Topic: Lautering
Sparge Ho!: The many ways of rinsing grains (or not)
MEMBERS ONLYSparging is a fairly mundane topic in the professional brewing world but can be a polarizing topic among homebrewers. Learn some of the pros and cons to the most popular options.
Sparge Water Temperature
MEMBERS ONLYThe short answer to this question is no, sparging at 169 °F (76 °C) does not achieve the same thing as mashing out at the same temperature. The reason for this is two-fold. Let’s assume an infusion mash system comprised of 10.4 L (kilograms) water and 4 kilograms of malt (1.25 qts. water per pound
Lautering 101
FREEAt its core, lautering is a three-step process at the end of a brewer’s mash, which separates out the sugary wort from the spent (used) grains. The word originates in the German
Lautering Efficiency
MEMBERS ONLYAll-grain brewers are always talking about brewing efficiency — how much wort they yield from their mash into the boil kettle. There are two components to brewing efficiency: mashing efficiency and lautering efficiency. Mashing efficiency is all about the conversion of malt starches to sugars. Lautering efficiency is all about the extraction of those sugars
No-Sparge Brewing
MEMBERS ONLYA quest of mine to brew a flavorful but quaffable session ale was coming up short. I was getting wonderfully high extract efficiencies, near 90%, but my ordinary bitters, milds and Scottish ales were coming out watery and bland. Then I had a homebrew-life-changing experience with an ordinary bitter I judged in the first round
Batch Sparging
MEMBERS ONLYFor homebrewers first getting into all-grain brewing, the terminology, technology and wide variety of methods can be confusing. Simplifying the process, especially for the first few all-grain batches, is important. All of the technical jargon hides two pretty simple steps: Mashing and lautering. Most homebrewers use a single infusion mash, which means you add some
Troubleshooting a Stuck Sparge
MEMBERS ONLYTactics for helping your wort go with the flow.
A Guide to Lautering
MEMBERS ONLYConsidering how important it is to the brewing process, lautering (also known as sparging) doesn’t get much respect. Many brewers see it as simply the process of rinsing grains. They give it little thought, rush through it, and curse it if problems arise such as a stuck lauter. But a successful lauter plays an important
Lautering 101
FREEIf you’re an extract brewer thinking about going all-grain, one of the most important steps to understand, after mashing, is lautering. Lautering is the process by which the brewer separates the
Build a Continuous Sparging System: Projects
MEMBERS ONLYWith one trip to the hardware store and a short build session, you can have your own homemade sparging system. We’ll go step-by-step through the parts and procedures to make this useful piece of all-grain equipment.
Lowdown on Lautering: Tips from the Pros
MEMBERS ONLYThree pros give the lowdown on lautering.
Easy Tips for Better Lautering
MEMBERS ONLYImagine a 10-foot laurel hedge, fairly open and loose. Not carefully groomed. Then imagine a steady, soft breeze blowing a pallet of Styrofoam peanuts through it. If the breeze changes or stops, a lot of the peanuts fall. If the wind suddenly gusts strongly, the peanuts go right through the hedge. If somebody drives a