What is the difference between batch sparging and fly sparging

For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Batch and Fly sparging. Whats the difference? Thread starter bjzelectric Start date Jul 21, Help Support Homebrew Talk:.

Kinda ridiculous but Im having trouble figuring out the difference between batch and fly sparging. Can anyone explain it in Leymans terms for a knucklehead like myself?

Fly sparging is a continuous rinsing of the grain, water in equals water out of the mash tun. Batch sparging is where "batches" of sparge water are added to the tun, stirred and drained completely, and then repeated 1 or a few times.

Some argue fly sparging has benifits, but IMHO batching is simpler and less equipment sensitive, yet will also produce acceptable results. Joined Nov 4, Messages 1, Reaction score In fly sparging do you keep rinsing with wort, or keep adding new liquor? Yooper Ale's What Cures You! Staff member. Malticulous Well-Known Member. George Utah.

Batch spaging is better! KayaBrew Well-Known Member. Conroe said:. Benjibbad Well-Known Member. I will try it again this weekend to see if it was a fluke or if it really is better for me. With the right equipment and done properly, fly sparging can produce a slightly higher efficiency than batch sparging; but with the wrong equipment, or done improperly, fly sparging can be much less efficient because of channeling. It is also very easy to over sparge when fly sparging resulting in excess tannin extraction, while it is virtually impossible to do this with a batch sparge.

Fly sparging is a waste of my time and money. The Pol Well-Known Member. Joined Feb 12, Messages 11, Reaction score Here is a pretty comprehensive run down of both sparge procedures along with some pros and cons None of them, really matter or make that big of a difference.

You will probably screw something up that is simple, that would contribute more to a difference in your final product than any of these differences combined.

People like thier soap boxes Do what fits your style or your system. After all, this is just a hobby. Sparging Methods Brewer's Friend. My Junk is Ugly Lifetime Supporter. Louis, MO. That was funny. BierMuncher said:. The Pol said:. How long does it take to do a double batch sparge?

Arent you supposed to let the batches rest for mins before running off? I ask, because I an fly sparge in 30 minutes and still get great eff. I have nver understood the idea that batch sparging is that much faster, unless you are single batch sparging perhaps.

If there's some specific aspect of either method that is in question, that's a different story. Saccharomyces Be good to your yeast Lifetime Supporter. Both techniques will yield good efficiency if you dial in your process. In batch sparging a fine crush is key to getting good efficiency, since you don't get complete diffusion with a coarse crush. If you don't have a mill, have your LHBS run the grain through the mill twice.

In fly sparging you don't want to overcrush the grain or you risk a stuck sparge, and will end up effectively batch sparging in slow motion. I wish I had the same amount of replies when I have problems with my brews I have to say you all pretty much answered my question I really didn't have any hypothesis for or against either method in any respect.

I realize now I may have over-simplified the problem. It would take, I think, lab equipment and controlled experiments. As I said, being new to AG, I wanted to know if I was missing something by going steady with batch sparging. Since the process has yielded good results so far, I will work on perfecting my batch sparge technique. In the future although, I might try fly sparging, just to play around. Thanks a lot for the answers, but foremost for the peacefulness of the exchange.

I'm new to AG and been doing as much research as I can Can you direct me to a link where you explain your batch sparging process? Malticulous Well-Known Member. George Utah. It's always with smaller beers or 90 minute boils. It's the watter to grain ratio. Courser crush is generally preferred for fly sparging. My newer MLT designs are not conducive to fly sparging so nothing is scientific really. My personal experience is batch sparging is better, at least for me. The big advantages are some time savings and the ease of making a much larger MLT.

Pilgarlic Well-Known Member. You asked for science. RumRiverBrewer said:. Pilgarlic said:. Killervector Active Member. Reelale Well-Known Member. Joined Sep 25, Messages 17, Reaction score 1, Sacch, I thought you were no-sparge brewing? Or is that just an additional method you employ at times?

In fact, it has been argued that this process produces higher quality wort than both batch and fly-sparging, albeit at the expense of efficiency.

I think there is a misconception that fly sparging is more work. I have done both and actually feel batch sparging is more physical work. Fly sparging is more of a set it and forget it once you know were to set the ball valves and monitor for a few minutes. My batch sparging set-up was less expensive rectangle cooled and ss braid vs.

I personally fly sparge all of the time now for 2 reasons: 1. A deep grain bed seems to give me a clearer wort 2. Wellshooter Well-Known Member. Killervector said:. Crush is key with batch sparging Wellshooter said:. I found that I like to fly sparge, it doesn't disturb my grain bed. I just take the top off my cooler and dribble in my hot water, I wiggle the hose around some to try to keep it even. My method is not complex and doesn't require building a manifold.

I can't complain about the results either. I think there's an unnecessarily strict line drawn between batch sparging and fly sparging. Just rinse the damn grains and do what you can. Keep it simple, and make it work for you. I started with fly sparging, because I'd read it was best. Now I batch sparge sort of, I guess , and I get better efficiency, the process is simpler and quicker, and overall it just works best for me.

Toecutter Well-Known Member. I'm somewhat new to this and been using a rectangular cooler with a copper manifold and getting bad efficiency, so i just started using a little extra grain. I drilled many tiny holes in all 4 tubes. I tested for gravity feed with a raised bucket and spigot, which worked ok, but i think to get better water distribution from the pin holes i am going to have to use a small aquarium pump.

Brew-boy Well-Known Member. I have tried both and more than once. I found I did not like to batch sparge my efficiencies were terrible and all over the place. I fly sparge now and yes it does take more time but it is very predictable for me. Brew-boy said:. Joined Apr 17, Messages 15 Reaction score 0. I went from fly to batch and now I am back to fly.

Then you add more water to the mash tun and stir. We recommend replacing the lid and waiting 30 minutes before you drain the newly added water. After the 30 minutes, you drain the wort, and begin the boil process. Batch sparging allows you to save time because you can open the spigots all the way. You do not have to monitor the flow rate as it does not matter. And, you do not have to take specific gravity readings as the gravity will not change throughout the process.

In the past, brewers stayed away from batch sparging because the efficiency rate was lower compared to fly sparging. Today's beer grains are modified specifically for brewing, and they do not appear to have the same issues as grains did years ago.

Most of the all grain brewers at Midwest will use the batch sparging method because it is so much quicker than fly sparging, and you don't really lose any efficiency. Most of us started with fly sparging because making beer was just done that way for years.