[santoch]

Stirring the mash on each batch is what evens out the gravity.  Once all of it is even, runoff speed doesn't matter, other than to keep particulate out.

[Stevie]

Stirring the mash on each batch is what evens out the gravity.  Once all of it is even, runoff speed doesn't matter, other than to keep particulate out.

My conversion is fine, it's my runoff that suffers if I open my valve full bore. I get a more complete drain if I let ensure the valve is slower than the grain bed. With my gear and crush, it can be about a 1-1.5 quarts

[BrewBama]

Hi all, got back into brewing with my old equipment, and have been hitting around 55% efficiency where I used to hit 70%. Nothing has changed, except that I'm still using the same toilet supply hose thingy that goes in my 10gal Home Depot mash tun. It's certainly seen better days, kind of coiled up like a dead snake. However it drains perfectly into my kettle each time so I didn't see the need to replace it.

My question is, can something like that lower efficiency? I couldn't imagine that's true if I'm draining the entire mash tun, but I've run out of ideas. If so I'll go grab a fresh one. Thanks.

I've read that those bags used as a mash tun filter work really well.  http://www.brewinabag.com/  That might be an option for you.  Mash in a bag and run off into a kettle vs brew in a bag where you lift the bag to drain into a kettle.

[erockrph]

Hi all, got back into brewing with my old equipment, and have been hitting around 55% efficiency where I used to hit 70%. Nothing has changed, except that I'm still using the same toilet supply hose thingy that goes in my 10gal Home Depot mash tun. It's certainly seen better days, kind of coiled up like a dead snake. However it drains perfectly into my kettle each time so I didn't see the need to replace it.

My question is, can something like that lower efficiency? I couldn't imagine that's true if I'm draining the entire mash tun, but I've run out of ideas. If so I'll go grab a fresh one. Thanks.

I've read that those bags used as a mash tun filter work really well.  http://www.brewinabag.com/  That might be an option for you.  Mash in a bag and run off into a kettle vs brew in a bag where you lift the bag to drain into a kettle.

That's what I do and it works great. I'm closer to BIAB where I do a no-sparge in a cooler lined with a bag, but you can certainly batch sparge as well. It makes cleanup pretty easy.

[GS]

I wish I could remember where I saw this, but what it said was that in a round mash tun a bazooka screen should be used, and a toilet supply line is best for a rectangular cooler. But I bet we're only talking a couple of points difference, and there are other variables that would be hard to control.

I have a bazooka and a false bottom for my Home Depot cooler. Maybe one of these days I'll compare the two, but I prefer fly sparging. The journey is just as important as the destination.

[denny]

I wish I could remember where I saw this, but what it said was that in a round mash tun a bazooka screen should be used, and a toilet supply line is best for a rectangular cooler. But I bet we're only talking a couple of points difference, and there are other variables that would be hard to control.

I have a bazooka and a false bottom for my Home Depot cooler. Maybe one of these days I'll compare the two, but I prefer fly sparging. The journey is just as important as the destination.

That's bunk.  And neither will make any difference in your efficiency.

[klickitat jim]

I'm definitely no scientist, but with batch sparging I can't imagine how the drain style would have anything to do with conversion or efficiency

[RPIScotty]

I'm definitely no scientist, but with batch sparging I can't imagine how the drain style would have anything to do with conversion or efficiency

Agreed. It makes zero sense.

[chinaski]

I'm definitely no scientist, but with batch sparging I can't imagine how the drain style would have anything to do with conversion or efficiency

I AM a scientist... and you are right for the reasons that Sacaromyces explains clearly and for the experience of Denny, myself, and many other batch spargers.

[blair.streit]

I'm definitely no scientist, but with batch sparging I can't imagine how the drain style would have anything to do with conversion or efficiency

Maybe I'm being overly pedantic, but I think there's a point here about different drain styles and how they might "compensate" for other issues in the process.

I understand Sacc's point that batch sparging works via diffusion, but he also mentions that inadequate stirring could cause incomplete conversion in certain places.

Assuming that some of us are lazy stirrers (yes, I'm looking at you guy in the mirror), is it possible that slower runoff speeds and/or different fluid dynamics based on drain shape and position would help overcome some of that (simply by running liquid through doughballs and pulling out some of the sugars that otherwise would've been left behind)?

I can't say that I've been scientific enough about this to be certain, but I have observed differences in my process using braid versus false bottom and using the false bottom at different runoff speeds. It's possible that measurement errors in my early days accounted for some of this, but Martin has brewed quite a few batches and he seems to observe an effect from runoff speed as well.

Anyone care to play along on this one or should we just let it die? It's Friday and I'm having trouble mustering the energy to do the things I should be doing