Thought I would get the class opinion on this. We all have way of separating the grain from the wash, recently I have bought a mash tune with a false bottom to run my grain thru. Once I get a good grain bed I just let it filter down with no squeezing or pressure and have been getting only about 3 to 4 fingers of trub in a 6.5 carboy. I then take 3 gallons of water that I warm to 100F and pour that over the leftover grain bed and let stand for an hour and then drain the water off and use some pressure towards the end to get all the "Goodness" out witch typically leaves me about 5 gals plus of wash from a 24lb grain bill. this typically yields me about an extra 3/4 to a gal of 110 to 60 proof after a strip run. I then combine with the 1st rinsing and strip run. When enough is save I run a sprit run and at 40 % ABV, diluting with backset rather than water for extra flavor. Anyone try this before?
If you pour the wort with the trub back through the mash. It will come out cleaner. Using the grain bed as a filter. It's all basic beer making processes.
No, it's a 11 gal batch, just using the carboy as a reference and yes I know it's called sparging ,I'm not a brewer.
I was just surprised by how much alcohol is left behind if you do not wash the grain.
I have been leaving about a 1/3rd of the alcohol behind
I use the Brew in a bag method for my whiskey mashes. 2 Qt's per pound of grain but instead of sparging, I just squeeze the hell out of the bag and only lose .75 of a gallon to grain absorbtion and usually get 75% efficiency.
Prairiepiss, Since I boil my grain (Corn) for an hour or longer I worry about loosing the alcohol to evaporation and the effect it might have on my yeast. Just letting some of us out there on what is being left behind if we don't sparge or wash the grain.
Ok, need to clarify better. I ferment on the grain and when the fermenting starts to slow of finish I stain it all thru the false bottom of my mash tun, what is left is alcohol impregnated grain that I have been washing out rather than feeding the local squirrels. Sometimes I rinse with backset other time with water depends what I have on hand at the time. I then let it sit on the grain for a few hours and let it filter thru. I have been getting 1 gals of extra alcohol on my strip run by doing this, plus what I collect from my first strain wort. Rather than throwing it out
You have the process backwards. You're supposed to rinse the grains (sparge) BEFORE you add the yeast. That way you have a clear beer and don't have to worry about fermenting on the grain.
I don't know if it is backwards, just trying different way and different things to boost my yield. I like to ferment on the grain when making All Grain Bourbon it tends to have more flavor . I am not into sugar washes and all that other stuff, it's a hobby so I like to keep it old school. So rather than squeezing my grain out in a paint bag and adding to the unwanted trub in my wash, I do it this way. It seems to work out pretty well if all I am doing is stripping it down. So that's why I did not call it sparging and called it washing. Try it, don't knock it then after you try it you can knock it
We all have way of separating the grain from the wash, recently I have bought a mash tune with a false bottom to run my grain thru. Once I get a good grain bed I just let it filter down with no squeezing or pressure and have been getting only about 3 to 4 fingers of trub in a 6.5 carboy. I then take 3 gallons of water that I warm to 100F and pour that over the leftover grain bed and let stand for an hour and then drain the water off and use some pressure towards the end to get all the "Goodness" out witch typically leaves me about 5 gals plus of wash from a 24lb grain bill. this typically yields me about an extra 3/4 to a gal of 110 to 60 proof after a strip run. I then combine with the 1st rinsing and strip run. When enough is save I run a sprit run and at 40 % ABV, diluting with backset rather than water for extra flavor. Anyone try this before? 
then after you try it you can knock it