How do you whirlpool?

[cwlodyka]

I'm sick of my pellet hops clogging up my filter screen so I want to start whirlpooling. Anyone have experience in various methods? Not sure if I want to go with something like the whirlpool paddle offered by NorCal or get a sidewall dip-tube and whirlpool by recirculating the wort?

I've got a march pump and plate chiller to pump from kettle to fermentor. So I could just recirculate my wort back to the kettle either before or after chilling. My only concern is all the hops getting into the pump or chiller to get my whirlpool started.

Any thoughts?

 

[Natdavis777]

I currently whirlpool via a pump and a whirlpool port in my BK. I start circulating wort through the Pump>Plate Chiller> BK with a few min left in the boil to sanitize everything. Then, if doing a hop stand, I will cool to the appropriate temp, do my stand, all while whirlpooling, and then turn the water back on to continue cooling.

I utilize a SS hop spider though, which contains all of my hop debris. I have had luck in the past (my old system) whirlpooling with my stainless spoon and letting the wort sit for 10 min.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I whirlpool with a pump. I have a tangential inlet and a concave bottom to hold the cone. After a whirlpool I pump the wort through the chiller inline to the fermenter.

 

[Mismost]

I expect to get shot for saying this, but here goes....At flame out I stir round and round and get a good whirlpool effect going. Then I slap the lid on the pot and walk away for about 4-5 hours. I come back and quickly remove the lid, wipe off the condensation, spray the inside of lid down with StarSan, put it back on, and clamp it down tight. The next day, usually after church on Sunday, I gently hook a drain hose to the spigot on the pot which is attached to a screen filter in the pot, and transfer to my fermenting bucket. Most of the trub is left behind centered in the middle of the pot.

I know...no quick cool down of the wort, that may be a sin! I started doing that during a drought, we are on a well, and I just did not want to waste water for cooling. But, so far, no problems and clearer beer.

 

[cantrell00]

I expect to get shot for saying this, but here goes....At flame out I stir round and round and get a good whirlpool effect going. Then I slap the lid on the pot and walk away for about 4-5 hours. I come back and quickly remove the lid, wipe off the condensation, spray the inside of lid down with StarSan, put it back on, and clamp it down tight. The next day, usually after church on Sunday, I gently hook a drain hose to the spigot on the pot which is attached to a screen filter in the pot, and transfer to my fermenting bucket. Most of the trub is left behind centered in the middle of the pot.

I know...no quick cool down of the wort, that may be a sin! I started doing that during a drought, we are on a well, and I just did not want to waste water for cooling. But, so far, no problems and clearer beer.

This doesn't surprise me honestly.

I can only imagine what kind of hop aroma & flavor you from this too. Has to be crazy aroma.

 

[cantrell00]

I'm sick of my pellet hops clogging up my filter screen so I want to start whirlpooling. Anyone have experience in various methods? Not sure if I want to go with something like the whirlpool paddle offered by NorCal or get a sidewall dip-tube and whirlpool by recirculating the wort?

I've got a march pump and plate chiller to pump from kettle to fermentor. So I could just recirculate my wort back to the kettle either before or after chilling. My only concern is all the hops getting into the pump or chiller to get my whirlpool started.

Any thoughts?

I use an immersion so not really apples to apples but I would think that you would whirpool for whatever period & then drain through your plate chiller.

You need to add a recirculation port at the upper level of your kettle. Place a street elbow on the inside with a 1/2" barb and then connect a piece of silicone hose onto it.

It will conform to the ID radius of the pot & work wonderfully. Return the wort at the surface. No need for it to be submerged. With a lid if doing extended hopstands.

 

[murphyslaw]

I know you're asking about whirlpooling, but building a cheap hop spider fixed the problem for me.

https://byo.com/build-it-yourself/item/2427-build-a-hop-spider-projects

 

[cwlodyka]

I expect to get shot for saying this, but here goes....At flame out I stir round and round and get a good whirlpool effect going. Then I slap the lid on the pot and walk away for about 4-5 hours. I come back and quickly remove the lid, wipe off the condensation, spray the inside of lid down with StarSan, put it back on, and clamp it down tight. The next day, usually after church on Sunday, I gently hook a drain hose to the spigot on the pot which is attached to a screen filter in the pot, and transfer to my fermenting bucket. Most of the trub is left behind centered in the middle of the pot.

