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Crazy Brewer
Joined: 12 Feb 2014 Posts: 60 Location: Houston area, Texas
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Link Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 8:44 pm Post subject: Grain Bed Floats While Preparing for Sparge |
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Howdy everyone. I have been out of business for quite a while and just did a batch of Blond ale yesterday. This isn't the first time I've had this problem. I have a Kal clone with virtually no differences. 20 gallon Blichmann with their perforated mash bottom. Anyway, I mash out then stop the circulation by slowly closing the valve going into the mash tun then stopped the pump. I then change the hoses around in prepararation for sparging. During this time my grain bed floats to the top. Is this normal and does anyone have any suggestions; what I did wrong or didn't do right?
I used my foop scoop to gently press down on the grain bed during sparging to get the sparge water on top of the bed. It wasn't fun and I was pretty frustrated. I did ok on the batch and got a good pre-fermentation gravity of 1.052. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
_________________ "What your mind can conceive and believe it can achieve". Napoleon Hill
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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Link Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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grain that floats is just grain thats dried out and lost its weight, its normal in small amounts and changes from bag to bag
_________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 11122 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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Link Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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Pushing down on the grain bed is going to disturb the natural filter that has formed over time. I wouldn't do it.
What sort of mash efficiency do you get when you do nothing?
What sort of mash efficiency do you get when you do push down on the grain bed?
My point being is that the only possible downside to floating is that you're maybe not rinsing the grains properly so that mash efficiency suffers slightly. If there's no difference, then don't worry about it.
I've seen mine float sometimes. Not really sure why. I just leave it alone. It's never caused any issues or missed gravities (ie. lower mash efficiency).
Kal
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Last edited by kal on Sun Nov 27, 2016 11:47 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Ozarks Mountain Brew
Joined: 22 May 2013 Posts: 737 Location: The Ozark Mountains of Missouri
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Link Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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are you talking about the whole grain bed? In my opinion its not done if that happens
_________________ "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
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701pilot
Joined: 10 May 2016 Posts: 50 Location: northern california
Drinking: Bohemian Pilsner,Caribou Slobber, Munich Helles, Weissbier, Black Bute Porter, RIS, Irish Red Ale
Working on: Milk Chocolate Stout
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Link Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:39 am Post subject: |
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Today I brewed Kal's Citra Double IPA and had the same thing happen. I only had about and inch of wort over the top of the grain bed when I was mashing. The grain bed is compressed while mashing because the pump is sucking it down. When you release the suction the grain bed expands, making it look like it is floating. In fact it is just a much looser grain bed.
I just sparged as usual, and got my normal 85% mash efficiency.
_________________ Mark
I can't change the laws of physics but with enough horse power I can chase it into submission.
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Crazy Brewer
Joined: 12 Feb 2014 Posts: 60 Location: Houston area, Texas
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Link Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the advice, y'all! I think 701pilot has a good point. My efficiency was normal so perhaps I worry too much.
_________________ "What your mind can conceive and believe it can achieve". Napoleon Hill
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 11122 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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Link Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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If your efficiency wasn't affected then there's no need to worry! Cheers!
Kal
_________________ Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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