First wort
Term from the Brauwerkstatt brewing glossary, category “Brewing and equipment”.
Explanation
The first, especially sugar-rich wort that runs off during lautering before sparging. Its gravity is usually much higher than that of the finished beer. What runs off afterwards with the sparge water is called the second runnings.
Test your knowledge
What is first wort hopping?
- Adding hops to the bottle
- Adding hops to the whirlpool after the boil
- Adding hops to the wort as it runs off, before the boil
Show answer
Correct: Adding hops to the wort as it runs off, before the boil. The hops sit in the wort during lautering. This is said to give a softer, smoother bitterness.
What is the strike water (Hauptguss)?
- The water used for mashing in
- The water used to chill the wort
- The water used to rinse the spent grain
Show answer
Correct: The water used for mashing in. Strike water is the mash water. The sparge water rinses the spent grain after the first wort has run off.
Why should you stir the wort well before measuring the gravity?
- Otherwise the sugar is unevenly spread and the reading is wrong
- So the foam disappears
- So the yeast starts faster
Show answer
Correct: Otherwise the sugar is unevenly spread and the reading is wrong. The dense first wort collects at the bottom and the thin last runnings on top. Without stirring you measure too high or too low depending on where you sample.