I know...no quick cool down of the wort, that may be a sin! I started doing that during a drought, we are on a well, and I just did not want to waste water for cooling. But, so far, no problems and clearer beer.

Wow' that's a different approach for sure' makes me feel better about not cooling immediately. I've always found that to be a bit of a myth with proper santization but still... A full day later is certainly something I've never heard of! That's one thing I was worried about, whether to cool as I whirlpool (but then risk hop true through my plate chiller) or just spaniel pool, let it sit, then cool. I think I'm going to go with the latter.

 

[cwlodyka]

I went and bought a couple of side pick up tubes from bargain fittings. One as a whirlpool arm with a 90 elbow. I'll just recirc the wort through the pump and let it sit for 20-30 mins to settle before chilling. We'll see!

 

[cantrell00]

That will certainly work also.

 

[mtnagel]

I do the cheap and easy method. I use my immersion chiller to drop down to the temp I want to whirlpool at. Then I remove it, throw in the hops, stir, put on the lid. I stir every 5 minutes and replace the lid and do that for the entire whirlpool period. Cost me $0.

 

[cwlodyka]

I do the cheap and easy method. I use my immersion chiller to drop down to the temp I want to whirlpool at. Then I remove it, throw in the hops, stir, put on the lid. I stir every 5 minutes and replace the lid and do that for the entire whirlpool period. Cost me $0.

Does that get you a hop cone in the center of the kettle at the end of the whirlpool tho? That works for distributing hops, but usually not great for separating wort from trub.

 

[cantrell00]

Takes longer and a bit of a pain but if you rack from the surface after chilling, all of the cold break can be left behind. Hops too for that matter.

 

[govner1]

I currently whirlpool via a pump and a whirlpool port in my BK. I start circulating wort through the Pump>Plate Chiller> BK with a few min left in the boil to sanitize everything. Then, if doing a hop stand, I will cool to the appropriate temp, do my stand, all while whirlpooling, and then turn the water back on to continue cooling.



I utilize a SS hop spider though, which contains all of my hop debris. I have had luck in the past (my old system) whirlpooling with my stainless spoon and letting the wort sit for 10 min.

^^^this except I use a CFC along w/ the hop spider.

 

[AK7007]

I know...no quick cool down of the wort, that may be a sin! I started doing that during a drought, we are on a well, and I just did not want to waste water for cooling. But, so far, no problems and clearer beer.

Used to be my go-to method, but I would come back and add whirlpool hops at ~170 depending on the recipe to add aroma/flavor without isomerization.

However, since buying one of these: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23285
I've noticed that I'm trapping even more hop essence since the steam can't escape at all. It also allows me to store the wort for a few days and start fermentation later if I want to since it seems much more airtight than my previous method of sealing the lid of the kettle with painter's tape.

 

[mtnagel]

Does that get you a hop cone in the center of the kettle at the end of the whirlpool tho? That works for distributing hops, but usually not great for separating wort from trub.

Nope, but I don't care.

http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/02/the-great-trub-exbeeriment-results-are-in/

http://brulosophy.com/2015/03/22/the-impact-of-kettle-trub-part-2-exbeeriment-results/

 

[Gonefishing]

I know you're asking about whirlpooling, but building a cheap hop spider fixed the problem for me.

https://byo.com/build-it-yourself/item/2427-build-a-hop-spider-projects

Thank you! After losing a large portion of my last batch to hop garbage (technical term there) I'll be making on of these before I brew again! Nice and simple and will seriously increase my keggable beer.

 

[Helloworld]

I use a pump with JZ's recirculating immersion chiller design:

http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php

However, if I had seen this video from Jaybird I may have tried it before I bought the pump:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G21aF7OsEZM[/ame]

 

[budonze]

At flame out a take a large spoon and stir the heck out of the wort until it whirlpools. I put the lid back on and let it sit for 5 -10 mins before draining. I use a plate chiller so it's easy to stir the wort and then close the lid. I get a pretty good trub cone in the middle of the kettle.

 

[govner1]

Be careful to avoid hot side aeration by stirring too vigorously!