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| The Double Luck Brewing Process: |
| Sparging |
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URL: http://www.doubleluck.com/things/brewery/process/sparging.php
Last modified: Wed, 27 May 2009 13:22:58 -0600
Copyright © 1999-2010 Larry Bristol - All rights reserved.
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We now want to separate the liquid (called sweet wort) containing all
of the dissolved sugar from the spent grains and husks.
The Lauter Tun
Click on the image to see it full size (102K).
The lauter tun is a vessel in which this is accomplished.
In most cases, the mash tun and lauter tun are, in fact, the same vessel, although this is not a requirement.
If different vessels are used, the entire contents of the mash tun is moved to the lauter tun at this time.
The lauter tun needs a screen or false bottom that holds back the grain and husks, allowing clear liquid to be
drained out.
Since in our case, the mash tun and lauter tun are the same vessel, the false bottom was installed in the mash
tun before the grain was added.
Recirculate to Clear the Runnings
The initial runnings will contain quite a bit of particulate matter (flour, bits of grains, husks) that we do
not want.
As the liquid drains, however, the husks will begin to form a natural filter bed inside the tun.
The initial runnings are gently recycled onto the top of the grains, so that they will pass through the filter
bed repeatedly.
Recirculation continues until the runnings are clear (not cloudy) and free of particulates.
At the Double Luck, since we have been recirculating the liquid periodically during the
mash, the runnings are already clear at the end of the mash.
Maximize Sugar Extraction
Click on the image to see it full size (104K).
If all we did was to drain the liquid from the mash, we would leave a great deal of sugar clinging to the
grains and husks.
We collect this sugar by a process called sparging.
We have another 14 gallon stainless steel kettle containing hot water (at approximately 170°F) that is
slowly and gently recycled onto the top of the grain bed.
The copper ring visible inside the lauter tun above has small holes in it that sprinkles water on top of the
grains without disturbing the grain bed itself.
As the hot water passes through the grains, it will dissolve more of the sugar, and drain out through the
bottom of the filter bed.
Naturally, the amount of sugar being rinsed out of the grain bed will be reduced as more and more water is used.
It is also important that keep the water no hotter than 170°F as higher temperatures will dissolve tannins
and other unwanted materials from the spent grains and husks.
We continue to sparge, collecting the runnings until we have obtained about 20% more liquid than the amount of
beer we are producing.
At this point, the runnings will be little more than hot water, containing very little sugar, flavor, or color.
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