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Author Topic: Sparge water and all in one systems  (Read 813 times)

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Sparge water and all in one systems
« on: November 12, 2023, 11:02:16 pm »
I'm getting tempted by these AIO systems, especially with the Black Friday deals dropping. For those of you with an AIO brewer, what are you doing to heat sparge water? I'm trying to get out of brewing in the recently renovated kitchen but I don't have a good heating option elsewhere. I don't have an outdoor burner and heating sparge water for a 1-3 gallon batch on a gas burner seems like overkill.
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2023, 04:14:51 am »
I heat the total water volume up using an overnight timer function on the Anvil Foundry, then draw off just under about half into a cooler to keep warm for sparging.  For 5 gallon batches, I use a bag for mashing (no dead space).
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Offline BrewBama

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Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2023, 05:51:05 am »
+1. When I sparged, I used to heat all my brewing liquor and drain off my sparge water into a cooler to keep it warm. It worked great.

However, these days, I no longer sparge. I just add a cpl bucks worth of grain to make up the loss in extract. I brew 5 gal batches and plan ~60% BH efficiency (I have a lot of dead space loss).  Saves time, too.
« Last Edit: November 13, 2023, 08:23:48 am by BrewBama »

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2023, 07:33:41 am »
+1. When I sparged, I used to heat all my brewing liquor and drain off my sparge water into a cooler to keep it warm. It worked great.

However, these days, I no longer sparge. I just add a cpl bucks worth of grain to make up the loss in extract. I brew 5 gal batches and plan ~60% BH efficiency.  Saves time, too.

I occasionally will do a no sparge, recirculation mash, too, and plan to add additional grain as you do to account for the lower efficiency of full volume mashing.  It works perfectly fine.
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Offline narcout

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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2023, 08:15:12 am »
Interestingly enough, the instructions that came with the Anvil Foundry called for a one gallon sparge, which I did for many batches.  Pulling off a gallon into a small one gallon insulated water jug was easy peasy and gave pretty good mid 70's efficiency.

Many ways to go about the process, for sure.  That G40 is one nice rig.  Cheers.
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Offline BrewBama

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Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2023, 08:17:38 am »
One of our club members brews with an Anvil and sparges with an electric tea kettle.
« Last Edit: November 13, 2023, 08:20:03 am by BrewBama »

Offline Bob357

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2023, 08:21:37 am »
You can spare with room temperature water. It will take longer to reach your boil temperature but won't have a noticeable effect efficiency.
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Offline denny

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2023, 08:57:54 am »
I heat sparge water in a 5 gal pot on an induction burner. If I need more than that, I add in tap water
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Offline M-O-O-N That spells beer!

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2023, 05:39:05 pm »
I do not heat my sparge water at all. I have a Grainfather G30

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Offline Kevin

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2023, 12:15:42 pm »
AIO systems are at their core, BIAB systems. BIAB was originally designed as a full volume, no sparge method. I've used both my Anvil Foundry and now my SS Brewtech SVBS the same. That does not mean you cannot sparge but note also that you do not need to heat your sparge water. You can use room temp or even tap water.
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2023, 10:33:29 am »
Agreed on any temperature for sparge water working out fine. but I note that with my system, I get to a boil quicker sparging with hot water.
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Offline denny

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Re: Sparge water and all in one systems
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2023, 11:27:37 am »
Agreed on any temperature for sparge water working out fine. but I note that with my system, I get to a boil quicker sparging with hot water.

Yep, pretty much universally true for "cold" sparge
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