Reference
Mash and sparge water volumes
Quick answer
How much water goes into the mash, how much you sparge with, and how much you need in total.
This section holds 18 worked pages. Every figure comes from the same formula library the calculators use, and each page states whether its numbers rest on a published standard or on brewing convention.
Every page below is worked out from the published equations in this site's formula library, not copied from another calculator. Where a figure rests on brewing convention rather than a published standard, the page says so on the row itself.
All 18 pages in this section
- Mash and sparge water for a 5 gallon batch with 8 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 5 gallon batch using 8 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 5 gallon batch with 10 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 5 gallon batch using 10 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 5 gallon batch with 12 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 5 gallon batch using 12 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 5 gallon batch with 14 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 5 gallon batch using 14 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 5 gallon batch with 16 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 5 gallon batch using 16 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 10 gallon batch with 8 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 10 gallon batch using 8 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 10 gallon batch with 10 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 10 gallon batch using 10 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 10 gallon batch with 12 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 10 gallon batch using 12 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 10 gallon batch with 14 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 10 gallon batch using 14 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash and sparge water for a 10 gallon batch with 16 lb of grain Strike volume, sparge volume and total water for a 10 gallon batch using 16 pounds of grain at 1.25 quarts per pound.
- Mash water at 1 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 1 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
- Mash water at 1.25 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 1.25 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
- Mash water at 1.5 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 1.5 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
- Mash water at 1.75 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 1.75 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
- Mash water at 2 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 2 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
- Mash water at 2.25 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 2.25 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
- Mash water at 2.5 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 2.5 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
- Mash water at 3 quarts per pound for an 11 lb grain bill Strike and sparge volumes for an 11 pound grain bill mashed at 3 quarts per pound for a 5 gallon batch.
Related on BrewGearCalc
Frequently asked questions
- Why do I keep finishing short of my batch volume?
- Usually grain absorption. Around an eighth of a gallon per pound of grain stays behind in the spent grain and never reaches the kettle, so a large grain bill quietly removes gallons. Boil-off and kettle deadspace account for most of the rest. Measure both once on your own system and the numbers become reliable.
- Can I skip sparging entirely?
- Yes. Full volume or no-sparge brewing mashes with all the water at once, which is how many all-in-one electric systems are run. It costs a few points of efficiency because the grain is never rinsed, so the grain bill goes up slightly. In exchange the brew day gets considerably simpler.
Researched from published brewing formulas, manufacturer specifications and verified owner reviews. This is general guidance, not professional advice.