Sparging... Did it wrong but was wondering what the result will be

[Lemieuxp]

I jumped into my first all grain without knowing very much.. I'm set up to fly sparse and what I did is run off all my mash water (recirculating first) then I fly sparged... Any idea what might the outcome be? Really weak beer? Watery?

 

[Math0]

Well no not watery since you should get a preboil volume higher then the actual batch size. The water is going to evaporate from the boil. Getting about 6-6.5 gal preboil will give you the full 5gal batch you need after.

Sparging helps extracting all the sugar you need into the mashing process. No sparge generaly gives you a low efficiency and lower ABV in the end.

 

[Lemieuxp]

So it should taste ok but my efficiency is going to be crap.. I guess I'll just have to drink 10 instead of six.. How much do you think the efficiency would be effected?

 

[ScottG58]

You may be okay. The way I understand it, sparging rinses sugar from the grain created by the mash. The real question for the mash is the time that you held the mash at the sacharisation rest. Some brewers do not sparge.

I fly sparge. I use a cooler for a mash tun. I try to drain the mash slowly and start the sparge water when there is an inch of liquid left on top of the grain. I try to control the sparge flow rate to maintain equilibrium between what is coming in and going out. I also look at the top of the grain bed and use a mash paddle to score the top by about an inch to discourage channelization.

 

[Lemieuxp]

You may be okay. The way I understand it, sparging rinses sugar from the grain created by the mash. The real question for the mash is the time that you held the mash at the sacharisation rest. Some brewers do not sparge.

I fly sparge. I use a cooler for a mash tun. I try to drain the mash slowly and start the sparge water when there is an inch of liquid left on top of the grain. I try to control the sparge flow rate to maintain equilibrium between what is coming in and going out. I also look at the top of the grain bed and use a mash paddle to score the top by about an inch to discourage channelization.

Thanks for the encouragement! I saw the exact method (the right method) on you tube and that is when I realized what I did wrong. I hit my temps (assuming my thermometer is accurate) and times perfectly. I just drained all my mash water then just rinsed the grains with a spinning fly sparger.

 

[tdbc2011]

I have brewed between 20 and 25 all grain batches. Until the last three I had always drained the mash tun completely then started the sparge. I added water until there was 2 in above the grain bed, then start the draining. Now I start the sparge until there is 2 in above the gain bed then start draining. Same results in efficiency. You should be fine.

 

[Lemieuxp]

I have brewed between 20 and 25 all grain batches. Until the last three I had always drained the mash tun completely then started the sparge. I added water until there was 2 in above the grain bed, then start the draining. Now I start the sparge until there is 2 in above the gain bed then start draining. Same results in efficiency. You should be fine.

I drained straight through my mash into my boil pot.. Should that still be ok?

 

[tdbc2011]

I drained straight through my mash into my boil pot.. Should that still be ok?

You should add water slowly until you have a couple of inches above the bed. That way there should be no channeling problems. When sparging straight through then the water may take the path of least resistance and lower your efficiency.
You are ok, but your efficiency could be a little low (or not).