Sparge Arm/Mash Recirculation

Hey everybody,

I am building a HERMS system and I am using an igloo cooler as a mash tun. I am thinking about building a sparge arm into the lid of the cooler that can double as the output of the recirculation of my mash (below is an image that I found that describes kind of what I am thinking of doing). My question is whether or not this would be problematic for any reason. I am primarily concerned about splashing and whether or not it would be better to just run tubing directly into the cooler that would empty below the water line. Thanks for the advice!

 

From my experience it depends on what you're using for your false bottle. I used a stainless braid when I first built my HERMS system. It filtered really well but I ended up going with a traditional perforated false bottom after I smashed the braided hose a couple times. The traditional perforated false bottom doesn't filter quite as well, so you tend to get some grain bits and husks flowing through until the grain bed sets up. If you go with the type of manifold pictured and the holes are too small, they can clog with bits of grain and husks. I had a tee-shaped one with slots cut in it and it constantly got bits caught in the slots. I ended up going with a siphon sprayer on mine and I love it. A lot of people just lay a silicone hose on top of the grain bed.

 

I'm thinking about putting together a HERMS system also with an igloo mash ton. If you dont mind, post updates and pictures on what you do so I can get ideas also.
Also I heard not to use your sparge system to recirculate because of microbusbrewer's exact reason of clogs. The idea of just resting a hose on top of the grain bed is what I hear from a bunch of people. You might just drill a hole in the side of your cooler and put a re-circulation arm in there.

 

I tried that as well, also kept getting bits stuck in it, but moreover I couldn't get the flow evenly over the whole manifold if the holes were big enough not to catch particles during recirculating. If you bypass the manifold for recirculating, might as well just use that tube on top of the grain bed for the sparge. That's what I do, works great, doesn't disturb the grains.

 

I set a disposable aluminum grill pan with a bunch holes punched in it into the mash tun opening (same cooler as pictured in OP). HLT drains into that, water sprinkles onto the grain bed. The same pan can be re-used for many batches. Fairly ghetto? Yep. But after experimenting with some different fancy copper sparge arm designs I just kept coming back to the simplicity and effectiveness of the above method. I'm all for DIY-ing some brewing toys, but in this case I just couldn't justify making something different. One key thing that I like about this method is that I can see into the tun to occasionally check on the water level above the grain bed. Also works well for the vourlauf.

Just a thought. Cheers and enjoy the brew.

 

Here is my thread on my completed build. I ended up going with a modified version of the sparge arm shown in order to avoid clogging. Hope this helps!

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f253/my-no-weld-no-wiring-necessary-self-contained-e-herms-system-522004/#post6792210

 

The best thing is to not solder the fittings, just put them together, and they should fit real tight, if you get a little leak its no big deal, that way you can take it apart and clean it out very easily, I learned that on the second round, after I soldered the first one.

 

Fermentation Nation just had a podcast about Mash Tuns and Sparging setups for home brewers. It has some great info in it, very in depth.

http://www.brewcarolina.com/beer-podcasts/mash-sparge-setups-fermentation-nation

Thanks,
Logan