Homemade equipment

[MuckyNeighbour]

Hi all,
I don’t have any sparging equipment and, instead, “rinse” the mash through fine netting into a fermenting bucket. This is problematic because I can’t regulate the temp of the sparge water with any accuracy. I’m hoping that this isn’t really that big an issue but, if it is, what alternatives are out there?

 

[Galena]

Batch sparge. The way I do it is:
Heat my sparge water in my kettle to 80c and decant it into a HLT (insulated drink chiller) I will soon have a seperate heater for this as I am building a new kettle.
Then heat the mash water and mash as normal, after the mash drop the wort into a bucket, I use BIAB but so long as you leave all the grainin the kettle. Pour all of the sparge water onto the grain (76C is optimal) stir well and leave for 5 minutes, then decant into the bucket with the mash. Empty the kettle of grain and then add all of the wort back in the kettle for the boil.
I find this works well and improves my efficiency.

 

[MuckyNeighbour]

That’s quite a neat way to do it. I think my method leaves a fair bit of fermentables behind. I’ll definitely try your way next time. Cheers :-)

 

[Galena]

He's not using BIAB here but the method works the same
VIDEO

 

[obscure]

My ‘sparge’ consists of taking my grain bag and putting it in 4L of water at 75°C (I do 9L batches) giving a stir and leaving for 15 minutes, then taking the bag out squeezing and add to the rest of the wort.

Since I started doing this I have found my efficiency has gone from about 62% to 75% on average.

 

[The Cat]

Since I started using my Brewzilla I've taken to using cold water for sparging.

I've been heating the water in the unit up gradually during the process towards the boiling step but I know using cold water will extend the brew day a bit but it's working so I'm going to carry on for now.

 

[The Baron]

Do not quote me 100% but I am sure that I have seen that cold sparges have been done as a experiment and shown no real difference in efficiency.
I do a sparge at 80c ish but only to make the boil quicker in reaching temp

 

[The Cat]

Do not quote me 100% but I am sure that I have seen that cold sparges have been done as a experiment and shown no real difference in efficiency.
I do a sparge at 80c ish but only to make the boil quicker in reaching temp

Thanks what I read suggests the same and I find it so much easier so it suits me. Anyway sorry for hijacking the thread but it might be worth a go @MuckyNeighbour it really does suit my brew days. I do have a boiler I could use to heat the water but it saves me space not to which is a bit tight where the kit is at the moment.

 

[MuckyNeighbour]

He's not using BIAB here but the method works the same
VIDEO

Do not quote me 100% but I am sure that I have seen that cold sparges have been done as a experiment and shown no real difference in efficiency.
I do a sparge at 80c ish but only to make the boil quicker in reaching temp

if that’s the case then I don’t need to worry too much :-D

 

[The Cat]

if that’s the case then I don’t need to worry too much :-D

I think the really important bit is that it is not too hot - you can extract unwanted amounts of tannins then I think.

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi all,
I don’t have any sparging equipment and, instead, “rinse” the mash through fine netting into a fermenting bucket. This is problematic because I can’t regulate the temp of the sparge water with any accuracy. I’m hoping that this isn’t really that big an issue but, if it is, what alternatives are out there?

The temperature of the sparge water really doesn't affect the efficiency of the sparge very much, if at all. What matters more is the flow through the grain bed. My advice would be to get as big a colander as you can with the smallest holes you can find and, also, a piece of perforated stainless steel or stainless mesh. Don't pour the contents of the bag into the colander, but use the colander to support the bag. Put the mesh on top of the grain so that you can pour your sparge water onto it without it drilling holes in the grain bed. Rinse slowly, keeping the liquid just above the mesh until you've collected enough wort. You'll find your extraction improves massively.
I use a 15 litre pot with a steamer section on top. It works great.

 

[MuckyNeighbour]

That sounds like something I can easily accommodate. I have some 23L FVs which I use to collect the wort. I can easily utilise one of those to rig up, as per your suggestion.

 

[Clint]

For my picnic cooler mash tun every brew I get a piece of foil and perforate it with a sharp pointy thing used for making holes in wood (I can't spell bradall ). I then place this on top of the mash before sparging. Then chuck it away afterwards..no cleaning.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I moved to batch sparging about a year ago. I usually mash with 18 litres at 65/66C and then drain the tun into a bucket. I then add 14 litres at 73/75C and stir and leave for 10 minutes stir again and leave for another 10 minutes. After I've added the sparge water to the mash tun I empty the wort from the bucket to my boiler.

 

[MuckyNeighbour]

For my picnic cooler mash tun every brew I get a piece of foil and perforate it with a sharp pointy thing used for making holes in wood (I can't spell bradall ). I then place this on top of the mash before sparging. Then chuck it away afterwards..no cleaning.

My dad used to call that particular tool a Pig Stabber. I have no idea why!!
btw it’s a bradawl

 

[Clint]

Regards to sparge and efficiency and making sure you rinse the mash as best you can..my efficiency rose at least 10% when I swapped the bazooka filter out for a manifold that covers the bottom of the tun. I made the manifold from copper pipe and various fittings from the DIY shop. Quite easy to do,hardest part was sawing the drainage slits in the pipe though this would be easy if you had a vice and electric cutter.

 

[Galena]

when I swapped the bazooka filter out for a manifold that covers the bottom of the tun. I made the manifold from copper pipe and various fittings from the DIY shop.

First thing I did was get rid of the bazooka, another option is one of THESE which I am about to try on a new 56 litre kettle I am building.

 

[An Ankoù]

My dad used to call that particular tool a Pig Stabber. I have no idea why!!
btw it’s a bradawl

Or it could be just an awl- easier to spell.
Hear about the cobbler who fell in love with the fishmonger's daughter? He gave her his awl! Boom, boom.

 

[Stevieboy]

Or it could be just an awl- easier to spell.
Hear about the cobbler who fell in love with the fishmonger's daughter? He gave her is awl! Boom, boom.

She lay on the slab and said Fillet.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Those jokes Floundered.