I seriously suck at fly sparging

[Bobby_M]

Hehe... I never said I was an expert or pro at anything but I just got tired of disclaiming that fact in every post. Maybe I should add that to my sig.

 

[shelly_belly]

I changed to fly sparging because I'm lazy. Batch sparge=mashout, vorlauf, drain, add sparge, wait 10 minutes. Vorlauf, drain, add 2nd sparge, wait 10 mins. Vorlauf, drain. Fly sparging=mashout, vorlauf, start draining and start rinsing. I rinse using a 10 gal cooler w/ball valve & hose above the mlt. Now I have 45 mins to do something else. I just check it every 5 or 10 minutes to see if I need to adjust the water flow. Also, I don't like to let the bed run completely dry. It's easy to calculate the sparge volume needed & add an extra gallon or so. Shut if off when I reach my preboil volume. It seems on mine, when the bed runs dry, the hose will pick up a fair amount of fine particles in the last pint or so. I don't know if this happens with a manifold or braid though, I'm using a false bottom.

 

[Bobby_M]

Well, you have 45 minutes to do something else in 5-10 minute increments. I don't know about the wait 10 minutes thing with batch sparging though. It's a waste of time. I was to the point where I could heat to mashout 15 minutes, and have my whole preboil in the kettle within 15 more minutes. The fly sparge added 30 mins more to my brewday.

 

[arturo7]

My brewing experience is paltry compared with yours, Bobby. However, I don't think 71% efficiency constitutes sucking. If you consistently hit 71% I'd say you have a pretty solid process. If you're in a constant flux between 71 and 91, that would be sucking.

 

[shelly_belly]

Yea, I want to be a batch sparger (less time). I'll be trying a manifold and a braid soon. I think my Phil's Phalse bottom is hindering me. Also going to try no sparge - that sounds ideal. I'm going to need a pump though.

 

[BenS]

I fly sparge. I don't have a pump. Why do you need 2 pumps?? I understand one pump if you have a single tier. Can someone help me out? Also, IMO consistancy at 71% is not a bad thing. See if you notice a taste difference with the no mash out.

 

[willynilly]

One pump to move the sparge water to the MLT, one pump to move the wort from the MLT to the BK

2 pumps

 

[BenS]

Thank you for the explanation. You see, I've been drinking.

 

[dunleav1]

I'm not saying either way is better just yet but I'm pretty sure the run dry method evolved from people who got used to doing that via batch sparging. I think this is a good question to poll folks about.

Why the switch to fly sparging? No reason other than to try it. I caught a good deal on a better pump and thought having two at my disposal was a good enough excuse. I hope I never leave well enough alone.

Bobby,

I am in the same boat you are. I starting to fly sparge a few batches ago as well. Why, because I can. I want to figure what process I like better.
I have efficiencies ranging from 65 to 90% fly sparging. a couple things to watch:
Sparge for 60 minutes but don't over oversparge by running your gravity to low.
Double check your mash tun thermometer.
When you are checking effieciencies - make sure you hit your volumes and do your readings with the same grain. (ie) I get less efficiency from Munich malt than 2 row.
Make sure your are fully converted before mash out.
(ie) with the munich malt I mash longer than 2 row.

JD

 

[Judochop]

This thread is like a wee heavy by the fire on a wet November night. I can’t stand the frustrations of fly-sparging any more, and I’ve really had it with my current lauter-tun; stainless steel with 1.5 gallons of trapped heat below the false bottom throwing off my temps, and nearly a gallon of dead space to boot. The supposed conveniences are proving to be, in fact, inconveniences. I’m sold. I’m converting to BS. (And looking to sell a 10g stainless steel lauter tun.)

So, running the risk of hijacking this thread, I’d like to ask a few questions to the batch-sparging population before I make my move.

1) Is there any risk of compaction in batch-sparging? I’m leaning towards the wire braid as my lautering device. Has anybody experienced a ‘clogged drain’ using the wire braid from running-off the wort too quickly? Would a PVC manifold be better for any reason?

2) What kind of temperature adjustment are you making when mixing strike water and grain in your cooler? In the old days, I’d heat my strike water in the mash tun, so it was only a matter of accounting for the coolness of the grain. How much more does a cooled cooler cool the mash down?

 

[Bobby_M]

My brewing experience is paltry compared with yours, Bobby. However, I don't think 71% efficiency constitutes sucking. If you consistently hit 71% I'd say you have a pretty solid process. If you're in a constant flux between 71 and 91, that would be sucking.

I guess the point is, if owning a second pump and adding 30 minutes to my brew day nets a 5-10% efficiency drop, I'll pass ;-) I don't honestly believe this is the long time case, but I'd want to see some kind of improvement to my process.

 

[dunleav1]

Bobby,
I have a direct fired sanke keg RIMS with two pumps.
I currently don't have a sparge arm. I use a piece of foil on top of the grain bed and dribble water onto the foil during the sparge. I haven't been making holes in the foil, I wonder if I'm channeling. I'll try perforating the foil next time and see if it improves my efficiency.

 

[Bobby_M]

I drop the sparge water right onto the top of the bed with a piece of silicone tubing. No sprinklers or anything.

 

[dunleav1]

I drop the sparge water right onto the top of the bed with a piece of silicone tubing. No sprinklers or anything.

I also read raking the top of the grain bed will give better efficiency as well.