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Strike water equals grain weight × mash ratio (liters per kg or quarts per pound). Typical ratios: 2.5–3.5 L/kg (1.25–1.75 qt/lb) for infusion mash.
Strike water = Grain weight × Mash ratioMalted barley absorbs approximately 1 L per kg (0.12 gal/lb). This water is locked in the grain and does not drain to the kettle.
Absorbed = Grain weight × 1 L/kgSparge water fills the gap between first runnings and target pre-boil volume, plus equipment dead space and boil-off losses.
Sparge = Pre-boil volume + Absorption − First runnings + LossesUpdated: July 2026
Strike at 3 L/kg: 15 L mash water. Absorption ~5 L. First runnings ~10 L. Target pre-boil 28 L: sparge ~18 L accounting for 2 L dead space and 4 L boil-off.
Brew-in-a-bag uses full pre-boil volume in the mash — no sparge. 5 kg grain, 30 L total water, mash ratio ~6 L/kg. Drain bag and proceed to boil.
1.080 OG beer with 7 kg grain: use 2.5 L/kg (17.5 L strike) for manageable mash tun volume. Batch sparge twice to reach pre-boil volume.
First runnings = strike water − absorption − dead space. Omitting 1 L/kg absorption leads to undersparging and low pre-boil volume.
Large grain bills in limited mash tun space require thicker mash (2–2.5 L/kg) and batch sparging. Calculate mash tun capacity before setting ratio.
All-grain brewing requires precise water volumes for mashing and sparging. Too little water causes stuck mashes and low efficiency; too much dilutes the wort. This calculator determines strike water, mash volume, and sparge water from grain weight, mash ratio, and equipment losses.