Any batch spargers out there that have done a sour mash? I think this is the route I'm going to take but I'm wondering if should mash in as normal and then batch sparge after my mash has reached desired sourness? Or do I try to fit as much of the total volume in the first infusion?
I batch sparged mine in a bucket because I didn't want to infect my Nash tun. I ran the mash as usual with about a 1.25 qts/lb ratio. I then added boiling water to bring it up to 180 for a quick pasteurization and then added cool sterile water at the end to bring it back down to about 100F and then threw in my uncrushed grains for a true sour mash. By this point I was at maybe 1.75-2 qts/lb, still under my 6 gal total batch size and using a heat mat, I held it at 100F for 5 days. Mine worked fine and then I just "mashed out" by pouring the liquid and grain through a 5 gal paint strainer and topped up with water and boiled for 15 mins. The batch came out great..