sparge

Sparge is a verb meaning to wash, rinse, or sprinkle with a stream of liquid. In brewing and other malt-forward processes, sparging refers to rinsing the mash with hot water to extract fermentable sugars from the grains and to separate the liquid wort from the solid bed.

In brewing, sparging follows mashing. The mash is drained and hot water is passed through the grain bed to flush remaining sugars into the wort. Methods include batch sparging and fly sparging. Sparge water is typically around 75-78°C. The process aims to maximize sugar extraction while limiting the intake of undesirable compounds; mismanagement can lead to tannins or reduced efficiency.

The sparging step affects wort gravity, extract efficiency, and flavor potential. Proper control of water temperature, flow rate, and sparge ratio helps balance sugar recovery with astringency risk.

Outside brewing, sparge describes any act of showering, washing, or sprinkling with a spray, such as cleaning equipment or rinsing materials during processing. The term is used in various technical contexts to denote a controlled wash or spray.