Hop Spider - cheap

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

specialkaye

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
324
Reaction score
25
Location
Central Wisconsin
Here's a cheap Hop Spider for anyone interested. Total cost was about $7 and that includes:

1 x 3" to 2" PVC Reducer
4 x 5.5" Carriage Bolts
8 x 1/4-20 Hex Bolts
8 x 1/4 Flat Washers
1 x 3" worm clamp
1 x 1 Gallon Paint Strainer

I had several things I wanted: Easy to make, fast to make, inexpensive, sized for pot, and most importantly, I didn't want cross bars across where the hops go in.


IMG00144-20101119-1329.jpg

Here's the reducer to get.


IMG00145-20101119-1330.jpg

Finding where to drill. There's many ways to do this. Do what works for you. I just happen to have a Center Finder. Remember to drill on the larger side of the reducer, that'll be the top, where the hops go in.


IMG00148-20101119-1334.jpg

All four holes drilled.


IMG00149-20101119-1344.jpg

Exploded view of all parts just prior to assembly.
 
IMG00152-20101119-1347.jpg

Loose assembly.


IMG00153-20101119-1350.jpg

Snugging the bolts. I'm actually tightening the OUTSIDE mounting bolt to the reducer while holding the bolt itself. The inside nuts I ran onto the bolt flush with the end of the bolt and I wanted it to stay there. Tightening the outside mounting bolt while holding the bolt keeps the inside bolt from moving yet lets me tighten the mounts quite well.


IMG00154-20101119-1352.jpg

Leg assembly complete.


IMG00155-20101119-1353.jpg

I thought of trying to get the straining bag to fit up through the hop spider and over the top. I just wasn't crazy about this idea.
 
IMG00156-20101119-1354.jpg

I went back to the tried and true clamp on. This was my first choice but I wanted to see what happened the other way. That clamp can be snugged down quite a bit and will stand up to strong, sustained, pulling. I'm no small guy and I gave my sack quite a few good tugs.


IMG00157-20101119-1355.jpg

Checking fit.


IMG00158-20101119-1355.jpg

Another fit test photo from the top with the requisite "foot in the shot" photo.


IMG00159-20101119-1355.jpg

Same picture angle, without the foot.
 
IMG00160-20101119-1355.jpg

Checking how far my sack will hang into the pot. It's just above the bottom. If I stretch it out, it might touch bottom.


IMG00161-20101119-1356.jpg

Storage idea.


IMG00254-20101121-1702.jpg

First time hop spider is in the wort. Looking good.


IMG00255-20101121-1705.jpg

Boil underway with hops already added.
 
IMG00256-20101121-1710.jpg

Another angle on the hop spider. Yup, had a little bit of a boil over but when you read the AG thread of what I'm doing, you'll understand why. And, it really wasn't even enough to puddle on the ground.


IMG00257-20101121-1750.jpg

The new hop spider made it all the way through the boil. The immersion chiller (that's in it's own thread) is in and the boil is about over.

Conclusion: This thing works great. Very easy to undo the clamp, when it cools, and turn the hop sack inside out and turn the hops residue out. (I put mine in a tied up plastic grocery bag and into a lidded garbage can) Rinse the hop sack under running water, hang to dry. Turn it inside out from that position before storing so you don't forget before next use. You want the sewn part of the sack seams on the outside, giving a smoother surface to the hops. This just makes clean up much easier.
Have fun.
 
Checking how far my sack will hang into the pot. It's just above the bottom. If I stretch it out, it might touch bottom.

It's a hop bag, not a tea bag! :cross:

Sorry.... I couldn't resists

Anyway that looks awesome! I think I may try to make it sometime. Do you use whole hops? Or will this hold pellet hops just fine?
 
It's a hop bag, not a tea bag! :cross:

Sorry.... I couldn't resists

Anyway that looks awesome! I think I may try to make it sometime. Do you use whole hops? Or will this hold pellet hops just fine?

Agreed I do like your idea of "batwinging" your sack to get better hop exposure to the wort.
 
Nice build, looks very simple. I've seen this construction a couple times before, and I always wondered if there was a way to build it so the bag could be quickly disconnected from the reducer? I was thinking it would be nice to be able to connect a grain bag to steep, and then disconnect quickly for a hop bag later in the boil?

