Lautering

Lautering is a process in the brewing of beer where the mash is separated into the clear liquid wort and the residual grain. Lautering usually consists of three steps: mashout, recirculation, and sparging.

Mashout

The first step of lautering is mashout. Mashout is the process where the temperature of the mash is raised to 77°C (170°F). This step stops all enzymatic activity and makes the grain bed more fluid, thus aiding in the lautering process.

Recirculation

The second step is recirculation, which involves drawing off a portion of the wort and gently pouring it back on top of the mash. This helps to clear the wort. It is important to recirculate the wort slowly to prevent the grain bed from compacting and becoming stuck.

Sparging

The final step is sparging, which is the rinsing of the grain bed to extract the maximum amount of sugars. This is usually done by sprinkling hot water over the grain bed. The temperature and pH of the sparge water are important factors in the efficiency of the sparging process.

Lauter Tun

A lauter tun is a vessel used in the lautering process. It has a false bottom that allows the wort to be separated from the grain bed. The design of the lauter tun, including the size of the false bottom and the spacing of the slits, can have a significant impact on the efficiency of the lautering process.

See Also

• Brewing
• Mashing
• Beer