Question about sparging

[kjung]

I just bought a converted cooler mash tun, and I am planning my first all-grain soon, but I don't have a sparge ring. What is the best way to sparge ?
Previously, with my partial mashes, I have simply poured all the grains into a large strainer and done it that way, but that doesn't seem very efficient, or practical, with the cooler.

 

[Yooper]

I just bought a converted cooler mash tun, and I am planning my first all-grain soon, but I don't have a sparge ring. What is the best way to sparge ?
Previously, with my partial mashes, I have simply poured all the grains into a large strainer and done it that way, but that doesn't seem very efficient, or practical, with the cooler.

I batch sparge. Many of us with coolers do just that. I usually do it in two additions, dividing my sparge water in half. I add the first half, stir and let settle for a couple of minutes. Then, vorlauf, drain, repeat. It works fine, and and it's quick.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Get a toilet supply line with a stainless steel braid.
Cut the ends off and push the braid off of the plastic tube.
Get a few stainless steel pipe clamps and check out this.
I did something very similar to this and it works fantastic.

 

[Hydraman]

I'm getting ready to try the whole batch sparging thing and have, what I hope will be, a quick question about water calculations. I'm using a 10gl pot with a false bottom. There is about 1.25gls of water that will fit under the false bottom, not dead space, before reaching the grain bed. I hope this is making sense. How do I take that into consideration when calculating my sparge water?

Thanks for any help

 

[944play]

I'm getting ready to try the whole batch sparging thing and have, what I hope will be, a quick question about water calculations.

Batch sparge, and you don't have to guess. The calculation is one subtraction: after the first runoff, you see how much more wort you need. That's your sparge volume! Deadspace and grain absorption can be ignored.

I usually do two batches.

 

[Hydraman]

Really!? Could it be that easy? That's great. I've looked at a ton of things on the net and all of them where a little confusing. I'll give that a shot! Thanks

 

[BierMuncher]

Fly sparging is easiest when you start all grain brewing.

If you decide to move to fly sparging, it's really not that difficult and a simple bucket will do the trick:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-3WNUXtA64]YouTube - Fly Sparge Bucket[/ame]

 

[budbo]

I have the same gallon under the false bottom, I am lazy, I fly sparge with 5 gallons (for 5 gallon batches) rarely more, never less, I average 85% efficiency, batches get me from 6.5 - 8.5 gallons in the Keggle (depending on grain bill) I just adjust boil time based on runoff volume