Sparge temperature of 75c... whats the reason?

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NickW

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Hi all,

Just a curious question about sparge temperatures. 75C seems to be the ball park figure for the temperature of the mash when sparging.

What is the reason for this temperature? Is it for efficiency? Or will higher / lower temperatures have a noticeable effect on the taste of the final beer?.. if so, how?
 
normally I batch sparge with 80 degrees water, the purpose of sparging is basically to get the remaining sugars out of the grain, it's done at this temp so that as it filters through the grain bed it's still at somewhere near mash temp to convert the sugars from the grain.
 
abeyptfc said:
normally I batch sparge with 80 degrees water, the purpose of sparging is basically to get the remaining sugars out of the grain, it's done at this temp so that as it filters through the grain bed it's still at somewhere near mash temp to convert the sugars from the grain.
Great info :cheers:

My mash temp dropped to 62c on my first AG during the end of the sparging , But I still achieved the desired OG. So I was just wondering whether my low grain temp when sparging is anything to worry about
 
You won't be converting any sugars whilst sparging. The reason for raising the temp of the mash, aka the mash out is two-fold;

1. To stop all enzyme action preserving the sugar profile and,
2. To make the grain bed more fluid.
 
Thanks for the information guys! At what temperatures would risk any enzyme action?

Was my grain too cool at 62c? I really am not sure why it got so low as my strike water was at 78c. Perhaps my strike water was cooling down as it sat in the tubing on its way to the mashtun?
 
You should be fine. Depending on the time the liquor sat at 62c. Both alpha and beta amalyse operate at that temp but need to be raised to about 77 to denature them.
 
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