Need a new sparge arm.

[eager_brewer]

I'm finally getting back into all grain brewing and my spare arm need to be replaced. I have a 5 gallon water tank and my grain is all in an igloo cooler. I'm looking for recommendations for a spare arm and false bottom for the cooler. A lot has changed in the 8 years since I last brewed. Thank you very much for you help.

Tom

 

[mongoose33]

Do you mean sparge arm?

You're right, a lot has changed. Two things you might look into before the expense of a new "spare" arm is the Brew-in-a-Bag approach, and Batch Sparging.

BIAB is a no-sparge approach; you use a little more grain, but it's wonderfully simple and easy. Batch sparge is using about half the total water for the mash, then a second rinse w/ about the same amount of water to sparge that grain.

 

[eager_brewer]

Sorry for the typo. Yes I am looking for a sparge arm. Batch sparging was what I did in the past. The arm I had was like a rotating shower head to help with spreading the water evenly and prevent channeling.

 

[mongoose33]

Sorry for the typo. Yes I am looking for a sparge arm. Batch sparging was what I did in the past. The arm I had was like a rotating shower head to help with spreading the water evenly and prevent channeling.

Well, the way I did batch sparging didn't require an arm of any kind. I just poured the sparge water into the tun, mixed it up to get the grain well-rinsed, let it sit for the grain bed to settle, then lauter.

My mash tun has a torpedo screen in it; I figured out that if I tie a hop sock over it w/ a twist-tie, I can set the grain bed more readily and lauter more quickly.

 

[kh54s10]

If you are batch sparging there is no need for a sparge arm. Also what you are describing is not a sparge arm. That is something that is used to keep the water in a fly sparge at a certain level by controlling the water flow rate.

Just add the sparge water, stir the grain very well, vorlauf, then drain it into the boil kettle.

 

[homebrewer_99]

You need a SPARGE ARM for FLY SPARGING. I tried it about 4 times...and 4 times my beer got tannins.

I went back to BATCH SPARGING and never encountered it again.

 

[eager_brewer]

You need a SPARGE ARM for FLY SPARGING. I tried it about 4 times...and 4 times my beer got tannins.

I went back to BATCH SPARGING and never encountered it again.

Then that is what I shall do!!! Now I just need a good false bottom for my cooler

 

[kh54s10]

Then that is what I shall do!!! Now I just need a good false bottom for my cooler

Go to HD or Lowes or Menards. Get a water heater supply line. Cut off the ends, pull the tube out of the middle and use a hose clamp to attach it to your valve attachment. I used a 3/4 inch one and it is indestructible. I used a nylon nut and bolt to close the other end.

 

[Wizard_of_Frobozz]

Bobby at Brewhardware.com sells some that get pretty good reviews; I'm going to buy one of these myself fairly soon to replace my plastic false bottom.

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/coolermashfb10.htm
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/coolermashfb5.htm

You can buy the pieces individually if you don't want the full conversion kit; search his site under "Equipment" and "Mashing" to see most of the parts.

The Locline sparge arm seems pretty good too:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/mashrecirculation.htm
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/mashspargering.htm

 

[homebrewer_99]

I gave up on false bottoms too. I use a stainless Bazooka Screen. They work great. I recommend them.

 

[augiedoggy]

Go to HD or Lowes or Menards. Get a water heater supply line. Cut off the ends, pull the tube out of the middle and use a hose clamp to attach it to your valve attachment. I used a 3/4 inch one and it is indestructible. I used a nylon nut and bolt to close the other end.

I use one of these UNDER my false bottom which acts as a secondary last chance filter and keeps grain out of my small 24v dc pumps... works extremely well. 5 years now and the only stuck recirc or sparge I had was when I forgot to attach the braided stainless filter under the FB... I never use rice hulls either tried them once but didnt see the point with my setup since I dont need them.

If your simply gravity draining after batch sparging the bazooka tube will work fine. I used one this way with good results.

 

[kh54s10]

!2 inch bazooka tube = $21.99. My water heater braid might have cost $10 total for all the pieces. It is indestructible and I have only experienced slow draining with really thick ingredients. I have rice hulls but only use them when I suspect I might have a problem. Like 10 pounds of pumpkin in the recipe.

 

[homebrewer_99]

!2 inch bazooka tube = $21.99. My water heater braid might have cost $10 total for all the pieces. It is indestructible and I have only experienced slow draining with really thick ingredients. I have rice hulls but only use them when I suspect I might have a problem. Like 10 pounds of pumpkin in the recipe.

I made a pumpkin beer once. Then after more follow up research I found that MOST "pumpkin" beers don't use pumpkins at all...just pumpkin spices.

 

[kh54s10]

I made a pumkin beer once. Then after more follow up research I found that MOST "pumpkin" beers don't use pumpkins at all...just pumpkin spices.

True. But I wanted mine "natural" I bought and baked a 12 pound pumpkin, scooped out 10 pounds of pumpkin pulp and added it to the mash. I was going to use spices also but decided against that. I ended up with a somewhat amber ale that had a nice subtle pumpkin flavor. Not an over the top pumpkin pie flavor. It turned out very close to what I wanted. Maybe a touch too light on the pumpkin flavor.

A year later, I was trying to come up with something outside the box. But also something not too experimental. I decided to do another "squash" recipe. The pumpkin worked so I though "I like spaghetti squash, I think I will try that." Spaghetti squash has a peppery flavor so I used Sterling hops that have an herbal and spice flavor and T-58 yeast that also gives a spice flavor. It was awesome.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I decided to do another "squash" recipe.

Most people don't know that pumpkin is also known as Winter squash.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I use an SS Brewtech vorlauf fitting as my sparge arm in my Spike MT. I mash pretty wet so it works just fine
Right at 80% efficiency so I'm happy.

I had one of those rotating sparge arms on my first rig. Was ok, this works better for me.