Batch vs. Fly vs. No Sparge

[Bobby_M]

I'm impressed by the level of civil conversation so far, but it's early and I'm not holding my breath.

Every brewer should try both methods for the experience of it. After that, they should still refrain from using that experience as any justification for why one is subjectively better because whichever one didn't work well was probably user error.

Batch sparge for the win...LOL kidding.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I didn't have a sparge-arm, and have no 3-tier setup and have no room for it where i live at.

IMO, you don't need any of that. I use a saucepot to transfer the mash from my mash tun (aka: a big pot) to my zapap. Then same saucepot to ladle the sparge water on top...I place a collander on top of the grain bed to prevent disturbing the grain bed but even that isn't necessary if I'm fairly gentle with the saucepot. I place the zapap lauter tun on top of a green recycle container with a piece of plywood on top and the catch container (aka: a big pot) goes on the ground.

I'm like Alton Brown in that I don't like single-purpose equipment/gear unless absolutely necessary (like...a fire extinguisher or an IC). I know others like BobbyM are at the other end of that spectrum and that's cool. There's room for black, white, and every shade of grey in this hobby. I'm just a slave to the KISS rule.

 

[Synovia]

Vorlaufing literally takes me 2 minutes for a total of 6 minutes with a double sparge. I don't see what the big deal is. Maybe because I never fly sparged.....?

Yeah, seriously. Vorlaufing I put my 5g stockpot on the ground, drop the tube in there, open the ball valve. Wait till theres about a gallon, and then pour it back in the top of the MLT. Takes less then 2 minutes.

 

[Budzu]

I started AG with fly-sparging, manually by hand. It was a huge pain in the ass the way I did it. Maybe 4-5 batches in, I batch sparged. I've been doing it ever since. I will be moving back to fly once my 10 gallon rig is built and can accomodate a sparge arm.

Currently I double-batch sparge 10 gallon batches with dumpy-dump-oh-chit-burned-my-foot method. Keeps me in shape doing 4-8 batches per month, gets me 82% efficiency into the kettle.

Cheers!

 

[MattHollingsworth]

I'm impressed by the level of civil conversation so far, but it's early and I'm not holding my breath.

Every brewer should try both methods for the experience of it. After that, they should still refrain from using that experience as any justification for why one is subjectively better because whichever one didn't work well was probably user error.

Batch sparge for the win...LOL kidding.

I'm glad people are just discussing it. See no reason for fights.

I've done fly sparging from the beginning but will try batch sparging on the next batch in about ten days and see what I think for myself. Figure might as well try it and see what I think.

 

[walther]

+1 No sparge.

I get an efficiency just above 60% for brews around 5-6% alc.

I add _all_ the water in the beginning of the brew, which means I circulate a very thin wort through the grain. It also means the wort trapped in the grain very thin.

I could save maybe 5$ in grain by sparging,... yes I am that rich !

 

[jcarson83]

I've been triple batch sparging (thats 3 run offs right?) most of the time because my MLT was too small to double batch sparge.

 

[OMJ]

I batch sparge right now but I just got a march pump and am considering going to fly sparging. I think I would need a different MLT for fly as my rectangular cooler with manifold probably isnt the best setup.

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I've been triple batch sparging (thats 3 run offs right?) most of the time because my MLT was too small to double batch sparge.

I thought a double batch sparge was as follows: drain the wort, add first sparge, drain, add second sparge, drain.

 

[wildwest450]

I thought a double batch sparge was as follows: drain the wort, add first sparge, drain, add second sparge, drain.

You thought right.

 

[uglygoat]

started out doing fly, sorta a waste of time imho. i'm not a purest by the longest stretch of the imagination, nor am i trying to over complicate my brewing process anymore. the batch works plenty well for me, i'm doing mostly pales and bitters (hitting 80 plus eff) and don't need fancy sparge equipment anymore.

 

[Munsoned]

I double batch sparge--I basically follow Bobby_M's system. It works for me because I'm dumb, and batch sparging is about as easy as it can get I think.

In all seriousness, folks, it's not an issue of batch spargers versus fly spargers. I think we can all agree that it's the "no sparge" guys that are totally screwed up, right?!?!




(that was a joke)




(ducking)


Fly sparge -->Beer
Batch sparge -->Beer
No sparge -->Beer

 

[leboeuf]

Mostly a Fly sparger. I've tried batch and no sparge also and all sparge methods have made tasty beer.

I think it's because I like to mess with valves... I also look at brewing as a relaxing hobby and like that starting my sparge gives me another reason to pour another pint.

My "sparge arm" is also a length of tubing lol.

 

[Synovia]

I don't understand the reason for no sparge. Fly Sparging vs Batch sparging I can see, but what is the advantage of no sparge?

 

[Bobby_M]

No sparge is really the most simple process because you don't need 3 vessels. The price is efficiency.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Whoops, accidentally hit "no sparge" when I mean't fly sparge. I've done batch sparging, but I just don't see how it's any easier honestly. I suppose if you are just dumping the water in all at once it would be easier. I spend about the same amount of time fly sparging that I did batch sparging and get 3-4% better efficiency. Batch sparging was just a lot of stirring, and each sparge I'd have to make sure the volume of water was right. With fly sparging I just open the valve, turn on the pump, and stop pumping when I add the correct volume from my HLT.

 

[jkarp]

I don't understand the reason for no sparge. Fly Sparging vs Batch sparging I can see, but what is the advantage of no sparge?

Just as Jamil says, no sparge yields the best quality wort of all the processes. The price is lower efficiency.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

Finally voted fly sparge. I tried batch sparge about ten days ago and it was more effort for me. I'm so used to fly sparge after using it for so many batches that it's actually easier for me. So went back to fly sparge this last weekend and it's just so easy I see no reason to switch.