My system is as simple as it gets: buckets and a cooler. I’ve done both fly and batch sparge but can’t tell a difference. Any strong opinions? If so, I’d love to hear them.
I also have never been able to detect a difference in the final beer with either method. I don’t care about efficiency and I only batch sparge. I got ~92% efficiency when I used to fly sparge, and ~82% when I batch sparge. The difference amounts to about $3 of extra grain to compensate. It’s a no-brainer choice for me given how much easier batch sparging is. And then there’s no-sparge brewing, which I’ve never done and so can’t comment on…
a fly-sparge system ranks incredibly low on my list of brewhouse upgrades. absolutely, the most important thing to me is reliability and having a system i am comfortable with. i batch sparge when i do all-grain and see no reason to change to potentially save a few bucks (5 or less) per batch.
What differences do you expect to perceive between the two? Differences in flavor, time, wort profile, etc…? If executed “properly” either should produce the same end result.
If you place any value on your time, fly sparging loses every time. While the potential for a better efficiency does exist, it’s usually a lot smaller than some would have you believe, and comes at a cost in both equipment and time. Any time I can trade a pound of grain for even 1/2 hour of my time, I’ll add the malt.
I prefer no sparge to either, but my smaller batch size certainly makes it easier than it would for 5 gallons or larger.
If you can’t tell a difference, what else matters?
When you no sparge do you mash at a 1.5:1 or something for a specified time, then add the sparge liquor, vorlauf and lauter the combined volume? Or do you simply mash with the total volume like BIAB?
I use total volume with the exception of real small beers (under 1.040). I’ve had issues with slow conversion in really thin mashes. I’m using a Foundry now, but when I was doing 2 vessel no sparge I would just reduce the strike water by a gallon and then add it to the kettle on my way to boil.
I never targeted a specific mash thickness because I found that I got faster conversion the thinner the mash got, up to about 3.5 qt/lb.
When I was all-grain brewing and switched to batch I think I noticed a 1-2 point decline in my O G; close enough.
The minor loss of efficiency with batch is no reason to not use it. I honestly believe that most brewers would avoid tannin and silicate with batch. But the reason I don’t move to batch is that it does bring air into the emptied grist and that does oxidize malt compounds. That’s no big deal for some styles, but it’s a killer in malt-forward styles like Helles. Fly sparging keeps the pore space in the grist full of water or wort and free of air.
Considering that I apply LODO techniques based on whether it’s a malt-forward style, I could probably apply batch sparging to some brews.
interesting about oxidation potential. valid for some and good to think about.
I have always continuous (a.k.a. “fly”) sparged. However, there was only one kind of sparging when I started to brew. What I like about continuous sparging is that it is a skill. Some people find continuous sparging to be too laborius and time consuming, but continuous sparging adds at most 15 minutes to my brew day. However, I have always brewed 3 and 5-gallon (final volume) batches. Where batch sparging pays off is on larger volumes.
Batch sparging provides an advantage even in 5 gal. batches
Yep! I only do 5 gallon batches and shaving even a little time off my brew day is a good thing, which batch sparging has done for me with no other difference in outcome that matters (mash efficiency has stayed about the same usually or dropped a point or 2 at times - big deal).
For most purposes batch sparging is vastly easier, but some for some niche styles, as mabrungard said, fly sparging is crucial.
I initially chose fly because of doing larger batch sizes. Then I started using my HERMS, so fly fit the process. I also don’t like the O2 introduction. I underlet, stir once, turn on the pump to recirculate, and drain to the BK. I never open the MT until it is time to clean it out. On smaller batches I believe I would just no sparge and take a little hit on efficiency. I’m not sure if one is any better than the other. Would I build another structure and system like I have starting over, probably not.
Which styles are those?
Well, my favorite as of recent is a Belgian style Tripel, and in my testing fly sparging just makes it that extra bit spicier. It’s a small difference, but it adds a lot to the overall taste IMO. This may be a placebo effect, I’m not trying to pose myself as an expert.
I would have to say it’s confirmation bias. Why would sparge style make it spicier? I can’t think of any reason.