Accurate Sparge Water Calculation

Figuring how much water you started with in the mash minus how much water the grain absorbs is a more accurate yet involved calculation. You can count on an absorption rate of 1/10th of a gallon per pound of grain.

____ Amount of water added to Mash (including foundation water under false bottom)

- ____ Amount of water absorbed by grain (.1 gal x ___ lbs in mash = ____ gal)

=____ This is the amount of water coming from mashtun to boil kettle. We will call it X.

____ Amount of water desired in Boil kettle

-____ (X) Amount of water coming from mashtun

=____ Amount of sparge water needed

+ ____ Dead space water under spigot in Hot Liquor tank

= ____ Total water needed in Hot Liquor tank.

What is Malted Barley?

Malted barley is either 2-row or 6-row barley (depending on the rows growing on the barley head) that has been harvested and brought through the malting process.

The malting process consists of wetting the barley and allowing it to germinate to a certain point. During this germination period the internal barley kernel goes through some key changes.

Some starches are converted to sugars, insoluble starches are broken down to simpler soluble starches, complex proteins are broken down to simpler proteins, and the enzymes capable of further starch degradation are formed. The kernel is basically preparing to use its internal energy reserves for growth. The kernel is then air dried and the rootlets are knocked off through tumbling.

The kernels are then either lightly kilned and used as base malt or they are further kilned to create different specialty malts.

The next step is the mashing process. The malted barley grains are milled and mixed with a measured amount of hot water and left to steep at different temperatures for some time. The enzymes that were created during the malting stage are thus awakened from their slumber and encouraged to convert starch into sugar.

The sugars are then rinsed from the grain, in the sparging process, to form a very sweet liquid called sweet wort. Water is then evaporated out of the sweet wort. With only 20% of the water remaining, it is called liquid malt extract. If all the water is removed the result is a powder called dried malt extract (DME).

The all grain brewer is buying malted barley and doing the mashing themselves. The extract brewer is having someone else do the mashing for them and then re-hydrating the extract to create a sweet wort. Both have the potential to produce great beer, while all grain brewing allows the brewer to have more control over the resulting flavors.