draw into your brew pot?  Recipe kits that I have purchased say not to draw more than 6.25 gallons for a 5 gallon brew.  What are your views?
 
I sparge until I get the necessary volume in the brewpot -- in my case I start out with about 7.5 gallons for a 5.5-gallon batch. I am usually well above the recommended sparge-stop point (1.008 gravity and/or 6.0 pH), so I don't worry even if I go a little longer.
 
I generally run-off about a gallon. It generally clears before then but I will run it out until my one gallon pitcher fills for GP.

Spoon
 
I really have no hard-and-fast rule.   I just do it until it is reasonable clear.  Even if it's not perfect, it won't hurt anything as it'll settle out in the secondary.

-Brian
 
I recirculate 4 to 5 litres with the mash run off and same with the batch sparge run off.

Cheers and bollocks
Mark
 
I would run about 6 or 7 litres for each runoff (batch-sparging). I still usually get some bits and pieces in there - certainly not a 'crystal' clear runoff - but has been good enough so far. No 'tanniny' taste in the finished product so I'm pretty happy :)

Shawn.
 
I used to have to recirculate about 3 gallons to get anything approaching clear runoff. It was frustrating and took forever. That's with a good old zapap bucket.
Many years later, I heard somewhere to let the mash settle for 10 minutes before starting sparge. Suddenly, I'm under 1 gallon. That's a tip I've never seen in print.
I normally sparge 7 gallons for a 5 to 5.5 gallon brew.
 
Mine typically clears within 2 to 4 pints.  I use a Phalse bottom with a mash pad on top of that, which I think helps a lot.  Always let it rest 10 minutes before batch sparging.  Collect 6.5 to 7 gallons for 5.5 gallon batches.
 
 I use a Phalse bottom with a mash pad on top of that, which I think helps a lot.


Mash Pad? What is this? What is it made of? Where can I see one of these?

Is this just a sheet of that green scrub pad? How well do they clean up?

Sounds intresting.

Anyone?
 
Here is where I bought mine...

http://www.homebrewadventures.com/shopping/index.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=homebrew&Product_Code=MA-019

It kinda does look like the same material that those green Scotchguard pads, except it is white.  Cleanup is not a big deal really.  I just hose it off - some kernels of grain get stuck in there, but I don't worry about it (since you'll always be boiling your wort).

If it gets too nasty after a year, I'll just buy a new one (they are cheap enough).
 
I tried manual "vorlaufing" (recirculating) for a long time.  Finally gave up and bought a pump.  Seems to do quite a lot for efficiency and clarity as you guys talk about.

The ultimate HERMs setup (not mine but I built mine based on this guy's):  http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/System.html

I didn't go the new fangled PID-controlled heat exchange.  I just heat up my HLT (hot liquor tank) to the strike/step temp + 5deg. F, put a copper coil in the HLT and circulate wort through the coil.

Glen
Walland, TN
 
It kinda does look like the same material that those green Scotchguard pads, except it is white.

Looks like a buffer pad.

sw
 
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