Stuck sparge prevention idea?

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Rbeckett

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Would it be possible to introduce the sparge water into the MLT from the bottom through the false bottom or manifold. My idea is to use my march pump to introduce heated sparge water through the outlet fitting near the bottom and fill to cover the grain, stir and allow to settle, then withdraw the sparged wort and transfer it to the BK for boiling and further processing. Since sparging is essentially exposing the grain to hot water and rinsing the sugars and other component out, what difference would it make where the grain gets it's heated water from? I may experiment with this idea once or twice to see where efficiency goes. My thought is that since the fine powders that create stuck sparges would be flushed from the manifold and possibly even floated to the top it might potentially improve efficiency and prevent a stuck sparge. Any body ever tried this or have any empirical evidence to support this as a good or bad idea?
TIA
Wheelchair Bob
 
It will just mess with your filter bed altogether. It wouldn't really accomplish anything except for really hurting the clarity of your runnings.

Edit: to be clear, I actually do something similar when I need to unstick a sparge that's ALREADY stuck, but there's really not much of a point otherwise.
 
I was watching this video and at about 2:30 in the video thats what he does. Im sure if you ask him he will let you know any pros or cons about it.
 
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Thanks Jammer!!!
I was just thinking that it might be an alternative and maybe prevent a stuck sparge. I brew Hefe's so clear beer isn't an issue to me.
Bob
 
Rbeckett said:
Thanks Jammer!!!
I was just thinking that it might be an alternative and maybe prevent a stuck sparge. I brew Hefe's so clear beer isn't an issue to me.
Bob

Sorry, what I'm getting at is that it will fix a stuck sparge but it really does nothing to prevent one.
 
I think the braumeister (automated brew machine) does a continuously circulating mash where the flow is from bottom up, for what it's worth.
 
airving said:
I think the braumeister (automated brew machine) does a continuously circulating mash where the flow is from bottom up, for what it's worth.

That thing is more like a BIAB system though.
 
I haven't seen your system but it seems like an easy way to spare only the bottom of your grains.

Generally the goal of sparging is to maximize the sparge water flow through the entire grain bed.
 
During mash in I use a sprinkler arm to preheat, adding about an inch to my cooler. Then I switch to the bottom inlet for the rest of the mash in. Keeps me from having to hold a hose, dump grains, and stir. I don't see how it could prevent a stuck sparge.

I haven't had a stuck sparge in a long time and it was the oats that did it. None of our precautions paid off that day. Thin mash, rice hulls, slow recirc, all for naught. 4 hour sparge with several underlettings. Brutally slow.
 
One of the best ways to prevent a stuck mash is to mill your grains on a looser setting - don't pulverize them into a flour. Using rice hulls (1lb / 5 gallon recipe) will always help, and stirring real well when introducing the grain to the mash tun helps as well. I don't know that you'd want to introduce your sparge water from the bottom if you didn't have to, but I haven't ever done this personally so cannot list any pros/cons. The Braumeister does indeed recirculate from the bottom up, but also has both stainless and mesh screens on the top and bottom of the grain bed, preventing much movement from occurring.

Cheers!
 
Grind is important to preventing a sparge. Beyond that at work when we begin vorlauf of the 30bbl mashtun we underlet first. The underlet is pumping water underneath the screens with the rakes rotating in reverse to break up the grain bed. Then we let the vorlauf run for 30-40 min and by the time the kettle is finished emptying to the whirlpool (and the kettle is quickly scrubbed) the lauter is able to begin. I've been looking around for a small pump with a slow enough flow for me to do something similar at home. I was looking at smaller mag drive pumps or even a peristaltic pump.
 
........ My thought is that since the fine powders that create stuck sparges would be flushed from the manifold and possibly even floated to the top it might potentially improve efficiency and prevent a stuck sparge. Any body ever tried this or have any empirical evidence to support this as a good or bad idea?
TIA
Wheelchair Bob

If you mill properly there shouldn't be much fine powders left after the mash. People are always concerned about grinding too fine and making lots of flour. This is really only an issue when mashing in as a fine grind is more prone to forming dough balls. However once mashed in the flour (starch) is converted to sugars. So the only fine particles that should be left at the end of the mash are the remnants of the husks and the acrospire (tiny barely shoot). Now if you are getting lots of fine husk particles in your grind then you need to re-evaluate your grind.

Let me first state that attempting a sparge on a mash that isn't at least mostly converted can result in a stuck sparge due to starch particles. Many stuck sparges though are the result of lots of proteins and sticky dextrins gumming up the husk bits. I'm a batch sparger, so the rest is in reference to that process, not fly sparging. This is the process I only do for grain bills with high wheat, rye or protein. I have found that the cure for a stuck sparge is of course prevention, and the simplest way I have found around that is to just add more water prior to your first drain.

My normal procedure is after heating to a mash out, I vorlauf and drain the wort. I then add my first half of sparge water by having the water from my HLT flow in backwards through the manifold into the grain bed. This of course messes up the grain bed, but I have a pump, so once all of the water is added I just give it a good stir, turn on the pump and vorlauf until clear, and then divert to the boil kettle. I then repeat, again adding the sparge water through my manifold.

When I do have a mash that might stick, I simply add extra water at the end of the mash (~ 1 gal) to thin out the proteins and sticky dextrins so they can more easily pass through the grain bed. Then I do my first drain. I then use less sparge water to keep the final volume the same. The thinner wort flows better and is less likely to stick.

To sum it up, yes a proper grain bed is important for a good sparge, but the wort itself can equally contribute to a sticking problem, and the cure for that is simple dilution
 
I always use my march pump to pump the sparge water back in to the MLT via the ball valve at the bottom ( 40lt esky). I then recirculate it with a hose going to the top of the MLT for about 15 mins then pump to BK. always get clear beer and it works for me. Just my 2c.
 
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