| Author |
Message |
    
Ray Danen (68.35.101.138)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 06:36 am: | 
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I've recently built a HERMS brewery, using converted 15.5g kegs, and haven't found a good way to apply my sparge water. I've tried a copper "H" manifold, but found the setup quite clumsey. I'm currently just setting my tubing directly on top of the grain bed, leaving about 1" of water above the grains. Anyone have a better way? I've looked in the phils sparge, but thought the drop in elevation for the sparge arm to the grain bed would be too high (about 16").
Cheers!
-Ray |
Bill Pierce (12.249.104.53)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 01:30 pm: |
|
It's kind of a non-issue, Ray. Some people here consider a rotating sparge arm ("whirlygig") to be a joke. A return manifold certainly works but is overkill. My HERMS uses a sparge ring built from a spiral of copper tubing with 1/16 in. holes in it, but to tell you the truth it is more than is needed. In the end, your current system (sitting the tubing on top of the grain bed) is probably sufficient. And there are quite a few people here who batch sparge, in which case they don't worry about it all. |
Ed Jones (156.153.255.126)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 03:34 pm: |
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Ray, I simply place an old collander on top of the grain bed and direct the hose from my HLT to run sparge water over top of the collander. My guess is if the flow rate is gentle and you maintain liquid above the grain bed, your method probably works fine.
Ed |
Paul McHugh (68.158.167.182)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 04:57 pm: |
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I use a plastic 1/2" hose with a 6 inch piece of 1/2" copper pipe bent in a hook shape which sits on top of the grain bed with 1 to 2 inches of water on top.
As Bill says its really a non issue as long as you don't channel the grain bed. |
dion fortier (208.38.66.171)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 05:32 pm: |
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what is batch spargeing?IS it that you drian mash and add water to boil kettle. |
Richard Shaffer (64.35.155.194)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 05:53 pm: |
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I use a 12" pizza plate with holes drilled. I just lay it on top of my mash and run my recirc. on top of it. Works very well. Richard. |
Bill Pierce (208.57.122.28)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 05:59 pm: |
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Dion, here is everything you would ever want to know about batch sparging: http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html |
Jim Keaveney (205.188.209.80)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 06:07 pm: |
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Ray, I have brewed many a batch the way you describe. a friend of mine started keeping his stuff in my shed so now i use his contraption which sounds exactly like what bill describes. haven't really noticed a change in efficiency or anything so it probably doesnt matter. it does keep the grain bed nice and even though. |
Mike Pensinger (198.26.132.101)
| | Posted on Friday, March 14, 2003 - 02:55 pm: |
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Ray,
I too tried all the "standard ways and the H pipe worked bset but was VERY clumsy as you said. I was surfing the internet and found a system that used Loc-Line for the return manifold. It is a coolant return system made for machine work. Constructed with hi temp thermoplastic and has 15 jets that are aimable individualy. Check out my web site.
The Loc Line is very reasonably priced and available from McMaster-Carr (NAYY).
Mike Pensinger
beermkr at pensinger.net
www.pensinger.net |
Ray Danen (68.35.101.138)
| | Posted on Saturday, March 15, 2003 - 05:03 pm: |
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Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm going to try using a collander with my current setup. My main concern was channeling, but my efficiency is in the high 70's.
Cheers!
-Ray |
Brews and Views Archive 2003