Want to try Batch Sparging, Have Only Used Fly

In the interest of efficiency, I'd like to try batch sparging. Fly has worked well in our system, however the fly can take upwards of 45 minutes. We have a 10 gallon Igloo with a SS false bottom.

Q: Does batch sparging effect efficiency? We're at 80% now.

Q: When batch sparging, how long to leave the sparge water in the tun before draining after the initial drain?

Q: I understand wheat beers can result in a stuck sparge. Does anyone batch sparge with a grain bill that's about 50% wheat? (We've done a Hefe using fly sparging without a stuck sparge.)

Thanks, as always.

I've been getting 74-78% batch sparging. I leave the sparge in the mash for about 5-10 minutes after stirring well. Don't forget to Vorlauf after each infusion.

Haven't done an AG wheat yet.

I Batch sparge and pull 78-82% average (I do have my off days)
Give it 60 min if only doing single step
Have done 60% wheats with no stuck sparge. Make about 5% of your grainbill rice hulls
Have fun

What's all this about a stuck sparge? I keep hearing about it, but I've never had it happen (knocking on lots and lots of wood here). Does the grain bed just get so solidified and compacted that it restricts or stops the flow through the filter?

Are stuck sparges more typical with braided filters rather than false bottoms? I've only ever used false bottoms myself.

If you have a good fly sparge system, I doubt that you will be able to improve your extract efficiency by batch sparging, if that's what you meant. On the other hand, if you meant you want to be more efficient with your time, then yes batch sparging can be a much quicker process. The time to lauter and batch sparge is about 10 - 12 minutes on my system.

The trick is to drain off your first runnings (just recirculate and do it fast), then add your sparge water, stir really well, let it all settle for a minute or two (no more is necessary), and then recirc and drain again. That's it.

I have done a 50% wheat mash (hefe) and had no problems whatsoever with a stuck sparge. But I use a SS braid, which is pretty robust. If you use your false bottom, it might be more prone to stuck sparges, from what I have heard from others.

Evan! said:

What's all this about a stuck sparge? I keep hearing about it, but I've never had it happen (knocking on lots and lots of wood here). Does the grain bed just get so solidified and compacted that it restricts or stops the flow through the filter?

Are stuck sparges more typical with braided filters rather than false bottoms? I've only ever used false bottoms myself.

Click to expand...

I suspect stuck sparges are more of an issue for fly spargers since they are trying to slowly and evenly drain their grainbed. For us batch spargers, we are actually trying to encourage channelization instead so that the tun drains quickly, making it harder for things to 'back up' and cause a stuck sparge.

I have also heard a number of times that switching from a false bottom to a SS braid helped avoid stuck sparges, and I have never heard the opposite. But I have never had anyone explain why -- I suspect it is because it is hard to channelize with a false bottom, yet it is almost a given with a braid.

I do the same as flyguy...almost. Instead of just stirring the sparge addition really well and letting it sit for a couple minutes, I stir it almost continually for 5-10 minutes, just to make sure I rinse all the sugar I can. It might take a few minutes longer, but I think I get better efficiency that way.

Another sub-question for anyone out there: when I drain my first runnings, I recirc a couple bowlfuls, but after that, I just send it through my funnel strainer to catch the particulate...anyone else do this? Or is it a bad idea?

drayman86 said:

In the interest of efficiency, I'd like to try batch sparging. Fly has worked well in our system, however the fly can take upwards of 45 minutes. We have a 10 gallon Igloo with a SS false bottom.

Q: Does batch sparging effect efficiency? We're at 80% now.

Click to expand...

I think if you have your fly sparge really dialed in AND you're sparging to completion (going until the runnings hit 1.008 or pH hits 6), you'll do better with fly. But if you just sparge to get a certain volume in the kettle, you might see a little improvement with batch. (I have the same setup as you, and I went from 75 to 80. Then I got a mill, and it's gone up even more)

Q: When batch sparging, how long to leave the sparge water in the tun before draining after the initial drain?

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If you're topping up or infusing for a mashout after the mash in complete, 10 minutes should do it. If you're just draining whats in the mash as your first run, no need to wait at all. Stir, and let it rip.

Q: I understand wheat beers can result in a stuck sparge. Does anyone batch sparge with a grain bill that's about 50% wheat? (We've done a Hefe using fly sparging without a stuck sparge.)

Click to expand...

I've done 50% wheat, no rice hulls, no problems. I'm trying really hard to get a stuck sparge , just to see where the limit is...I keep cranking down the mill to get a finer and finer crush. No luck (?) yet, though.

Evan! said:

Another sub-question for anyone out there: when I drain my first runnings, I recirc a couple bowlfuls, but after that, I just send it through my funnel strainer to catch the particulate...anyone else do this? Or is it a bad idea?

Click to expand...

Exact same thing I do.

I haven't batch sparged yet only fly. I just hit 80% on a 15# grain bill, happy about that. I would like to try a batch sparge to check my systems efficiency on that just in case I ever do need to shorten up brew night. Do you still have a rest before running off? And what are the strike temps of the first and second additions of liquor?

