Anyone ever see the gooseneck fittings on the lauter tun outlets of a professional brewers (old world?) lauter tun? I'm wondering what the purpose of such is. My understanding of syphon flows tells me that the intermediate position of flow tubing doesn't affect flows: only the height of fluid in container and distance of end of outlet hose below fluid surface. Given some tubing dimension, of course (larger tubing= greater flow). I'm assuming that this should apply to non-syphoning outflows of lauter vessels as well. What could be the purpose, then? My guess is: an air entrainment trap? I know from my lauter set-up that if outflows are very slow, the outflow tubing end is not submerged, and the tubing is not dimensioned to 'self-evacuate', air can get sucked in and moves up the lauter outlet hose. Without a gooseneck to trap, it would go all the way to the underside of the mash where even slower fluid flows would not be able to evacuate it-- entraining it for the duration of the mash. Am I right? Do all breweries use these? I've never seen them intentionally introduced at the homebrew level. One thing though. If this is the purpose of the fittings, shouldn't they be of a clear material so such air entrapment could be detected and dealt with?