How To Build A Hop Spider To Filter Hops From Your Wort

Spartan1979 said:

Does anyone use a hop spider along with a whirlpool immersion chiller?

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I did on my last brew. Worked pretty good. I'm more concerned with my apparent reduced utilization. I was using a combination of whole leaf and pellet hops and they ended up forming a big slug at the bottom of the bag. There wasn't much liquid flow through the bag, and my resultant utilization was a good deal lower. This was using a 5 gallon paint strainer bag.

I'm going to use all pellet hops on my next brew to see if the results are improved. Perhaps the combination of whole and pellet hops just isn't the best application for this device?

I know galvanized anything is usually a bad idea....but is it bad if it doesn't actually touch the wort?

I used one of these with 2 lengths of aluminum round bar run through it.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_306045-4247...ies_4294934297__s?Ntt=4+in+reducer&facetInfo=



As far as I am concerned it worked perfectly. No softball effect (although I would give teh bag a stir every now and then) and no worries about melting/warping. I just had to make sure I was wearing a glove when I needed to move it since everything is metal.

I also added a few SS washers to the bag to keep it down but I do like the idea if finding a way to expand the bag at the bottom. Maybe I'll just look for an SS pot the right size and chop a ring out of it!

John

my concern would be condensation settling on the galvanized steel, then dripping back in.

BTW...even though my paint strainer version worked well, I am considering going the SS mesh route. Here is the chart on McMatser that illustrates some common uses and how to determine which will suit your needs:



Which do you guys think would work best for pellet hops?

John

Atl300zx said:

my concern would be condensation settling on the galvanized steel, then dripping back in.

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I figured that would be the concern. Honestly, I watched it very closely during the entire boil and did not see one bit of condensation.

John

Just a thought, but I did a search for stainless steel reducers. The prices range from $8.00 up. The initial investment would cost more, but the concerns of using PVC or CPVC wouldn’t be of concern. I was wondering if anyone tried this?

Stainless Steel 304/304L Pipe Fitting, Concentric Reducer Coupling, Butt-Weld, Schedule 10, 4" X 3" Pipe Size

Whereabouts did you find that?

I take the strainer bags, dump in my pellet hops (so far), add a couple of marbles to weigh it down. Tie it closed with some string, throw them in, and tie the string to the pot handle. 2 bags = about $3. I'm going to get a couple more. The marbles and string I already had. My total investment will be less than $7, unless I get crazy and need more that 4 hop additions.

I dont use this anymore. I just put the hops in bags and chuck them in at the right interval. I use voile bags. They filter the hop material better.
The rolling boil keeps the bags doing summersaults.
Much better setup for me and cleaner. Paint strainer bags leak too much hop muck and clog my screen for the pump.

This is the best build that I have done so far next to my keezer.

HitTheTwit said:

Whereabouts did you find that?

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I didn't buy one yet, just trying to get some opinions. I did find this one that seemed like it would work fine.

Amazon.com: Stainless Steel 304/304L Pipe Fitting, Concentric Reducer Coupling, Butt-Weld, Schedule 10, 4" X 3" Pipe Size: Industrial & Scientific

My only concern would be attaching the bag. Those sloped edges might create a problem.

I went with a 6x4 schedule 80 pvc fitting. I like the larger opening, but 4 in should be fine. I used Rototool to notch a edge for the clamp to sit in so there is not chance of slipage. No problems after 16 batchs.

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nate456789 said:

I dont use this anymore. I just put the hops in bags and chuck them in at the right interval. I use voile bags. They filter the hop material better.
The rolling boil keeps the bags doing summersaults.
Much better setup for me and cleaner. Paint strainer bags leak too much hop muck and clog my screen for the pump.

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pardon my ignorance, but what are voile bags and where do you get them?

-TH- said:

pardon my ignorance, but what are voile bags and where do you get them?

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If you search the BIAB threads here they talk about it and where to get it.
It is what we use to mash in.
it is nylon or polyester material. Looks like a see thru curtain. You can get it at fabric stores. Much tighter weave than paint bags but flows just as good.

Catt22 said:

+1 The softball effect is real and I'm speaking from direct experience with a hop spyder contraption. I agree that the small hop bags aren't so good. I've had somewhat better luck with the larger grain bags, but now I just do the full monty and let them hops free range whether pellet or whole.

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Just like Catt, the free range hops don't bother me all that much. although i have thought about making one sometime in the future.

So I have used a spider on 4-6 5gal brews and it has worked great. I still out of habit dump my cooled wort over a strainer and into my fermenter for one last filter but mostly for aeration. There isn't much that this strainer catches and so I pose my question... I'm moving to 10gal next month with a pump, therminator, and aeration stone setup and am still paranoid about clogging the system. I have a Blichmann hopblocker I could install and I could do the whirlpool technique but is it even necessary? Anyone with experience want to chime in?

You won't have any issues. I use a spider for 10G batches and pump it through my Therminator and have never had any clogging issues. I don't use the hopblocker though, I use the original Blichmann kettle screen. For huge hoppy beers (like Pliney clone), I put some of the hops in smaller hop bags and let them free float in the kettle. I think it's just too many hops for being in the single hop spider bag. Even with all those hops in bags, I still didn't have any issue with flow through the Therminator.

But you do use a kettle screen? Maybe something to look into.

Here is mine...works great was super cheap to build. Keeps my plate chiller gunk free!

OleGoatBrewing said:

Here is mine...works great was super cheap to build. Keeps my plate chiller gunk free!

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What did you use as the collar?


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Rather than paying more than $10 for a sink flange, could a large can from (for example) a can of Bush's Baked Beans work in a similar fashion?

Okay, so maybe you want to use a can from a company that does not use BPA in their cans. But using a can would take an inexpensive project and make it super cheap.

I was looking around the workshop at items I might use instead of buying a sink flange and thought the little bit of a lip that remains on a can (which are typically made of steel now a days) might work well for a hop bag to stay on it while using the clamp.

Please feel free to give me reasons NOT to do this. I have been trying to come up with some myself. One thing I considered was "how long will the can last?"

For details about BPA, see: https://bpafreecannedfood.wordpress.com/bpa-free-canned-food-brands/