Batch Sparging: Slow vs. Wide Open?

Hello all. I use a 10 gal home depot cooler for my mash tun; are there any reasons or advantages to slow sparging instead of just opening the valve wide open after vorlauf?

Thanks

For batch sparging...I can think of no advantages to going slow.

There's potential to compact your grainbed but otherwise I'd say go as fast as you system can effectively handle.

i drain my cooler with the ball valve all the way open.

great. thanks yall. in fly sparging does the idea of going slow increase efficiency?

I go wide open. The few times I went slow I actually ended up with a stuck sparge. And yes, in fly sparging you get better efficiency because you are acutally rinsing the grains of the sugar, whereas with batch you make another mash (so to speak) so more sugars get left on the grains because it doesnt rinse quite as well

thanks kev211...that makes perfect sense.

Thats my general interpretation of it anyways. Makes sense to me, but Im sure theres someone out there who could "prove" me wrong

Like others have said, it all depends on your system.
I start slowly to settle the grain bed when I am vorlaufing and then ease it wide open.

brewkinger said:

Like others have said, it all depends on your system.
I start slowly to settle the grain bed when I am vorlaufing and then ease it wide open.

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Thanks brewkinger.

harpsbight said:

Hello all. I use a 10 gal home depot cooler for my mash tun; are there any reasons or advantages to slow sparging instead of just opening the valve wide open after vorlauf?

Thanks

Click to expand...

I start slow, vorlauf, then go wide open as well.

Free advice, be sure to give the grain bed a little time to settle between sparges. I got impatient for awhile and noticed that my sparges were super slow. Even got as far as blaming changes in the malt. Now I give it about 10 minutes and my lautering is much faster.

When I vorlauf, I use a pump and choke it down to a steady flow. Once it runs clear, I pump into my kettle at the same rate. I figure the bed has been set at that flow and will remain stable during pumping. If I increase the rate of flow, I figure it may disrupt the grain bed. When I have about a gallon left to transfer, I cut the pump off and drain the rest by gravity with the valve wide open (I think pulling with a pump at very low liquid levels could introduce air earlier than during gravity draining, so I may leave a little more liquid behind if I pump all the way).

If you vorlauf manually, I would say drain at whatever rate you vorlauf.

harpsbight said:

great. thanks yall. in fly sparging does the idea of going slow increase efficiency?

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Going slow in fly sparging is mostly required to prevent channeling which kills efficiency. A secondary reason is that it does take some time for sugar to diffuse into the lower gravity wort as it goes by. In batch sparging, you are physically agitating the water/grain together so diffusion happens much faster.

stpug said:

There's potential to compact your grainbed but otherwise I'd say go as fast as you system can effectively handle.

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+1...

I use a 10 gal beverage cooler as well with a domed false bottom. I've compacted my grain bed twice to the point it stops running all together. Not a huge deal as I just have to use my mash paddle to brake up the grain bed a bit so it starts running again.

Cheers!

I put a fine mesh grain bag over the spout and let it go full flow.

I learn something new everyday. I was told to never open the valve all of the way.
Looks like I can, at some point.

Hello said:

I learn something new everyday. I was told to never open the valve all of the way.
Looks like I can, at some point.

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Can't tell if sarcasm... Haha

I honestly think it's whatever works best for your system. For me wide open works best because I get stuck sparges with it half open

I generally use a pound or two of rice hulls in my mash to prevent a stuck sparge, and open the valve about half way to drain. Never had a stuck sparge.

I open the valve the whole way and only once in ~20 brews have I encountered anything resembling a stuck sparge - I just had to blow back in the tube and it was a grist with a ton of oats and wheat. I never use rice hulls, either.

I have been having a heck of a time figuring this out on my system. 72Q Coleman Xtreme (too big IMO, but that is what I have). I can't seem to figure out a way to get it to drain well. Fast, slow, medium all seem to leave at least some standing wort, even after 10 - 15 minutes. I crush my own, condition the malt prior to crushing and crush at .045 (which is pretty wide). SS braid.

I am now rebuilding my bulkhead with some different part, etc., thinking maybe it is letting air in while draining so that I am not getting a good siphon.

So, to answer OPs question - I have tried fast, slow and medium. Medium seems to work best, but not all that well. After rebuilding bulkhead, I will try to let grain sit 10 minutes after stirring to see if that helps too.