How many fermenters do I need for batch sparging?

[G-Lover]

I have a 70 qt cooler which math says will hold 42 lbs of grain, and at 1.25 qts per pound is 13.75 gallons of water for mashing. The total that will go into my mash tun, based on math, is 17 gallons.

My idea for batch sparging, and feel absolutely free telling me I'm an idiot if it's a horrible idea:

Put in 13.75 gal H2O
Wait for full conversion
Add water to the top which should be about 3.75 gallons
Run everything into brew pot

Add 17 more gallons
Run everything into brew pot

Repeat until gravity is 1.010 and the tannins are too harsh.

Is there a way to figure out how many gallons of above 1.010 wort I can get this way assuming it's all common two-row barley?

Thanks.

Again, if any of this look like I can't read instructions well or do 5th grade math, let me know.

 

[david_42]

No, batch sparging doesn't work that way. I drain first, then split my sparges and typically see 50%, 33% and 16% of the sugars. A third sparge might pick up a point or two, but then I'd need a really long boil.

 

[Cliff897]

Fermenters? How many? what size is your fermenter? That might factor in. But for batch sparging? HUH?


It seems you are talking about turning your self into a sort of, kind of, manual Brutus System

This is what I think I read in your post:

1.) Heat water in a pot to some predetermined temperature ( logically a little higher than your dough in temp)
2.) Carry the hot water to mash tun and dump in.
3.) Observe mash tun temperature and cycle water from that back to an empty and heating some more and then back to the mash tun as needed to get temperature of mash to desired temperature.
4.) let mash rest for whatever time at the desired temperature.
5.) Repeat as needed to carry out the various temperature steps and rests and you wish.

Is that what you are planning?
I do something like that after charging the mash tun with the initial strike. I don't ass more water I keep recycling the water to and from the Mash tun.


You mentioned something about 13 and 17 gallons I have no idea what you were thinking. Maybe you want to cycle 13 gallons through and then drain and cycle 17 gallons?
I'm not sure what that'll get you. Maybe a mash at some temp and a high volume sparge?

In theory you can use math to calculate the thermal inertia of the grain and the tun and add a volume of water with a specific temp (energy) calculated to bring the mash and tun to your intended temperature. I don't have such a friendly relationship with math, so I do it the hard way. I raise temperature till it's spot on.

One thing that the continual raising of temp by recirculating the same water does for me is, it fluidizes the grain bed. The flow of water through it is such that the temperature of the grain is fairly even throughout.