10-gal batch, multiple sparges

[coypoo]

Going to make a 10 gallon batch with 20.83 lbs of grain. My cooler wont be able to fit the wanted 8.9 gallons of strike water. All I can fit is about 6.4 gallons, so I'll have to sparge with 8.5 gallons (I plan on doing 2-4.25 gal sparges). Does anyone see any problems with this? The mash thickness will be 1.22 qt/lb, which wont be too thick. But any problems with efficiency? I use Kai's water calculator to adjust my salts per the volume mashed/sparged with. Thanks

 

[kpr121]

nahh youll be fine!

 

[coypoo]

Coolio. Thanks

 

[CTownBrewer]

I'm no expert on efficiency, but I would think you're numbers will come in lower than expected by doing it this way.

My thinking is that the gravity of the first runnings from the strike water is significantly higher than the gravity of the second runnings from sparging. Since you're using less strike water to begin with, you'll have less high gravity wort from your first runnings. You're using extra sparge water to rinse the grain to get to your preboil volume, so in essence you're diluting your wort with excess low gravity second runnings.

Does this make sense to anyone else or am I off base?

 

[sagnew440]

I actually get better efficiency when I double batch sparge.

 

[sagnew440]

I ran the numbers for your strike water, and for a mash thickness of 1.33 qts/lb you will only need 6.93gal. So for 1.22qts/lb its only 6.35gal which should fit in your cooler.

 

[bja]

I'm no expert on efficiency, but I would think you're numbers will come in lower than expected by doing it this way.

My thinking is that the gravity of the first runnings from the strike water is significantly higher than the gravity of the second runnings from sparging. Since you're using less strike water to begin with, you'll have less high gravity wort from your first runnings. You're using extra sparge water to rinse the grain to get to your preboil volume, so in essence you're diluting your wort with excess low gravity second runnings.

Does this make sense to anyone else or am I off base?

Way off base.

I actually get better efficiency when I double batch sparge.

Me too.

 

[CTownBrewer]

You're right. I read it wrong & thought he was originally using 1.22 qts/lb, then shifted 2.5 gallons from his strike water & added it to his sparge water.

I usually mash using 1.25 qts/lb without any problems, so he should be fine.