Brew Boss central infusion tube vs sparge arm

[BrianK3721]

Does anyone know if using a central infusion tube would be more affective as a sparge arm. I'm thinking you could fabricate one cheaper and in theory I would think it would work well if it did not disturb your grain be to much, you might have to later a few more times than normal. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[day_trippr]

I can't see any good reason to use such a scheme. Those little holes can plug up from husks, most of the returned wort misses a full traverse of the bed, and if it actually works at all it's bound to churn the bed, which doesn't seem like a good idea.

A dead simple silicone hose laying atop the grain bed works wonderfully and is wicked cheap to implement...

Cheers!

 

[dleonard5]

I have the choice of using either in my system. I use the cofi. There is no mash in trying to wet all the grain and make sure to break up lumps. No further stirring is required during the mash. I just drop the grains hook up the tube and push start.
If you like to build, go for it. The design is published.

Cheers

 

[probablynotnick]

Seems like a good idea for BIAB since you're not worried about setting a grain bed. I'd think you would get more even distribution of rinsing this way too since the mash bag or basket has perforation all the way up.

 

[day_trippr]

My recirculated wort runs amazingly clear once conversion has been reached and all the "grey stuff" has been trapped in the grain bed.
And runoff during the fly sparge is equally bright.

I can't believe any of that could be accomplished with a fluid bed.
Pretty much all of the gunk produced during the mash is going to end up in the kettle.
Doesn't seem like a win at all...

Cheers!

 

[jturman35]

I have the choice of using either in my system. I use the cofi. There is no mash in trying to wet all the grain and make sure to break up lumps. No further stirring is required during the mash. I just drop the grains hook up the tube and push start.
If you like to build, go for it. The design is published.

Cheers

I have the 15 gal COFI filter and have never had my infusion tube clog. However, I did learn the hard way not to over crush the grain or the basket will get clogged and slow circulation. I think the infusion tube is more helpful in keeping temp consistent throughout the mash.

I didn’t stir my first two batches and just dropped the grain in and let it roll. These were normal 5-6% abv beers.

I will say I recently started putting the basket in first and then pour grain in and stir before mashing. I do this on my big beers 1.080 and bigger. I stir the crap out of my big beers usually 3-4 times throughout the mash.

Brulosophy did an experiment on kettle trub which lead me to believe that trying to keep the wort clear didn’t have any affect verses pouring trub into fermenter. If I remember correctly there was minimal difference.

 

[day_trippr]

Wrt dough-in, underletting the strike water solves the wetting wonderfully - my mash paddle hasn't been used in a long time.
As well, it does a great job of displacing O2 from the grist as the strike volume rises.

And I literally have never made a decision based on Brulosophy as there's never any actual "results"...

Cheers!

 

[jturman35]

If you listen long enough you will understand they are not trying to paint a black/white answer, but merely show that some taboo methods don’t effect the end results as much as one would think.

I take them with a grain of salt, but I also don’t see anyone’s else with actual experiments to back up their claim.

 

[probablynotnick]

My recirculated wort runs amazingly clear once conversion has been reached and all the "grey stuff" has been trapped in the grain bed.
And runoff during the fly sparge is equally bright.

I can't believe any of that could be accomplished with a fluid bed.
Pretty much all of the gunk produced during the mash is going to end up in the kettle.
Doesn't seem like a win at all...

Cheers!

Brew Boss is a BIAB single vessel type system so you're going to end up with more particulate than you would from a traditional 2 or 3 vessel system regardless. Pulling the basket from the "mash" is not going to be the same as vorlauf & sparge.

This method of recirc as it pertains to this particular system is substantially different than using an infusion tube in a traditional mash/lauter tun.