Has anyone tried to build something like that?
 
It's a hop bag, not a tea bag! :cross:

Sorry.... I couldn't resists

Anyway that looks awesome! I think I may try to make it sometime. Do you use whole hops? Or will this hold pellet hops just fine?

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.
 
Nice build, looks very simple. I've seen this construction a couple times before, and I always wondered if there was a way to build it so the bag could be quickly disconnected from the reducer? I was thinking it would be nice to be able to connect a grain bag to steep, and then disconnect quickly for a hop bag later in the boil?

Has anyone tried to build something like that?

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
 
How do you stir yer pot?

Also, please cut yer toenails. Thank you.

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Don't you guys worry about stuff leeching out of the pvc during the boil? I know they condensate like mad (I tried one once for about 5 minutes). I will admit their a neat option, I just prefer to let the hops swim free.:)
 
Don't you guys worry about stuff leeching out of the pvc during the boil? I know they condensate like mad (I tried one once for about 5 minutes). I will admit their a neat option, I just prefer to let the hops swim free.:)

I don't worry about much at all, so no.

I too would prefer to just toss hops into the boil, but my plate chiller would quickly become useless.
 
That's what a hop stopper is for, my friend.

Nothing PVC in my boil. I use the Lil' Sparky paint strainer, hop spider type thingy except I use a Polyester 100 micron water filter bag which is rated to 280*F and add 10% more hops to compensate for loss of hop flavor and aroma. I have had only positive effects from anything leaching from the Polyester during the boil because that extra penis growing from my forehead has come in handy.;):D
 
Nothing PVC in my boil. I use the Lil' Sparky paint strainer, hop spider type thingy except I use a Polyester 100 micron water filter bag which is rated to 280*F and add 10% more hops to compensate for loss of hop flavor and aroma. I have had only positive effects from anything leaching from the Polyester during the boil because that extra penis growing from my forehead has come in handy.;):D

Which hand?
 
sawdust,
where did you get those 100 micron bags? i saw on ebay that dudadiesal has some for sale. are they the same ones you have?
 
I just started reading this thread and got a couple of posts into it and read this "I'm no small guy and I gave my sack quite a few good tugs." and I had to stop there because my eyes were watering and couldn't see straight as I was laughing so hard.

I hope your sack is OK!:D

Still ROFL...
 
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/data/971/medium/IMG00160-
Checking how far my sack will hang into the pot. It's just above the bottom. If I stretch it out, it might touch bottom.
[/quote]

Was thinking the same thing about this one :)
 
I just started reading this thread and got a couple of posts into it and read this "I'm no small guy and I gave my sack quite a few good tugs." and I had to stop there because my eyes were watering and couldn't see straight as I was laughing so hard.

I hope your sack is OK!:D

Still ROFL...

Thanks for asking, my sack is fine. I've given it a good workout at least four times since I wrote that.

To date, warned that it would happen, I have yet to have my sack fall off. Though, my sack did get a bit loose one time. Using heavy welder's gloves and a firm two-handed grip, I kept my loose sack under control and saved a messy clean up. If I hadn't noticed my loose sack and got that good, leather lined, two-handed grip at JUST the right moment, my sack would have spewed scalding hot spent hops all over my brewing counter, and probably the floor too. And, everyone knows it's NEVER a good thing getting spent hops on the counter, the floor, or in your brewing partner's hair.:D
 
I spent some time making a similar device using a brass toilet flange and SS wire to hold it in place. The brew session went well and after cleaning the bag, I wanted to dry it.

I put the bag in my brew kettle and stretched the elastic around my kettle. It fit perfectly as though it was made to be used this way. Not sure why we aren't just letting the hops swim about similar to the BIAB method. Why use the spider at all?
 
I based my version on an previous post that mentioned a single rod. I used two large marbles to keep the bag from floating. It worked well. I wanted a pellet hop filter so I can move to a plate chiller. This is a 10 gallon boil.

Hagging hop bag.jpg
 
BCD51565-BF60-45C8-9D41-C4D765270ABE-29717-0000125B7DD9C01A.jpg


I made mine with a SS basket for a garbage disposal. When I bring it all the way inside the handle I can spin it and it is close enough to the walls that it can't be knocked in.
 
Back
Top