Evan! said:

Another sub-question for anyone out there: when I drain my first runnings, I recirc a couple bowlfuls, but after that, I just send it through my funnel strainer to catch the particulate...anyone else do this? Or is it a bad idea?

Click to expand...

After I run 2 quarts through, there's nothing for a strainer to catch.

Thanks for all the prompt repsonses. Lots of good information.

Apologize for not making myself clear: am interested in efficiency of TIME, as fly sparging takes longer.

Also another question: as I understand batch sparging, the tun is drained completely after the mash time, and then the grain bed is rinsed with subsequent sparges until the final boil volume is achieved.

Is this correct?

If so, here's how I understand the process:

1. Mash for specified time.

2. Drain tun.

3. Fill with sparge water. Stir well, letting sit for about 10 minutes or so.

4. Drain sparge water completely from tun.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 above until desired boil volume is reached.

How's that sound?

drayman86 said:

Also another question: as I understand batch sparging, the tun is drained completely after the mash time, and then the grain bed is rinsed with subsequent sparges until the final boil volume is achieved.

Click to expand...

Well, kind of. I sparge once, as long as it'll all fit in the tun. In the past, I've done it by checking the gravity of the runoff, but these days, I just enter the evap and deadspace calcs into ProMash and sparge with whatever that amount should be to end up with 5.5 gals post-boil.

If so, here's how I understand the process:

1. Mash for specified time.

2. Drain tun.

3. Fill with sparge water. Stir well, letting sit for about 10 minutes or so.

4. Drain sparge water completely from tun.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 above until desired boil volume is reached.

How's that sound?

Click to expand...

Sounds just fine, except for what I said above. I have a pretty big cooler & SS MLT, so I just do a single batch sparge and end up with great efficiency typically. 80+%. It's just easier to stir when there's more water in there.

Thanks, Evan!, for the advice. Great looking gallary, BTW.

I've got a couple of brews to produce for parties at the end of this month and beginning of next and will use fly sparging since we've got that dialed in fairly well. Once those are complete, I'll try the batch sparge technique.

drayman86 said:

Thanks, Evan!, for the advice. Great looking gallary, BTW.

I've got a couple of brews to produce for parties at the end of this month and beginning of next and will use fly sparging since we've got that dialed in fairly well. Once those are complete, I'll try the batch sparge technique.

Click to expand...

Anytime. Thanks for the complement.

Good luck---I think you'll find that the 45 minutes or so that you gain by batch sparging will be very welcome...

drayman86 said:

Thanks for all the prompt repsonses. Lots of good information.

Apologize for not making myself clear: am interested in efficiency of TIME, as fly sparging takes longer.

Also another question: as I understand batch sparging, the tun is drained completely after the mash time, and then the grain bed is rinsed with subsequent sparges until the final boil volume is achieved.

Is this correct?

If so, here's how I understand the process:

1. Mash for specified time.

2. Drain tun.

3. Fill with sparge water. Stir well, letting sit for about 10 minutes or so.

4. Drain sparge water completely from tun.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 above until desired boil volume is reached.

How's that sound?

Click to expand...

Yep, I agree with Evan. The benefit of batch sparging is to make things quick and easy. So mash, recirculate and drain tun, add sparge water and stir (I don't let it sit long -- just enough for things to settle -- maybe a minute or two), drain again, done. If you have a big enough MLT, you often only need one sparge. If possible, it works best if you can make your runnings approximately equal.

One addition -- if you have a thick mash or if you are using lots of gummy adjuncts or huskless grains (like malted wheat), it helps to stir in a bit of boiling water before as a form of a 'mash out' before you drain your first runnings. I just take some water from my sparge water, heat it to boiling in a separate pot, and add that to the mash. It thins the mash (both because of the added liquid and the raise in temperature) enough to make sparging a bit easier.

Cheers!

Thanks, Evan! and FlyGuy.

My MLT is the standard 10 gallon igloo cooler, with boil kettle and HLT 15.5 gallon converted kegs.

Our system operates best when we collect about 13 gallons of wort with which to boil, so will likely have to conduct multiple batch sparges.

I'm tempted to try batch sparging at tomorrow's brew, however we're brewing a Gumballhead clone which contains about 50% wheat malt so may just wait to try batch sparging until we get back to a more traditional ale grain bill.

Thanks again.

FlyGuy said:

I have also heard a number of times that switching from a false bottom to a SS braid helped avoid stuck sparges, and I have never heard the opposite. But I have never had anyone explain why -- I suspect it is because it is hard to channelize with a false bottom, yet it is almost a given with a braid.

Click to expand...

I've been brewing with a false bottom for over 11 years and have never had a stuck sparge. I've always fly sparged.

Same as Rich. Fly sparging with a false bottom for 5 or 6 years and never a stuck sparge. I thought I had one on my last batch, but I had stirred my mash so vigorously at the beginning that I got grain under the false bottom and it sucked up and clogged the connector as soon as I opened the valve. Nasty. Had to scoop out the mash into a bucket and clean everything out.

You all did give me something to consider though. I am making two beers on Sunday and the time savings might be worth giving batch sparging a try.