Spray Balls

[Cede]

Hi,

is anybody using a spray ball like this

for sparging ?
I'd like some comments on usability and effectiveness.
I saw a brewery using this but can't get hands on website

Thanks

 

[doggage]

Your pic isn't showing up.

 

[bendavanza]

pic showed up fine for me.
I think that a spray ball like that is going to give you more temp loss and possible boogeyman hot side aeration, but be very effective at making a mess.
Aren't the spray balls for cleaning/sanitizing?

 

[Cede]

very effective at making a mess.

That's why I asked

Yes they are supposed to be used for in place sanitizing.

 

[ClaudiusB]

I use spray balls for cleaning only.
Sparging is done with a spray nozzle.

My edit
http://breweryparts.com/index.php/e...ng-equipment-amp-chemical/cip-spray-ball.html

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

[Domminigan]

I thought this thread was going to be going in a different direction...

 

[jpc]

pic showed up fine for me.
I think that a spray ball like that is going to give you more temp loss and possible boogeyman hot side aeration, but be very effective at making a mess.
Aren't the spray balls for cleaning/sanitizing?

Not to beat a dead horse, but how would putting sparge water through such spray ball cause HSA? It's not like he would be putting the wort through it...

 

[motobrewer]

i was drastically let down by the title of this thread.

 

[doggage]

Hah! For some reason the pics didn't show up for me earlier. Now, like the previous posters, I'm disappointed.

 

[Walker]

Not to beat a dead horse, but how would putting sparge water through such spray ball cause HSA? It's not like he would be putting the wort through it...

Agreed. I don't see it as any different that those whirling spraying sparge arms.

Your mash should be above 170 before sparging, which denatures the enzymes that lead to HSA in the tun.

Splashing and getting air into the mash is OK at sparge temps.

 

[Cede]

Agreed. I don't see it as any different that those whirling spraying sparge arms.

That's what I was thinking at first. As most of my brewer's knowledge is based on trial and error.... I might try one of those days for sparging!

 

[BeerCrazy]

What's the point? I have fly sparged for a couple years and I just stick the hose on top of grain bed and control flow until I have an inch of water on top. What specific benefit does a ball or arm offer?

 

[Cede]

What specific benefit does a ball or arm offer?

I don't know as I used a copper manifold just above grain bed.

Maybe just coolness attitude when you say look at my ball ?

 

[BeerCrazy]

I don't know as I used a copper manifold just above grain bed.

Maybe just coolness attitude when you say look at my ball ?

I need to order one now!

Just a follow-up... I bought a fancy $40 twirling thing only to realize that it had such fine mist there was a 4-6 degree F temperature drop from arm to grain bed depending on ambient temperature. I sold it for $20 and now use a hose... my efficiency didn't change, still at 75% with no reason to go higher. Grain is cheap, especially if you don't give the LHBS an extra 35-50% on top.

 

[BeerCrazy]

I need to order one now!

Just a follow-up... I bought a fancy $40 twirling thing only to realize that it had such fine mist there was a 4-6 degree F temperature drop from arm to grain bed depending on ambient temperature. I sold it for $20 and now use a hose... my efficiency didn't change, still at 75% with no reason to go higher. Grain is cheap, especially if you don't give the LHBS an extra 35-50% on top.

And an even odder thing to cook your noodle... I've heard from more than one good brewer that the sparge temp don't matter all that much and even know one that just uses hot tap water! I still maintain a sparge temp but that has a lot to do with my water chem modifications.

 

[Yorg]

I am guilty of making brewing more complicated than necessary.
In my more lucid moments, I can see it.
This is one of them.
Sparge water must be deposited gently enough on top of, or just underneath the liquid level, so as not to unduly mix the grain.
It is not necessary to have bits with small holes - spinning or still - to achieve this.
Small holes block up, harbour gunk, and when lucidly considered, complicate brewing.
This is the most versatile, simple thing i've seen, and notice it has no small holes:
scroll down for mash liquor return dish.
http://www.beerbelly.com.au/mashequip.html

 

[bendavanza]

Spraying loses temp. The flow rate for fly sparging is so slow I doubt you could disturb much of anything more than an inch down from the top of the bed.

 

[Viz1]

I started to use one and it works fine if you allow a bit of water to build up above the grain. If not then it can pierce down a little too deep for comfort.