How do you sparge?

[simon12]

Just wondered out of interest how most people sparge and why so here's a poll to find out. I have batch and fly sparged but on different kit so never compared and both work well.

 

[MickDundee]

I BIAB. Sometimes sparge, sometimes don’t. I usually do sparge so selected that option.

 

[Horners]

Not sure what you would call what I did for my recent first attempt at AG - using Klarstein/ ACE etc mash tun cum boiler lifted the grain baset out and drizzled very hot water onto top of grain bed via a colander - eventually there was a few inches of water above the grain filtering through slowly. I then left it whilst I took the kids for a haircut, got back and combined what had run off with the original (manually recirculated wort) and boiled it. Seemed to hit the right numbers in the end albeit 10 days in the FV the green beer seems a bit thin compared to the extract attempts I've done previously.

 

[marshbrewer]

I don't have any way to fly sparge ~ no sparge arm, standard Burco tap that I can't attach any type of hose to, etc, so I batch sparge.

 

[Norfolk79]

Batch sparge with the grainfather. Usually get very good efficiency.

 

[brumbrew]

Depends if I'm brewing alone. If I am it's BIAB and sparge carfull with one hand holding the bag and one holding hot water in a pan. I work with pewter so my hands are accustomed to hot things.

If I'm brewing with my friend we have our own home made AG sytem so batch sparge.

 

[MmmBeer]

Batch sparge with the grainfather. Usually get very good efficiency.

Ditto, last brew I got over 90% efficiency.

 

[BeerisGOD]

I use my bottling bucket

 

[Gunge]

I don't have any way to fly sparge ~ no sparge arm, standard Burco tap that I can't attach any type of hose to, etc, so I batch sparge.

Whaddya want a sparge arm for?? I use a 99p Asda 1ltr jug... works great.

 

[Norfolk79]

Whaddya want a sparge arm for?? I use a 99p Asda 1ltr jug... works great.

Yep same here, sparge with 1 litre of water at a time so I can keep track of the volume.

Ditto, last brew I got over 90% efficiency.

Not just me then, until you dial this in you end up with some brews stronger than expected. No that that's too much of a bad thing!

 

[simon12]

Those who found batch or fly better was this just better efficiency? or something more and if efficiency by how much?

 

[Sadfield]

Those who found batch or fly better was this just better efficiency? or something more and if efficiency by how much?

I've never chased efficiency as it only relates to a small saving on grain, as I get it for £15 a sack. Although, as an unintentional benefit, it has improved as I've looked to improve beer quality with things like water treatment and fly sparging. I find I get considerably clearer wort going into the kettle by fly sparging.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

 

[marshbrewer]

Whaddya want a sparge arm for?? I use a 99p Asda 1ltr jug... works great.

To be honest, I find the re-circulation part of lautering, where I draw off a jug of wort, and add it back, repeating until the wort runs clear, frustrating. I think following that with a jug powered sparge would finally send me bananas. Although, thinking about it, it's probably the same amount of jug usage..... Might have to give that a go next time.

 

[Clint]

I do a split batch sparge. I vorlauf then drain the tun, top up with half my spare water let it sit,drain and repeat. I get 72-75%efficiency though I find this can vary with mash time. I mashed for 2 hours once and got up to 78% iirc. Depends if I have the time!

 

[simon12]

I do a split batch sparge. I vorlauf then drain the tun, top up with half my spare water let it sit,drain and repeat. I get 72-75%efficiency though I find this can vary with mash time. I mashed for 2 hours once and got up to 78% iirc. Depends if I have the time!

Sounds just like what I do but I never tried a long mash. Do you stir it with each sparge stage then leave to settle again? I think it improves efficiency but never measure anything well enough to really calculate it.

 

[gnelson]

I don't have any way to fly sparge ~ no sparge arm, standard Burco tap that I can't attach any type of hose to, etc, so I batch sparge.

A standard burco tap can be adapted: I have a muckle bit of polypropylene tubing attached onto the end of the burco outlet and then a redcucer that goes onto a standard syphon tube, which I then hold and manually spray over the mash.

 

[gnelson]

Those who found batch or fly better was this just better efficiency? or something more and if efficiency by how much?

I've only done batch sparging a couple of times. To my mind, you are more likely to end up getting it stuck, and also far less likely to get it to run clear. Running off 2-3 jugfuls of the initial mash and reintroducing at the top once it has run clear, whilst draining into the boiler lets the grain bed settle nicely. Then spray my sparge liquor over the top so it all runs clear. Depending on how well the bed settles, this takes 25-40 minutes (manual) for 7 gallons of sparge liquor for a 10 gallon brew. In terms of efficiency, I've not done enough to compare, and I rarely check: when I do it is around 70% (that is buying pre-crushed malt- I think it is poorer than grinding your own).

 

[Clint]

I stir the initial mash about every 20 minutes then stir the sparges and let settle before draining. I may try a fly sparge to see what it gives....

 

[The Baron]

Not sure what you would call what I did for my recent first attempt at AG - using Klarstein/ ACE etc mash tun cum boiler lifted the grain baset out and drizzled very hot water onto top of grain bed via a colander - eventually there was a few inches of water above the grain filtering through slowly. I then left it whilst I took the kids for a haircut, got back and combined what had run off with the original (manually recirculated wort) and boiled it. Seemed to hit the right numbers in the end albeit 10 days in the FV the green beer seems a bit thin compared to the extract attempts I've done previously.

I do similar just jug it into the grain basket once lifted up and leave the top plate in which has lots of small holes in it so dont need a colander

 

[cockerhoop]

I have a 5 gallon pot with tap that sits on my hob. I mash in a coolbox that sits just below it on top of a couple of Grolsch crates. Then on the floor I have a bucket to collect the liquor. I just use a pvc tube from the pan sparge into the coolbox. All kind of flows along nicely.