Sparging from below?

[Gravity]

Random thought as I'm making a small batch and retro fitting my larger equipment for smaller batches.

When it comes to sparging, I get the idea of fly sparging from above and batch sparging for the reasons we all know and understand

However, anybody ever think about sparging from below - a form of underletting - more like under-sparging?

Just curious if anybody has tried it as you figure its similar; unless i'm way off

 

[day_trippr]

I suspect that would flush all the fines into the wort that otherwise get captured in the grain bed.
But if you try it, take pics

Cheers!

 

[Gravity]

I suspect that would flush all the fines into the wort that otherwise get captured in the grain bed.
But if you try it, take pics

Cheers!

If you're pumping in water, I think there would be enough resistance to keep the fines out no?

I had to dig deep in my equipment to find my cooler fly sparging equipment - its been a while

 

[Vale71]

If you're pumping water in from below and then at the same time flushing it from below I suspect you'll just be dumping water into the wort via the sparge vessel. The reason you add water from above is so that you push the heavier wort towards the outlet while washng residual sugars from the grain bed, if you let the lighter water in from below you'll be basically preventing the heavier wort from ever reaching the outlet.

The good news is you won't necessarily disturb the grain bed, the bad news is you'll probably just be wasting time and will get horrendous efficiency.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I find the concept funny given your screen name of Gravity

My question is why?
Under letting and batch sparging should be the same if your dead space is negligible say using a braid, but with a FB you’d have dead space...unless you’re installing the FB above the grain.

I prefer either full volume mash, or a batch sparge using “gravity”.
Very simple and efficient for both extraction and effort required.

 

[IslandLizard]

or a batch sparge using “gravity”

Isn't the essence of batch sparging to thoroughly stir the grain up with the sparge water, let settle for a few minutes, vorlauf, and lauter till dry? Rinse and repeat.

 

[SanPancho]

If you do it as batch sparge no problem. Just remember to stir well to mix.

But if you’re trying to do it on the fly it wont work for reasons val noted above.

 

[Gravity]

I find the concept funny given your screen name of Gravity

My question is why?
Under letting and batch sparging should be the same if your dead space is negligible say using a braid, but with a FB you’d have dead space...unless you’re installing the FB above the grain.

I prefer either full volume mash, or a batch sparge using “gravity”.
Very simple and efficient for both extraction and effort required.

haha..It was one of those..."I wonder what would happen if..." moments...

 

[Gravity]

If you do it as batch sparge no problem. Just remember to stir well to mix.

But if you’re trying to do it on the fly it wont work for reasons val noted above.

I didn't do it after all ...however batch sparging makes sense...