Sparger Tray

A forum to discuss one pot automated brewing systems.
Post Reply
User avatar
Normski
Under the Table
Posts: 1130
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:55 pm
Location: Annfield Plain

Sparger Tray

Post by Normski » Sat Oct 03, 2015 4:55 pm

My BM Sparger Tray

Hi, since getting my BM I have sparged on just about every brew.
I started by placing the malt pipe above an Fv, and poured a kettle of 74c water through the grain. This worked well, but I had to keep lifting the malt pipe and placing on a drip tray, so I could check the runnings and then pour them into the Bm.
It also meant it was a 2 vessel system.
I soon got fed up with having to keep lifting and moving the malt pipe to recover the wort from the Fv. Then lift it back again.
I put some thought into making a no move system.
I came up with my Sparger Tray.

Image

Image

It’s just a SS tray with a tank connector and 3 chop sticks. Simple but very effective.
And you only lift it once to sparge.
Just place the malt pipe on 2 of the chop sticks in the tray, the 3rd chops stick is placed under the tray to add a bit of drainage toward the tank connector.

Image

I use a 1.7l kettle to heat the sparge water controlled by a stc1000 30A. set to 72c.
It works really well, it also appears to have shortened my brew day by about 20mins.
As soon as I lift the malt pipe, I start the boil.
I then sparge the 1st few kettles while the pipe is above the BM.
Then move the malt pipe to the tray. And continue sparging there.

Image

I check each 1.7l with a refractometer. If its ok, I add to the boiler. And continue with the next kettleful etc. I keep going until either the runnings get low or the boiler is full.

Image

The sparger tray fits inside my Bm for storage.

Image

I have an Ikea hop spider, which also fits inside for storage.

Image
Image

I mainly brew session strength beer and lager.
With my Sparger Tray I get very high efficiencies. Always in the 90% or above.
I often get 34L+ in the Fv from a 20L BM.
Norm
The Doghouse Brewery (UK)

Post Reply