specialkaye

Recipes 

Thanks. Works great with pellets, that's all I've used. When it's in the pot, the pellets break down quick and there's a "mush" floating around in there. I'll pick up the legs a couple inches every once in a while, and let it drop back as I replace the legs on the kettle rim. Read on here that this helps with hops use. If not, no loss. When you pull the hop spider from the kettle, the mush lumps together and looks almost like a green bread dough when you turn it out. Quick and easy clean up too, just some rinsing really.

specialkaye

Recipes 

I've got a post pretty much about that I'm working on now. Though, I don't use the hop spider for the grain, no need. That new thread with be in the AG forum.

Link to 1st All Grain BIAB

nutty_gnome

Recipes 

How do you stir yer pot?

Also, please cut yer toenails. Thank you.

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specialkaye

Recipes 

Toenails are done, thanks for the reminder. And no, I didn't cut them over the boil kettle.

As for stirring, I don't. the boil kettle is coming to a full boil when the hop spider goes on. I just let the boil do the stirring and occasionally lift the spider a bit to move the hops mush around.

evanmars

Recipes 

You could save the cost of 2 carriage bolts, 4 hex nuts, and 4 washers. Just put the bolts across from each other. It's not like the thing is going to flip upside down with the hop bag hanging off of the bottom.

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harten74

Recipes 

Great photos. I have been using one of these for several years and love it.

Sawdustguy

Recipes 

Lil' Sparky has another build thread on here that he did a few years ago.

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specialkaye

Recipes 

Yes, he did. Right here, post #3. But, I couldn't find any other pictures or his instructions on the build.

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Hop Spider - Cheap

Ribcage IC with Ice Water Recirculation

Easy All Grain with BIAB

Coming Soon: 2 Rule Investing

Hang Glider

Recipes 

For a 'quick release' version, instead of using the hose clamps, you could stack another fitting on top like the photo ?

passedpawn

Recipes 

Great build thread. Seriously, very well done. Here are a few comments (I've been using one of these for 2 years).

• The bag is going to slip off and you will lose the hops and bag into the boil. It will happen the way you have it arranged. I know you have the clamp really tight, but it will happen. Consider flipping the flange, or a different flange. I used one that had a much wider hole, and the wider part is on the bottom so that the flange cannot go over it. Still, I've had the bag slip through and fall. So also re-tighten clamp occasionally.
• The nuts and washers on mine started to rust after a year, so I removed them, and the threaded rods, and replaced with a single copper pipe that ran right through the middle. Works great, and I can slide the pipe out when done and it stores nice and compact. In fact, to clean I just let it soak in oxyclean in the bottom of my boil kettle for a few days.
• A piece of copper pipe in the bag will keep it from floating during the boil.
• My hop utilization is fine with mine. There are a lot of folks who claim otherwise, but I have no problem at all.

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