sparging when to start

Post by **Andy** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:01 am

OK do you guys start sparging when ALL the initial sweet wort from the mash has been drained from the mash tun or do you start the sparge as soon as you've recirculated first runnings ?

Or something else ? :rolleyes:

FlippinMental · Post by **FlippinMental** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 2:25 pm

i'm going to try the batch sparge method. i've read that fly sparging comes with the risk of extracting unwanted tannin if over-sparged. something to do with PH moving above 6 because the grain is constently in contact with clear water during the later stages, this lowers the gravity allowing the PH to rise.

batch sparging, though delivering marginally reduced gravity, eliminates the tannin danger, and is reputed to be quicker and easier (no matching of flow rates into/out of the mash tun). many homebrewers report no appreciable drop in gravity when batch sparging. You can compensate by adding 10% to the grain bill & hardly nothing on a normal 5 gal receipe.

BlightyBrewer · Post by **BlightyBrewer** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 9:51 pm

I'm going for the batch sparging method too. Here's a good resource for those interested.

http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:04 pm

QUOTE (BlightyBrewer @ Mar 15 2006, 07:51 PM)Here's a good resource for those interested.

http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html
Blimey... :blink:

Is that beer brewing, or A-Level Algebra...

Slightly too complex formulae for me...

BlightyBrewer · Post by **BlightyBrewer** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:10 pm

But fascinating, nonetheless....

:stun

FlippinMental · Post by **FlippinMental** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:11 am

QUOTE (Road Runner @ Mar 15 2006, 08:04 PM)QUOTE (BlightyBrewer @ Mar 15 2006, 07:51 PM)Here's a good resource for those interested.

http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html
Blimey... :blink:

Is that beer brewing, or A-Level Algebra...

Slightly too complex formulae for me...
here's a friendlier explanation. basically you split the sparge into equal quantities.

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/article ... arge01.htm

Post by **Andy** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:13 am

I'm with DaaB, we need to use our spinny spargers!

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 1:02 am

QUOTE (andy @ Mar 15 2006, 10:13 PM) I'm with DaaB, we need to use our spinny spargers!

I'm an engineer, not a mathmatician. I need GADGETS!!!

Bring on the Spinny Sparger.

FlippinMental · Post by **FlippinMental** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 1:07 am

do any of you spinny sparger gadget type people check PH as the sparge progresses?

BlightyBrewer · Post by **BlightyBrewer** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:23 pm

I'm feeling the urge for a spinny sparging thingy.

I need to go to the local homebrew shop to get some Ph papers for my first AG this weekend, can I resist the urge to splurge?

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:45 pm

QUOTE (BlightyBrewer @ Mar 17 2006, 12:23 PM)I'm feeling the urge for a spinny sparging thingy.

can I resist the urge to splurge?Ã‚Â

I had the urge to splurge today too.

I'm currently in the middle of building my coolbox mash tun (almost finnished), so today found myself in my not so local HBS trying to buy some WGV hops ready for my next brew. They were out of the hops, so I just had to spend money on something, so bought a Spinny Sparger

Although it's a cool piece of kit, I was quite surprised at how amateurish the manufacture of it is. The guy in the shop said that "Phil" who designed it, makes them at his home in Canada.

Phil must sell a lot of these around the world, so I'm surprised he hasn't found a big manufacturer to sell the rights to.

Can't wait to play with my new toys now

BlightyBrewer · Post by **BlightyBrewer** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:52 pm

My urge to splurge was quashed today since my LHBS did not have any spinny spargers in stock. <_<

So, I bought a watering can rose just like bitter dave's. It'll do the trick I'm sure. I may return to my original plan and make a spinny sparger of my own (I was quite a keen model engineer once, so little gadgets like this are my thang).

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 12:08 am

It looks pretty simple to make your own. But by the time I'd bought all the relevent materials to make one & the necessary very fine drill bits for the water holes, I'm quite sure I couldn't make one for the same price.

I wanted an 8 inch sparger to fit my coolbox mash tun, but he only stocked the 10 inch ones. So I got a 10 inch one & just need to trim the arms a tad. The nice guy also let me have the 10 inch sparger for the 8 inch price too, otherwise he had to order one specially. And he's posting my WGV hops to me in the next couple of days too.

Nice guy. Highly recommend "Beers Unlimited" in Southend, Essex.

Road Runner · Post by **Road Runner** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 11:56 am

QUOTE (Daft as a Brush @ Mar 17 2006, 11:35 PM) By the way RR just a thought but why not crimp the ends before cutting then you dont have to worry about those cr@ppy silicone plugs.
Good idea about crimping the ends DaaB. Are the silicone plugs a problem then, do they keep popping out or something. Or is it that they're just a bit fiddly & easily lost?

The only problem I can see with crimping, is if some holes blocked up and I needed to poke something down the arms to clear it maybe, being such fine holes I suppose it's a possibility.

Although I suppose I could crimp them now and if it causes a problem, I can still cut the crimped ends off & plug them later.

Just sticking the arm in a solution of something would probably clean it out I guess though.

I'm probably worrying about nothing though, has anyone had any holes block up?

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sparging when to start

sparging when to start