Phils Sparger - Temperature Control

[boise_brewer]

Hey, anyone out there using phils sparge arm. I got one recently and have noticed that if I fill my sparge water tank with 175 degree water, it has cooled down about 30 degrees by the time it gets through the hoses and sparge arm and is spraying on my grain. This really killed my efficiency the first couple batches. I have now upped the water temp in the sparge water tank to just above 200 degrees. It seems to come out about 170 and my efficiency improves a lot when I do this. Anyone else have this problem, or is there a better way to sparge I don't know about? Thanks, Boise_brewer

[valorian]

I found the same thing with the sparging arm. I do exactly what you do.

[brewsters millionths]

can't see how it would affect your efficiency as sparge temp is designed to stop the mash, if it's lower then mash would be allowed to continue unlees too cold for the enzymes. if it's affecting your efficiency surely your mash hsn't completed when you start your sparge. maybe need to mash for a bit longer.

[bperetto]

it effects it because sugars flow more freely when hotter. Image refrigerator maple syrup or honey versus stuff you've nuked in the microwave.

Boise, you're doing the right thing. It's not the temp of the water in the HLT, but the temp of the mash that you want to hit. If it takes 200 degree water, so be it. I only used that sparge arm a few times. I didn't notice much of a problem, but I did add sticky duct insulation to the mash tun bucket.