[liquidgold]

Been reading about batch vs fly sparging. Most of what I've read about batch sparging suggest that after the mash, you drain out the sweet liquid, add more water, and drain again until you achieve your desired pre-boil volume. I've been doing it a little different as I don't empty my mash tun and then refill. Instead I let liquid flow out the tun into my boil kettle while continuously adding water. I try to match the rates of flow.  Anyone else do this? It seems to work well.

[weithman5]

as long as it works. i tend to just add all the liquid i need and drain it all out

[tschmidlin]

I let liquid flow out the tun into my boil kettle while continuously adding water. I try to match the rates of flow.

I do this, there is a name for it - it is called fly sparging.

[euge]

I've reverted to mashing at a certain water/grist ratio- then add the rest of the water as a mashout. Stir, drain once the mash settles a bit and collect preboil volume.

[brushvalleybrewer]

I let liquid flow out the tun into my boil kettle while continuously adding water. I try to match the rates of flow.

I do this, there is a name for it - it is called fly sparging.

^ This.

[liquidgold]

I guess I assumed if fly sparging you would drain out some liquid but not all and then sparge onto the grain bed itself as opposed to keeping a water level above the grain. 

[morticaixavier]

I guess I assumed if fly sparging you would drain out some liquid but not all and then sparge onto the grain bed itself as opposed to keeping a water level above the grain. 

ahh don't mind those guys. they are smart a##es 

but yeah, what you are describing is fly sparging without a sparge arm. I batch sparge, just drain the tun. refill with more water and drain again. It's nice because you can see how much you got from the first runnings and add water to get your preboil volume pretty exactly. or you can parti-gyle easily, first drain goes in one kettle second into second kettle. or you can resparge after you have yoru volume to get some extra wort for canning starter wort.

course you can do all those things with fly sparging as well. batch just seems simpler to me.

[bluesman]

The fly vs. batch sparging debate is a long standing one. I am a batch sparger from way back. 

There are pros and cons both ways but it comes down to your personal preference. There's no right or wrong way. Pick a method and stick with it until you decide you want a change.

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=3022.msg34070#msg34070

[malzig]

I've been doing it a little different as I don't empty my mash tun and then refill. Instead I let liquid flow out the tun into my boil kettle while continuously adding water. I try to match the rates of flow.  Anyone else do this? It seems to work well.

It will never work.

[tschmidlin]

I guess I assumed if fly sparging you would drain out some liquid but not all and then sparge onto the grain bed itself as opposed to keeping a water level above the grain. 

With fly sparging you keep the water level above the grain bed to avoid channeling. That's when the water only takes one (or a few) path(s) through the grain.  It leaves a lot of sugars behind.