Question about Batch Sparge volume in Beersmith 2

Hello,

Recently purchased version 2.1.02 and have a question regarding the batch volumes that the software recommended. I set my mash type to "Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge" and was recommended to add 16.88 qt of water and mash for 60 min at 152.0 F. That much is fine. What I do not understand is the sparging recommendation. Here is what it tells me to do.

"Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.80gal, 3.40gal) of 168.0 F water"

Just want to make sure that is correct as the first step (.80) seems very minimal, especially for 13.5 lbs of grain. Does this sound correct? I read somewhere that there is a checkbox to have equal amounts of water in the 2 steps, but cannot find it. Is it safe to add them up and divide by 2, so in effect i would be doing 2 sparges with 2.1 gal each?

Thanks in advance,

Lee

What this is telling you to do is this:

1.  At the end of the mash, add 0.8 gallons of sparge water to the mash.
2.  Drain the mash tun.
3.  Add 3.4 gallons of sparge water to the empty grain bed.
4.  Drain the mash-tun.

If you prefer, you may check the box: "Drain mash tun before sparging" (or something like that).  Then, you will have something more like: "Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun,, 4.20gal) of 168.0 F water".  This means:

2.  Drain the mash tun.
3.  Add 4.2 gallons of sparge water to the empty grain bed.
4.  Drain the mash-tun.

The effective difference between these two methods is minimal.  In both cases, it looks like you should have a pre-boil volume of 6.8 gallons.  Theoretically, the first method is more efficient at extracting the sugars from the mash.  It can be mathematically proven that keeping all run-off volumes equal is optimal.  In the second case, you would be draining 2.6 gallons the first time, and 4.2 gallons the second time.  That might cost you a few points of extraction efficiency (maybe 5% at most) versus the first. 

That is extremely helpful thanks. I thought it was telling me to do 2 sparges instead of 1, but this makes sense now. If I did want to do 2 sparges, I would just split the 4.2 in half and do 2 sparges with 2.1 gal each correct? Is there any advantage/disadvantage to doing 2 sparges instead of 1, like beersmith is recommending?

Thanks again,

Lee

Some.  it allows you to control your mash thickness to a specific value (1.25 qts /lb or whatever).  Then you add enough water to equalize the runnings between the first sparge, and the second sparge. 

Mash thickness has a SMALL effect on conversion efficiency.  So, in theory, if each beer has a different mash thickness it will have a different fermentability profile even at the same mash temperature.  In practice this effect is so minimal that it is dominated by other influences like mash temp.  1 degree F makes more difference than 1 qt/lb vs. 2 qt/lb. 

For me, I've also found that the closer my mash is to 2 qt / lb the more predictable my efficiency is.  When I go super thick (1 qt/lb), have a lot of variation in actual extract.  There are a lot of possible explanations for why I might be experiencing this, but I don't really care.  I know if I mash with more water, I don't have the issue. 

So, I use as much water in the mash as I can.  In your case I would add the mash and first sparge water to the MLT at mash-in.  Then I would drain the mash-tun, add the second sparge water addition, and drain again.  Done.