CPVC vs bazooka screen

[maida7]

With BS you have the ability to drain as fast as you want, but that doesn't mean it doesn't affect the beer quality.

Remember that none of the commercial beer you drink is BSed. (for a couple of diff. reasons, but still....)

The preference for fly sparge in commercial breweries is related to efficiency and economics, not wort quality. All other factors equal you can expect a small increase in efficiency when fly sparging compared to batch. For a homebrewer that may equate to a few extra ounces of grain per batch. To a large commercial brewer it's could be thousands of dollars per year.

BUT, with batch sparge the gravity of the run off is higher and the pH is lower. Your assured a very even and consistent rinsing of the ENTIRE grain bed. It is much more likely to get a higher quality wort from batch sparging. Under ideal conditions fly sparging can produce nearly equal wort quality but not all homebrew systems are set up and operated in ideal conditions.

 

[funkswing]

with batch sparge the gravity of the run off is higher and the pH is lower.

How is the gravity higher with BS, but you say you get > eff. with FS? That doesn't make sense.

Wort pH is affected by multiple variables, this blanket statement isn't true. You can fly sparge and keep your pH low.

Your assured a very even and consistent rinsing of the ENTIRE grain bed.

Compared to FS? How is it more consistent and even?

It is much more likely to get a higher quality wort from batch sparging.

How is this true? Are you saying that it is more likely for someone that doesn't know what they are doing to get a higher quality wort when BS? That may be true.....but should someone do something just because it is more idiot-proof?


IMO they are both fairly equal. I am currently fly sparging, and I use a SS braid. Pretty ghetto setup......

 

[funkswing]

How do you think it affects the quality?

Well, I didn't say it did or it didn't.

But when running off quickly you have a greater ability to extract astringent flavors that appear in the final product of your beer. This is prolly because the inc. runoff rate = greater suction on the grain bed.

 

[maida7]

How is the gravity higher with BS, but you say you get > eff. with FS? That doesn't make sense.

Good question. If you had the same recipe and did identical mash and sparge volumes, the final runnings from the batch sparge will be much higher gravity then the final runnings of the fly sparge. Why? because in the BS has the entire sparge at one set gravity and the FS gravity slowly dwindles over the course of the sparge. so that with a FS at the end of the sparge your dealing with some very low gravity wort. You'd also expect that as the gravity dwindles the pH of the wort to rise during a FS.

Wort pH is affected by multiple variables, this blanket statement isn't true. You can fly sparge and keep your pH low.

Sure it's safe to fly sparge. Under normal conditions pH should not be reaching a dangerous level. But with all other factors the same a batch sparge will have a lower pH. The gravity in the BS is higher and there is more buffering capacity.

Compared to FS? How is it more consistent and even?

With a BS you get to stir all the grain and mix it thoroughly with the sparge water. All areas of the grain bed are equally touched by the sparge water until it is a uniform gravity wort in the lauter tun. With a FS your manifold has a huge impact of the flow of the sparge water and what portions of the bed are rinsed. Channeling and preferential flow can give you uneven rinsing in a FS. You could easily miss rinsing one area and rinse the crap out of another section. Only with an ideal manifold can you be sure that all areas are sparged evenly. A false bottom and a very thick grain bed are close to ideal conditions.

How is this true? Are you saying that it is more likely for someone that doesn't know what they are doing to get a higher quality wort when BS? That may be true.....but should someone do something just because it is more idiot-proof?

yeah I feel it's easier to screw up a fly sparge. But I think people should use the method that works well for them. I doubt there is any significant difference in wort quality. If wort quality was my only concern, I'd go with a no sparge

IMO they are both fairly equal. I am currently fly sparging, and I use a SS braid. Pretty ghetto setup......

I'd agree they are both equal. But you should not go around spouting that BS and running off fast effects beer quality. It's just not true.

PS:A single braid in a long rectangular cooler with minimal bed depth is really not a good fit for fly sparge. You probably could get better quality wort and efficiency by changing your set up. Have a look at Palmer's How to Brew. He goes in depth on manifold design and fly sparge

 

[maida7]

Well, I didn't say it did or it didn't.

But when running off quickly you have a greater ability to extract astringent flavors that appear in the final product of your beer. This is prolly because the inc. runoff rate = greater suction on the grain bed.

suction? that's silly

 

[bovineblitz]

Well, I didn't say it did or it didn't.

you said this:

With BS you have the ability to drain as fast as you want, but that doesn't mean it doesn't affect the beer quality.

now you're just confusing me.

 

[funkswing]

Bovine - its all good. I was playing devil's advocate, not stating opinion.
"that doesn't mean it doesn't affect the beer quality" is not the same as saying "it does affect beer quality"

maida7 - suction may be silly, but so is Darcy's Law.

I'm just going to disagree (honorably, of course ) with a lot of your "answer" post.

Who the hell is Palmer?? :cross:

 

[maida7]

whatever

 

[funkswing]

^^ Disappointing........