Silicon tubing for fly sparging?

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wilfonzo

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I finally got around to building a three tier stand and am looking into sparge techniques. From what I have read on other posts, the cheapest, easiest, and most simple solution is to use silicon tubing for fly sparge. I just can't seem to find any good descriptions or pictures as to how exactly this is done. I use a turkey frier for my HLT, a 10g Rubbermaid round cooler for the MLT, and a keggle for the brew pot, all gravity fed. I'm on my 13th batch and really trying to dial in my technique for a smoother operation. I have been doing the tin foil hybrid technique each time with varying results.
 
Just keep a couple inches of water above the grain bed and you should be fine. I believe the method of dispersing sparge water isn't as important as once believed.
 
I have a return at the top of the big 50 gallon system.

Its a simple barb on an elbow and I hook a piece of silicone tubing to the barb and lay it on top of the grain bed.

Thats it. Fill it so there a least a few inches of water on top as we drain to the kettle.
 
I've been wondering the same thing in regard to how its supposed to be set up. So far i'm going to attempt one of two ideas:
1) wrap a length of silcone hose inside the mash tun and let the water just flow out in one spot (seems what im supposed to do, but I think it may create some channeling)
2) Drop a length of silicone on top the mash. Try and pinch the exit shut, and puncture several small holes in the length of the tube so that water sprays out more evenly
Any ideas on this? If anyone has pictures of their tube set up, it would really help clarify this
 
Silicone hose flopped on top of the grain works fine. If you are concerned about channeling, you can stir the top of couple of inches of the grain bed and move the hose around every so often. Wish I had discovered this KISS method years ago before messing around with multiple sparge arm arrangements.

sparge.jpg
 
Thanks, I was also wondering the same thing as sursole. This ended up being way easier than I had imagined.
 
It is very easy, just keep an inch or more of water on top and should have no channeling problems
 
I would suggest the blichman auto sparge, I use it with my 15 gal 3 tier system and with fly sparge you dont have to watch the HLT in flow rate, only your MT out. It will keep your setting of 1"-2" of water above the grain bed. I have used it at least 25 times with no issues. I do use 2 pumps but if you are using gravity it will work too. or you could use the rotaing sparge arm but you have to watch and adjust with gravity. (the flow will reduce with less water in the HLT) I used to use this setup and I build the 3 tier with pumps because I hatted attending the fly sparge.
You could always batch sparge and have great results too.
 
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