Fly vs. Batch Sparging

I get around 80% efficiency from batch sparging in a rubbermaid container and the cleanup is super easy

 

I learned by batch sparging and recently I was thinking of trying a fly sparge! I've done triple decoctions, but I've never done a fly sparge...kinda funny!
Yes, you should save time by batch sparging. What is your typical efficiency now? Batch sparging can be very efficient if PH, crush, and temperature are in line.

 

OP: Unless you are having some problems with fly sparging, you've already got the setup...why not use it? Disclaimer: I use a hybrid system for 10 gal batches that is 1/2 batch and 1/2 fly/float because I like to stir the pot.

 

I personally fly sparge. I have read that if a brewer conducts a very slow fly sparge you will achieve optimum efficiency. I have also read from folks who batch sparge that they achieve the 'same' efficiency as slow fly sparging folks.

I have no idea what is 'truth' is here. It also depends on how important optimizing efficiency is to you.

My suggestion is use the method that best suits you personally.

Cheers!

 

I started doing fly sparges, and a few brews ago went to batch. I honestly haven't noticed much difference in yield, though I don't worry about every .0001 point - I know roughly what to expect, and if it's a few points either way, I call it good.
From the few recipes I've done both ways, it's been within the margin of error.

 

I should preface this with the fact that I've never done a fly sparge, so take this with the proverbial grain of salt.

Intuitively, fly sparge is more efficient simply because there's a continuous flow of clean water through the grain bed. Kind of like rinsing in the shower after a bath. In practical terms, it's probably not a big deal, since you can simply adjust the quantity of grain, as necessary, to achieve the desired OG.

Time-wise, I've gotten my process down to the point where I've always got something to do while a 'wait' step is occurring - milling the grains while the mash water is heating, hooking up the plumbing during the mash, washing the pre-boil equipment during the boil, sanitizing the fermenters during the whirlpool, etc, etc, etc. To that end, I don't think fly sparging would add much time to my brew day. But, as I said above, I haven't done it, so I could be completely off the mark on that.

 

It's a simple, well understood phenomenon, and is the direct result of the ratio of the original mash wort to sparge water left behind in the mash tun when finished with the (last) runoff. The more dilute the volume of wort left behind, the more accumulated sugars in the wort that actually ran off.

All other things being equal (including total water in the mash + sparge), a fly sparge will result in higher efficiency than batch (assuming the fly sparge is done properly...no channeling). Just like multiple batch sparges will result in higher efficiency than a single batch sparge. And a single batch sparge will result in higher efficiency than a no-sparge. If doing multiple batch sparges, the sweet spot for efficiency is where the runoff volume for each step is equal to the other step(s).

All that said, I usually do a mashout and no-sparge. I like the results and don't care about increasing mash efficiency.

 

Oh no you didnt! You began your post with "simple" and slide "no sparge" in at the end. I say that because it seems when the discussion of no sparge comes up there is a great deal of discussion on the definition of no sparge.

OP, I have always batch sparged. I get 75% efficiency pretty easily. I can get 80% but have to fight a stuck sparge.

Is there an advantage? I cant really say if the quality of wort is different either way, but you probably can save time an not notice a difference.

 

IMO, the definition of no-sparge is that all the wort is of a single gravity and is run off in one step. It makes no difference (definition-wise) if the grains were mashed in the total volume of water or not. I know some would say that if you mash-out before lautering then that's not a no-sparge, but to me that's silly...nothing was lautered before the mash-out water was added, so where's the sparge?

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go pull out a bag of steeping grains, and rinse it through a colander.

 

I think I need a beer to make sense of all this.

 

I used to average 85-90% efficiency with a regular batch sparge and high quality crush of the grains. I have since opened the gap on my mill to reduce the average to 80-85%, as I believe high efficiency was beginning to reduce malt flavors, i.e., getting more sugars out of less grain reduces the amount of "other stuff" in the beer from husks, etc., resulting in less malty flavors.

So anyway.... high efficiency is most certainly possible with batch sparging. Fly sparging is just an extra PITA that you don't need.

Nowadays, I am a small batch brewer so it made more sense for me to convert to BIAB, which is even easier yet. I still usually sparge in the bag, except for small gravity beers, I skip any sparge and just do the "regular" BIAB method. For bigger beers though I do still bring out the old cooler mash tun and batch sparge like the old days.

It's all good.

 

I started out fly sparging and have dialed in my process with this technique. After mashing out at ~165 F, my sparge takes about 45 minutes. I tried a single-infusion batch sparge once. It saved me maybe 20 - 25 minutes and (and IIRC) my efficiency suffered quite a bit. I should have perhaps given batch sparging another go or two, but since my one foray I've just gone back to fly sparging. At this point my whole brew day is so dialed in, so changing anything take a bit of mental effort that I'd rather not make. Cheers!

 

How hard you crush the grains can have an impact on efficiency, and the sparge method also has an impact and is related. With fly sparging, there is less impact on efficiency from crush quality as compared with batch sparging, where the crush can have a huge impact on efficiency. As such, fly spargers might need to consider crushing harder if switching to batch sparge, and the reverse is also true, if switching from batch to fly then you might no longer need to crush quite so hard to get the same efficiency. However, neither sparge method is "better" or "worse" than the other, with respect to final beer quality, as far as I can tell. Just different. And, of course, batch sparging saves a bunch of time and equipment. For that reason, batch sparging is just a wee bit "better" IMHO.

 

Without getting too technical, since many of you already have, it all comes down to if you want to take the time to fly sparge. I found that when fly sparging with a turkey frier, I had to constantly turn on or shut off the flame to keep my sparge water temp at 168. It's not totally annoying but it did get old. I have noticed better efficiencies with fly sparging but you could achieve the same results by adjusting your grain bill a few points if doing batch sparge.

 

A couple of years ago I got bored/tired with batch sparging and started to add my sparge water to the mash tun and then drain all at once, i.e. what VikeMan refers to as "no sparge". I never noticed much of a hit to my efficiency and it saves a little more time.

 

I do both depending what system I'm working on…I use fly sparge when I'm firing up my big system. I've got a float switch on it so it's basically a set-it & forget it until 13-14 gallons are collected in my kettle. I take it slow and honestly don't really notice the time since I'm generally doing other tasks. Efficiency is often in the 80-85% range.
I batch sparge when I'm just looking to keep things simple for a 5 gal batch. I'm not sure it saves a lot of time since I do a double batch sparge and will run off all three for maybe 5 min before sending that batch into the kettle so…each batch sparge takes maybe 15 minutes. It's definitely more work during the sparge process, but probably saves some time and allows me to be a little more hands-on. Efficiency is often in the 75-80% range.
Both have their place for me.

 

I fly sparge. I usually time my brew day so when I sparge it's lunch time.

 

I fly sparge. The advantage is higher efficiency, with the negative being a longer brew day.

My mash efficiency is in the low 90's.