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kyle
Joined: 10 Mar 2015 Posts: 14
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Link Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:26 pm Post subject: heating sweet wort in boil kettle during sparge, good/bad? |
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Hi everyone, first post here. Currently pricing out / constructing my electric brewery and this site and these forums are an amazing resource.
I'm doing a 120v ~5gal (10g kettles) build and I've got a handy spreadsheet to calculate heating/boiling times. I originally planned on doing 2x2000v ULD elements in the boil kettle (~30 min from 140 to boiling vs ~50) but then I had an idea. What if I just used 1 element in the boil kettle, and reduced time to boil by getting a head start( set kettle to sub boil temp) during the fly sparge once enough sweet wort was in the kettle. This saves me $100-150 easily (budget very important) and keeps me from having to use 2 separate branch circuits in my house. I just don't know enough about beer science to know if there is something bad about this that I'm missing
Is there a brewing reason to keep finished sweet wort at falling post-mash temperatures during a 60-90 min sparge? Or is it okay to get a head start on boiling by heating it? Without consideration to the affect on the wort, I'd start heating with ~30-40 minutes left in the sparge. The bulk of the wort will begin heating to 190 (or even 200) which would let me bring it very quickly to a boil 8-15 min! with my single 2000W element.
I can't think of a reason this is bad (if you start at the right time it isn't held at a temp for very long if held at all, the only difference is that the sweet wort doesn't rest at a lower temp during the entire sparge), I'm actually surprised that this isn't common practice?
I am looking forward to being a part of this community. thanks for any feedback!
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Ben58
Joined: 14 Aug 2011 Posts: 409 Location: Hamilton, Ontario
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Link Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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I do this all the time. Set my boil kettle to 96C and it doesn't take long after the sparge is complete to be boiling.
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 11121 Location: Ottawa, Canada
Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter
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Mr Walleye
Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 71 Location: Ossining, NY
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Link Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:51 am Post subject: |
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Another vote in favor here.
If I've made the brew before, I've got the wort sitting up around 200F by the time the kettle is at boil volume.
I'm like Kal though on new brews, taking and recording a bunch of measurements in case the batch turns out stellar.
I want to be able to replicate it.
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kyle
Joined: 10 Mar 2015 Posts: 14
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Link Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:09 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the feedback guys!
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mcl
Joined: 11 Oct 2011 Posts: 155
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Link Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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I do this and set my temp controller to the same temp every time (165 for me). This allows me to take my starting boil volume at the same temp every time. This allowed me (through multiple brewdays) to calculate my equipment losses correct (shrinkage).
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