I posted this on Homebrew Talk.com
OK, my first attempt at All Grain was less than spectacular, not a dumper, but a disappointment. I’ve been all over the web and I’ve read a ton of posts. I have a flaw in my process and need to sort out where I’m going astray.
I’m using BeerSmith, and I have a 48 quart cooler for a LauterTun. I’m OK with the first part, the strike temp, and the mashing. The next part is where I get fuzzy.
Here’s what the BeerSmith blog says:
“Leave your mash mixture in the cooler for at least 45 minutes to assure that the sugar conversion is completeâ€.
OK, no problem so far, but then it says:
“After 45 minutes, sparge the mash with hot water to extract the sweet wort that will be your beer. Sparging is nothing more than rinsing the mash with hot water to extract the sugars and create wort that you will later ferment to make beerâ€.
So, it doesn’t say to drain out the first batch of wort from the MLT. Other websites say to vorlouff (sp) the first quart or two, and then collect for the brew pot. Do you just add more water to the mash tun? Or do you drain the mash tun, close the valve, and then add the sparge water to a mash tun that has just (wet) grain?
“Heat several gallons of water to 178F and slowly add it to to the top of your mash tun while drawing wort from the bottom of the grain tun using your false bottom and collect it in your boiler. The wort coming from the mash tun will start out cloudy with bits of grain and husks, but will soon run clear. Take the first few quarts of wort from the tun (the first runnings) and add them back to the top of your mash tunâ€.
This seems to be more like fly sparging, and now they recommend the vorlouff (sp) step. Is this step the Mash Out? I’ve been adding the sparge water, then give it a stir, wait five or ten minutes, then drain at maximum flow into the brew pot.
“As you continue to sparge, it is important to keep the flow rate slow to maximize the sugars extracted. Lautering a 5 gallon mash tun should take at least 40-50 minutes to collect 6 gallons of wortâ€.
Is this right? 40-50 minutes to lauter a mash tun? I’ve been taking maybe ten minutes or less. So BeerSmith is recommending a slow trickle out of the mash tun. Crack the valve and walk away. I haven’t read this instruction on other All Grain tutorials.
I need to adopt a process that’s proven to work. Thanks for your help and input.
OK, my first attempt at All Grain was less than spectacular, not a dumper, but a disappointment. I’ve been all over the web and I’ve read a ton of posts. I have a flaw in my process and need to sort out where I’m going astray.
I’m using BeerSmith, and I have a 48 quart cooler for a LauterTun. I’m OK with the first part, the strike temp, and the mashing. The next part is where I get fuzzy.
Here’s what the BeerSmith blog says:
“Leave your mash mixture in the cooler for at least 45 minutes to assure that the sugar conversion is completeâ€.
OK, no problem so far, but then it says:
“After 45 minutes, sparge the mash with hot water to extract the sweet wort that will be your beer. Sparging is nothing more than rinsing the mash with hot water to extract the sugars and create wort that you will later ferment to make beerâ€.
So, it doesn’t say to drain out the first batch of wort from the MLT. Other websites say to vorlouff (sp) the first quart or two, and then collect for the brew pot. Do you just add more water to the mash tun? Or do you drain the mash tun, close the valve, and then add the sparge water to a mash tun that has just (wet) grain?
“Heat several gallons of water to 178F and slowly add it to to the top of your mash tun while drawing wort from the bottom of the grain tun using your false bottom and collect it in your boiler. The wort coming from the mash tun will start out cloudy with bits of grain and husks, but will soon run clear. Take the first few quarts of wort from the tun (the first runnings) and add them back to the top of your mash tunâ€.
This seems to be more like fly sparging, and now they recommend the vorlouff (sp) step. Is this step the Mash Out? I’ve been adding the sparge water, then give it a stir, wait five or ten minutes, then drain at maximum flow into the brew pot.
“As you continue to sparge, it is important to keep the flow rate slow to maximize the sugars extracted. Lautering a 5 gallon mash tun should take at least 40-50 minutes to collect 6 gallons of wortâ€.
Is this right? 40-50 minutes to lauter a mash tun? I’ve been taking maybe ten minutes or less. So BeerSmith is recommending a slow trickle out of the mash tun. Crack the valve and walk away. I haven’t read this instruction on other All Grain tutorials.
I need to adopt a process that’s proven to work. Thanks for your help and input.